How do you know if your employees are truly happy with your company? Are you delivering on your promises as an employer?
Building a great Employee Value Proposition (EVP) starts with listening to your employees.
Surveys are one of the most effective ways to collect honest feedback on what matters most to your team.
When you use surveys to shape your EVP, you make decisions based on real insights, not assumptions.
In this article, we’ll look at how you can create a strong EVP using employee surveys:
What is Employee Value Proposition (EVP)?
An Employee Value Proposition (EVP) is the promise a company makes to its employees about what they can expect from working there. Think of it as a deal between a company and its people. It reflects what the company offers in return for the hard work and dedication of its staff.
A good EVP is more than just perks and paychecks. It’s about company culture, work-life balance, and the opportunities for career development that make current employees want to stay and grow with the company. What’s more, it’s also about how the company’s values align with those of its employees.
A strong employer value proposition can be a game-changer. It helps attract potential employees who are seeking a place where they can feel fulfilled.
EVP also plays a key role in keeping annual employee turnover low. According to Gallup, satisfied and engaged employees are less likely to leave.
The best EVPs are shaped by listening to what existing employees say in surveys and feedback. They resonate with what people actually want and need.
When done right, an attractive employee value proposition can make a company stand out in the job market, build a strong employer brand, and turn potential employees into successful ones.
Top employee value proposition examples
Here’s a list of EVP examples, broken down into quantitative and qualitative elements for inspiration:
Quantitative elements
- Competitive salary: “We offer compensation packages that are in the top 20% of the industry.“
- Performance bonuses: “Employees can earn up to 20% of their base salary in annual bonuses based on individual and company performance.“
- Stock options: “Every employee has the opportunity to own a piece of the company through our generous stock option plan.“
- Comprehensive health insurance: “We cover 100% of your health, dental, and vision insurance premiums.“
- Retirement plans: “We match up to 6% of your 401(k) contributions to help you secure your future.“
- Paid Time Off (PTO): “Enjoy 25 days of PTO annually, with additional days added for each year of service.“
- Gym memberships: “Stay healthy with our fully subsidized gym memberships at top fitness centers.“
- Company-sponsored vacations: “Top performers are rewarded with all-expenses-paid vacations to exotic destinations.“
- Professional training: “Receive $3,000 annually for courses, certifications, and conferences to advance your skills.“
- Work-from-home stipend: “Get $1,000 annually to set up or enhance your home office for remote work.“
Qualitative elements
- Career growth opportunities: “We prioritize promoting from within and provide clear pathways for your advancement.“
- Leadership quality: “Our leaders are approachable, supportive, and dedicated to your professional and personal growth.“
- Role alignment: “We ensure your role matches your skills and career goals, making your work fulfilling and impactful.“
- Trust and collaboration: “Our culture is built on trust, where collaboration across teams drives our success.“
- Team relationships: “Work in close-knit teams where your ideas are valued and relationships are strong.“
- Company culture: “We promote a culture of inclusivity, innovation, and open communication.“
- Rapid career growth: “Experience fast-tracked career development with regular promotions and new opportunities.“
- Global reputation: “Join a company recognized globally for its excellence and innovation in the industry.“
- Social justice commitment: “We are deeply committed to social justice, with initiatives that make a real-world impact.“
- Challenging environment with well-being initiatives: “Thrive in a high-performance environment that’s also focused on improving well-being and flexibility.“
Combining these elements can create a strong and attractive EVP that resonates with both your current and potential employees.
Top employee value proposition statistics you need to know
- Gartner’s 2021 Digital Worker Experience Survey found that flexible working hours boost productivity, with 43% of participants saying that having flexible hours helped them work more efficiently.
- The top companies spend around 80% of their time delivering on their EVP promises and only 20% on defining the EVP, not the other way around.
- Companies with a clear EVP see 29% higher employee commitment at the start, compared to companies without a clear EVP.
- Organizations with a clear EVP pay 11% salary premiums to attract talent, compared to 21% for those without a clear EVP.
- Only 31% of HR leaders believe their employees are happy with the EVP.
- 65% of job seekers say they stopped a hiring process because they found the EVP unattractive.
- Companies that successfully deliver on their EVP can lower employee turnover by up to 70% each year.
- After one year, companies with a clear EVP keep 31% of employees committed, while those without it only retain 3%.
How to build a strong employee value proposition with surveys
Building a strong Employee Value Proposition (EVP) with the help of employee surveys involves a structured approach that incorporates feedback, analysis, and action.
Here’s a step-by-step guide:
1. Identify key objectives
Define what you want to achieve with your EVP. Are you trying to decrease annual employee turnover, improve work-life balance, or attract top talent? Setting clear objectives will guide the entire process.
Let’s imagine a small tech company called “BrightCode,” where employee turnover is a real concern. Every year, they lose almost 30% of their staff, and it’s starting to hurt the business.
So, the leadership team decides it’s time to focus on creating a good employee value proposition (EVP) to help decrease annual employee turnover and keep their successful employees happy.
First, BrightCode’s HR manager, Sarah, meets with the leadership team. They discuss what they want to achieve with their EVP.
It’s clear that one of their main goals is to reduce employee turnover, but they also want to focus on improving work-life balance and attracting top talent. They know this isn’t going to be easy, but setting these goals gives them a clear direction.
2. Develop and distribute surveys
Create surveys that cover various aspects of the employee experience, such as job satisfaction, company culture, leadership, career development, and benefits. Use a mix of quantitative questions (e.g., rating scales) and qualitative questions (e.g., open-ended feedback) to gather comprehensive insights.
Next, Sarah creates a survey using SurveyLab, a user-friendly tool perfect for employee surveys. She designs questions that look into the employees’ experience, like asking about their job satisfaction, company culture, leadership, and benefits.
There are a few open-ended questions to get personal feedback and some rating scales for easy data collection. Sarah’s goal is to gather honest opinions so she can really understand how the employees feel about their workplace.
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3. Ensure anonymity and transparency
Communicate the purpose of the survey clearly and guarantee anonymity to encourage honest feedback. Let employees know how their responses will be used to improve the workplace.
To get honest feedback, Sarah explains to everyone that the survey is anonymous. She sends out a company-wide email, making it clear that the goal is to improve the work environment.
People know their opinions will be taken seriously, so they feel safe sharing their real thoughts. There’s no fear of backlash, just a simple promise that their input will help make the company better.
4. Segment the data
Analyze survey responses by different segments such as department, role, or tenure. This will help you identify specific areas where the EVP needs to be strengthened or tailored to different groups.
Once the survey responses start rolling in, Sarah sits down with the results. Instead of looking at the feedback as a whole, she breaks it down into smaller groups by department, role, and how long employees have been with the company.
This gives her a clearer picture of where the EVP needs to change. For example, newer employees mention they need better onboarding, while the more experienced ones are looking for stronger career development.
5. Identify patterns and key themes
Look for recurring themes in the feedback. Are there consistent concerns about work-life balance, or a strong desire for more career development opportunities? Identifying these patterns is a must to build an EVP that resonates.
After reviewing the responses, Sarah starts noticing patterns. Many employees mention work-life balance as a major issue. Others talk about wanting more opportunities to grow in their roles.
The same points keep popping up, which helps her realize that these are the areas BrightCode needs to focus on if they want a successful employee value proposition.
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6. Prioritize areas of improvement
Rank the identified themes by importance and impact. Focus first on areas that will make the biggest difference to your employees’ satisfaction and your business objectives.
Sarah then works with the leadership team to rank these issues. They agree that focusing on work-life balance and career development should be the top priorities. If they can improve these areas, they’ll likely see more successful employees sticking around and a decrease in turnover.
7. Align with company values
Check if the proposed EVP elements align with your company’s core values and culture. This alignment reinforces the authenticity and credibility of your EVP.
One thing Sarah’s team knows is that their EVP has to fit with BrightCode’s company values. BrightCode prides itself on being innovative, flexible, and supportive.
So, as they start crafting their EVP, they make sure it highlights these values, showing employees that the company not only listens but also cares about their well-being.
8. Draft the EVP
Craft a clear and compelling EVP statement based on the survey insights. This should outline the tangible and intangible benefits employees can expect, and how these align with their needs and the company’s values.
Sarah then drafts a clear EVP statement. It talks about the balance between personal and work life, opportunities for growth, and how BrightCode’s values of flexibility and support are at the heart of the company.
The EVP outlines what employees can expect and what the company stands for. It’s not flashy or overpromising—it’s real and relatable.
9. Test and refine
Share the draft EVP with a small group of employees or leaders to gather feedback. Refine the messaging and elements based on their input to see if it resonates and is realistic.
Before launching the EVP, Sarah shares it with a small group of trusted employees and team leaders to get their feedback.
They like it, but they suggest adding a bit more about the company’s plans for remote working options, as it’s becoming a big part of the work-life balance discussion. Sarah makes a few adjustments, and the final EVP feels more complete.
10. Communicate and implement
Roll out the EVP to the entire organization through various channels (e.g., intranet, team meetings, onboarding materials). Make sure to integrate it into recruitment strategies and HR practices. Continuously gather feedback to keep the EVP relevant and aligned with evolving employee needs.
Now, it’s time to roll out the new EVP to everyone. Sarah shares it during team meetings, puts it on the company’s intranet, and makes sure new hires see it during onboarding.
The EVP also becomes a core part of their recruitment process, helping BrightCode not only keep their current employees but attract top talent as well.
When you follow these steps, you will build a strong and effective EVP that truly reflects the needs and desires of your employees, as well as support your company’s goals and values.
Bonus – example EVP survey questions
Based on the scenario with “BrightCode” and their focus on improving their employee value proposition (EVP), we’ve created survey questions that could help gather valuable feedback from employees.
The questions are a mix of multiple-choice, rating scales, and open-ended responses.
Feel free to use this template as an inspiration for your own EVP survey:
Job satisfaction:
- On a scale of 1 to 5, how satisfied are you with your current role at BrightCode?
1 (Very Dissatisfied) to 5 (Very Satisfied) - How likely are you to recommend BrightCode as a good place to work to a friend or colleague?
1 (Not Likely at All) to 5 (Extremely Likely) - What is the most satisfying part of your job?
Open-ended - What areas of your job would you like to see improved?
Open-ended
Work-life balance:
- How would you rate your work-life balance at BrightCode?
1 (Poor) to 5 (Excellent) - Do you feel you have enough flexibility in your work schedule?
Yes / No / Sometimes - Would you benefit from more remote work or flexible working hours?
Yes / No / Not sure - What changes could BrightCode make to improve your work-life balance?
Open-ended
Career development:
- Do you feel there are enough opportunities for career growth at BrightCode?
Yes / No / Unsure - How satisfied are you with the career support offered by BrightCode?
1 (Very Dissatisfied) to 5 (Very Satisfied) - What kind of training or development programs would help you grow in your role?
Open-ended - Have you had a conversation with your manager about your career goals in the last six months?
Yes / No
Company culture & leadership:
- How would you describe the culture at BrightCode?
Open-ended - Do you feel that BrightCode’s values align with your personal values?
Yes / No / Somewhat - How satisfied are you with the support and communication from company leadership?
1 (Very Dissatisfied) to 5 (Very Satisfied) - What can BrightCode leadership do to improve your experience?
Open-ended
Benefits & compensation:
- Are you satisfied with the current benefits offered by BrightCode?
Yes / No / Somewhat - Do you feel your compensation is fair for the work you do?
Yes / No / Unsure - What additional benefits would you like to see offered?
Open-ended
Overall feedback:
- What is the biggest strength of BrightCode as an employer?
Open-ended - What is the one area where BrightCode could improve the most?
Open-ended - Is there anything else you would like to share about your experience working at BrightCode?
Open-ended
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SurveyLab as your EVP survey companion
If you’re looking to create a successful employee value proposition (EVP), you need the right tools to gather employee feedback.
SurveyLab is your perfect companion for creating surveys that dig deep into what matters most to your employees.
Whether you’re aiming to decrease employee turnover or fine-tune your company culture, a well-structured survey is the first step.
With SurveyLab, you can easily build and distribute employee surveys across all devices – PC, tablet, or mobile.
It supports unlimited questions and responses, so it’s simple to gather comprehensive feedback from your team.
You can use features like skip logic, custom branding, and even multimedia to make your surveys engaging and on-brand.
SurveyLab also makes it easy to analyze your results.
Break down data by department, role, or tenure to get specific insights that will help you create a good employee value proposition that resonates with everyone. And because your data is presented in real-time reports with clear visuals, you’ll be able to spot trends and act on them fast.
Don’t leave your EVP to guesswork—use SurveyLab to listen to your employees and improve their experience. With pricing options that fit businesses of all sizes, it’s easy to get started.
Sign up for a free trial today, and start creating surveys that help you retain your best people!
