Is your People Strategy (EVP) ready for 2026 and beyond?
Over the last few weeks we have created a few blogs designed to get leaders thinking strategically about their people. In this blog we will talk about another approach to developing your People Strategy for 2026 and beyond – in HR we refer to it as an EVP, a strategic Employee Value Proposition.
An EVP is a company’s unique promise of rewards, culture, and growth, defining why top talent should join and stay with you. It goes beyond salary to include purpose, flexibility, development, wellbeing, and a positive environment, acting as a core talent strategy to attract, engage, and retain employees who align with company values.
To win in today’s competitive talent landscape, a strong Employee Value Proposition (EVP) is non-negotiable, but what truly shapes the Employee Experience? It boils down to six core attributes that influence an employee’s journey:
• Work: Tasks, projects, and responsibilities.
• Places: Physical and virtual work environments.
• People: Colleagues, leaders, and clients, fostering inclusion.
• Technology: Tools and resources for productivity.
• Organisation: Culture, values, mission, and reputation.
• Well-being & Inclusion: Support for employee health and belonging.
It’s about the individual’s holistic experience, with your company; from pay and perks to belonging and impact, essential for competitive advantage in the modern workforce. An EVP must reflect your brand and workplace reality. It needs dedicated champions to drive its definition and implementation, ensuring it delivers its intended value. While an EVP might not be perfect from the outset, a commitment to continuous refinement will hone its effectiveness over time.
Just like any other strategy we need to be able to measure its success, and this can be done by looking at a few basic HR statistics, reduce time to higher by ?%, increase employee engagement by ? %, increase productivity by ?% and lower turnover by ? %.
Externally, you can:
- Empowerment & Growth: Build a culture that empowers employees to reach their full potential and contribute meaningfully.
- Work-Life Balance & Well-being: Prioritise work-life balance with flexible work arrangements and benefits packages that support employee health and well-being.
- Meaningful Work & Purpose: Create opportunities for individuals to contribute and have a positive impact on the local community or causes which mirror your company values.
- Supportive Culture & Community: Cultivate a positive and inclusive work environment where employees feel valued, respected, and part of a supportive community.
- Transparency & Recognition: Communicate career development opportunities, benefits, and recognition for achievements are important aspects of strong EVPs.
To meet the needs of a diverse workforce, you must shift from fragmented initiatives to a harmonious strategy that integrates talent, reward, and employee experience. The EVP should act as the conductor, orchestrating these elements based on employee insights.
If you would like to talk further about how to build an EVP that resonates with today’s workforce, then please get in touch at [email protected] or call us on 01484 680098
For more context and information why not read our previous blogs: