If your EVP - employee value proposition - isn’t part of your talent attraction strategy, you might find yourself struggling to attract great people.
Facilities Management is a sector in growth mode. There are dozens of vacancies to fill, and if we’re honest, every single candidate has plenty of other options in hand.
So what’s your strategy for fixing this issue?
Well, your first step should be to ask this simple question:
Is there anything about your company that would make someone choose this job over another offer?
What is an EVP?
Today, businesses need to think critically about what makes them great. If we had a pound for every time we’ve heard people tell us they “fell in to FM”, we’d have a considerable pile of cash on our desk right now.
But in the current market, facilities management companies can’t afford to wait and hope that people find them. You need to go out of your way to attract the best talent. And that means showing them why FM in general, and your company specifically, is a great place to be.
Think about the things that make your company everything it is. Think about the reasons you joined the company.
Maybe you have a range of supportive affinity networks, or award winning mentoring programs.
Maybe you have sector leading benefits and incentives.
Perhaps your values demonstrate your commitment to your people and their career progression.
It might include the clients you work with, especially if you work with some prestigious brands.
All of this contributes to an employee value proposition (or EVP), which should be communicated in all of the organisation’s hiring efforts. Your EVP should be on the careers page of your website, in your job ads, and part of all the conversations and interviews you have with prospective candidates.
What makes a great EVP?
So where should you start? How do you put together a great EVP that will make people sit up and take notice?
Here are 4 things that every Employee Value Proposition should be:
1) Attractive
Offering “free tea and coffee” or “free parking” or “20 days holiday plus bank holidays” isn’t an Employee Value Proposition, because it’s not offering any value. If it’s the statutory minimum, or covers just the basic needs, it’s not a selling point. It’s a requirement.
Your offer needs to be head turning. You need to ask yourself what it is that would lure someone to come and work at your company over the perfectly good and stable job that they already have
2) People Centred
Don’t create your EVP in a vacuum. Start with what you already have – your people. Survey them to find out what’s important to them and use that as the basis of your offer. Look at what you already offer that they love, but also take the opportunity to listen to what they want and work out how much of it you could implement.
Remember – you don’t necessarily have to spend a lot of money to introduce initiatives that can make a difference. Affinity networks, mental health support, employee forums, giving people their birthday off – these all put your people at the centre of your business, helping them to feel valued and supported.
3) not just benefits
A common mistake people make when creating their EVP is to make it all about the tangible benefits they offer their employees. But there’s far more to it than that. You’re looking to create a statement that not only shows the great things you’ll do for your employees, but also helps them to see the value they’ll be adding to the company. People want to feel like their work is worthwhile and their contribution is appreciated. Make this a part of your EVP.
What are people asking for?
We’ve worked with a number of FM companies on crafting their EVP, and we regularly survey our candidate base to find out what they’re looking for from a prospective employer.
There are certain themes that we’re seeing coming up time and again, which might help you to form a basis for your offer.
- Benefits: If you really want to stand out from the crowd, make sure your benefits are sector leading. 30 days holiday instead of the statutory 20. Matched pension contributions. Bonuses over and above what your competitors offer. That’s how to make sure you’re first choice.
- Flexibility: Flexibility isn’t easy in Facilities Management – there is a need for staff to be on site, whether that’s carrying out work, managing teams, or meeting with clients. But that doesn’t mean there can’t be attempts at flexibility. Could you offer hybrid working, extra holiday, or flexi time?
- Culture: Almost every conversation we have with candidates covers off culture as a topic. The old adage is that people don’t leave jobs, they leave managers, so helping them to see that they will be joining a team where they will be supported and developed is key to attracting and retaining great people.
- D&I: If you want to attract the widest range of talent, you need to actively show that you’re working to make your company as diverse as possible. Think about reverse mentoring for BAME staff, affinity networks, or menopause support.
- Employee engagement: If you want your staff to feel valued, tell them regularly that they matter to you, and you appreciate their contribution. Set up annual staff awards, offer rewards and incentives. Say thank you as often as you can!
don't know where to start?
We suggest you start with a staff survey, to find out what your people like, or what they would appreciate. After that, you can put together an action plan to begin to make those things happen.
If you’re struggling to articulate your EVP, working with a recruitment partner could help, as we’re regularly crafting these for our clients. Get in touch if you could use some advice!
