Make your EVP part of your DNA in 3 easy steps
By Evelyn Jackson (CEO)
You have created a meaningfully Employee Value Proposition (EVP) that perfectly encapsulates your organisation now and in the future. Now what? How you market it internally can be the difference between an EVP becoming just another initiative or part of your organisation’s DNA.
Starting with an internal communications strategy is key. Here are 3 easy steps to support how you deliver high engagement and buy-in when you launch and implement your EVP.
1. set your goals
Keep it simple! Consider what your EVP goals are and how these align to your overall business strategy. Ask yourself how the organisation will know if your workforce is engaged with your EVP. And how your EVP will translate to the Employee Experience you are creating. Examples of KPIs you could use include retention, internal NPS growth, increased engagement, and performance.
As ongoing communications are as important, if not more important, than your launch event, it is a good time to establish a budget for both the launch and ongoing annual communications. One-off activity can create a buzz, but ongoing and consistent internal communication will deliver results.
Mary Jane Brecklin, Vice President of HR Operations for HealthFirst, aptly said that an EVP isn’t a project plan, it’s “more like a social movement”.
2. MAP YOUR WORKFORCE
The key to any successful strategy is knowing your audience - who you are communicating with and what are their communication needs? Take a look at your workforce and how they interact with your business. We suggest categorising your talent into groups based on their workplace environment (onsite, hybrid, remote) and by role, department or seniority, skill set and communication habits and behaviours. And don’t forget time zones and language preferences if you’re global!
Small details like knowing whether colleagues are desk-bound, on the road or manage a team, for example, will help you to consider what communications strategy tactics will resonate best with them and will define what level of information they need.
3. Build out your internal communications strategy and assets
Select committed leaders at different levels in the business to be the voice of your EVP. Invest in a mix of visually impactful assets to help these leaders authentically communicate the answers to these questions:
- Why do we need an EVP?
- How was the EVP created?
- How will I experience the EVP?
- How will this benefit me and the business?
Your EVP story could be shared face-to-face and live streamed session with your CEO. Gaining senior-level endorsement and ownership to communicate your EVP is critical for success. An interactive e-book could be distributed via your digital comms channels (eg, Teams, Slack, Intranet, Internal Comms Platform) and beautifully display your EVP brand so that it meaningfully connects with your audience. A video could be created at the end of your first quarter to showcase EVP activity and link your EVP attributes to the employee experience. And further, start to link your EVP with engagement results and communicate them as one.
Think of ways to get your audience's attention based on the categories, such as hosting a shared lunch or goodie pack drop-off for remote workers to launch your new internal awards program.
Your asset options are limitless! Get an Employee Representative Group to support your brainstorming and gain input and feedback before you start. Think about your mix of evergreen and time-sensitive assets vs the cost to create them, as well as how you will measure success and retest with employees to adjust your future strategy. Finally, always loop back to your EVP and business goals to ensure alignment and continuously improve and be relevant
Final thoughts
These 3 easy steps are the basis of your internal communications strategy. Follow these and you’re on your way to making your EVP do the work and achieve your goals.
Developing your EVP is only the beginning. The effective launch and ongoing communication of your EVP to your internal team is critical to its success. An engaged, aligned and connected team will help your organisation deliver on its strategic goals.
Ultimately, your EVP can attract great talent, motivate your team and support retention. How?
With an EVP that is part of your DNA, you can expect your team members to become external employee brand advocates, refer new talent to help your business grow and outperform beyond your expectations.
How Corporate Crayon Can Help
Here at Corporate Crayon, we help organisations develop, communicate, and implement their EVPs. With industry-wide knowledge and a flexible approach, we can support you at any stage of your journey.
To find out more about our EVP solutions, get in touch with us today.