I was speaking with a colleague the other day and they told me a story about an employee interviewing for a job and the candidate was put off when they were told they would be working M-F, 8-5. I was stunned and then motivated. Motivated to determine how can we attract, engage, and retain our internal team members?
This is a new world that is not changing any time soon and we need to be able to articulate the value we provide, as employers, to our internal team members. We need a value proposition statement for our talent as much as we do for our prospects. So, let me share 3 points to help get you started with a value proposition statement for your internal team. I say 'started' because we will have to change course as the talent market changes. This employee-driven dynamic in the workforce has not been seen to this level before, and we will have to learn and adapt, as needed.
Do you have a value proposition statement for your internal team?
To help your recruiting and retention efforts, you need a value proposition statement for your internal team. This is a statement that will let your candidates and current team members understand the value they get from working with your company. The statement should be focused on your team members' needs and goals and NOT just your company's.
Elements of a Team Member Value Proposition Statement
Your talent value prop statement should answer the questions…
why should I work (or remaining working) for your staffing company?
what is in it for me?
Element #1 – Articulate what a team member contributes
I find it interesting when I am coaching my client's recruiters, many of the recruiters think their purpose is to fill a job order. Some will say it is to get people jobs.
I see it very differently. Their purpose is to be a career counselors to the candidate. The value we provide as staffing services is helping people find the next best position for themselves and help build their skill set to make them more marketable and increase their ability to earn more money. Isn’t that what most candidates are looking for today? As an internal team member, that is what they have the opportunity to do, every day. Your team gets to help people further their career and job opportunities, not just fill orders.
Write down the contributions your internal team members provide to your clients and candidates. Include all the life-changing options we provide to our temporary associates. Your internal team may need a different perspective of the impact of their efforts.
If you don’t know the impact or contributions, this is a great survey or focus group activity to conduct with your temporary associates and clients.
Element #2 – Understand current team members loyalty
What are you doing to learn about and offer the value that your team members want and expect? Do you know what that value is? Loyalty is partially based on the perception of value in the relationship.
We learn from our mistakes, but also from our successes. Regularly check in with your team members to understand what they like about working with your company and where you can improve. These conversations will help you learn your employer's successes today as well as open the door for extended conversations. Understanding what you are doing well as an employer is important, but the 'success bar' will be moving consistently in this new employment market. Therefore, have regular round tables and/or focus groups to gather feedback and suggestions. This is a great team-building exercise if facilitated correctly.
Element #3 – Be honest and base the statement on facts
There is nothing more deflating than being sold something that is not true. Your internal team value proposition should not be made up or created because it sounds good. It needs to be backed up with facts. To get those facts you need to ask your team members.
When was the last time you surveyed your team members? If it was more than 6 months ago, you need to do it again. And let’s clarify what type of survey, not surface questions but those that are much deeper and more meaningful. As we spoke about above, having conversations and interactions are critical. But what and how you ask the questions will be the game-changer.
Here are some great elements you might add to your survey or discussions to determine your true and honest internal team member value proposition.
What is the best thing that has happened to you at work in the last 30 days?
Tell us about the last new skill you learned and how you implemented it.
What is a new skill you would like to acquire in the next three months?
Compared to other company's employee experience, where do we exceed? Where do we fall short? (this can be based on their friends/family experiences)
If you owned a staffing company, what would you do differently for your internal team members?
Once you have completed your survey and focus groups, you are on the way to crafting an honest and compelling value proposition statement for your internal team.
Those companies that can articulate their true value, engage their team, and continue to change that value as the market changes will be the winner in the talent war.