The masterclass is where the level of knowledge is elevated, and we make some assumptions about people attending thinking they know the importance of EVP. Brad states “Everybody believes that EVP is important that employee engagement and the need to build great organizations is important but to do so there is a need for great leaders.” He spoke at extend on: Masterclass, Framing the context and principles of EVP psychology.
What do we need to do now to prepare?
Brad states “leaders need to visualize the organization they want to be a part of and start doing things now to be ready for challenges that will occur tomorrow.” What is the kind of leader you would want to work with, an organization you would want to be part of, what is the kind of company you need to build? All this decides your strategic approach and once this is designed you will attract employees who have the same goals and passion. While speaking of the role of a leader Brad agrees with Mark about how ‘moments matter’ and states “Every moment counts and they create the complete picture of an employee’s experience with any organization. These moments have to be created and inculcated to the roots of the organization. Your EVP has to have moments that make every day count and every gesture count and doing these with intentionality.”
EVP is a continuous process it does not happen in one day. Achievement of an organization’s EVP is when an employee quits or moves along towards another company yet refers people and friends to your organization.
Why would a talented person choose you?
Brad states “Most organizations think about attracting talent, but the real problem or concern should be companies may attract a lot of talent but how do they retain them.” EVP means putting the responsibility on the employer, not the employee. Brad says only 40% employees who were engaged after six months with an organization and hence, we must work with the Make Moments count technique to increase this statistic and have employees engaged since the first day at work.
- Objectifying the practice
It is not necessary to implement same practices that work for a company as this may impact the organizational culture and employees. In short, objectifying the method will lead to removing the human element and organizations need to avoid these practices. Principle drives practice. When you build EVP on principles, it has more chances of success as there is accountability of your employees. If your EVP is based on practice to drive principle the chances of failure are high.
- Cumulative principle
The value of experience is cumulative. There are three main factors of cumulative experience, and they are:
Things that are easy and difficult to do at the same time, e.g., praising someone for their achievement or success. It is not possible to always help people or be available for your employees due to multiple reasons, and these can work for us or against us but, the value of the EVP is grounded in things that are easy and difficult to achieve at the same time as they are a cumulative experience.
The changes may feel sudden, but it has to be built gradually. “Culture is intentional and can never be accidental,” says Brad. We must take small steps that are intentional and make the EVP to grow gradually.
- Reciprocity principle
Engagement of any kind is reciprocal. It is essential to have employees engaged and reciprocate the same feeling that the employees display. If an employee is a participant, gives input and shows passion ensure you give back the same proportion of intensity. There is a lot of difference between satisfied and engaged employees. Happy employees have set expectations, and the engagement is achieved due to the result. However, engaged employees willingly work towards success it is not an exchange of any outcome but just purpose and pride of being part of the organization.
- The why principle
Brad states “Most people ask me why people engage at work?” He says the answer the simple, the recruits believe in the meaning and experience value of you as a leader. They believe in the organization and feel what they do at work has a purpose and is contributing to something that has value and trusting you as the leader is a risk worth taking. EVP should have meaning, feel safe and the resources to fulfill the task assigned are contributors to an engaged workforce that is the result. When employees do not receive the above they push back and retaining talent becomes impossible. Elevate the moments that matter and add these principles to achieve the desired EVP and ensure employee voice matters.
- Readiness principle
Leaders must prepare now before they need to and must be ready for changes in the future. Your principal has to be future-focused and not limited by the past. The encouragement and mentoring a leader does have to be intentional and prepare a scaffolding plan and structure that will work. Leaders need to ensure these plans work and put in deliberate efforts. Leaders define moments that matter they drive reciprocal relationships and they elevate things they care about. When employees see the meaning in work, they feel safe, and their work has higher purpose leading to higher growth and reaping benefits.
Brad ends the webinar with a cumbersome thought process stating “Leaders need to understand that EVP is ongoing transformation and it needs active collaboration from all regardless of job roles. Leaders should not only lead but also serve employees with dignity and intensity.”