Thursday 11th July 2024 – the day that RedKnows took on RecFest for the first time!
Celebrating its 10th birthday this year, RecFest is a unique event designed to gather In-House Talent teams and connect them with other like-minded people for the ultimate networking event. It was far from your run of the mill trade show – it was more like the Glastonbury of the Talent Acquisition world!
There was a ferris wheel, a Gordon Ramsey lookalike, the Mad Hatter on stilts…and that was just the start!
Of course we had to put our RedKnows stamp on things, hence the ping-pong related carnage on stand I-2…
Shall we dive in?
EVPing: It’s all to ping for
As the world’s largest Talent Acquisition event, RecFest sure did deliver.
In fact, the festival welcomed over 5000 Talent Attraction and Resourcing Leaders to Knebworth Park, all ready to network, learn some new skills and play an exciting game of EVPing at the RedKnows stand.
But what is EVPing, we hear you ask?
- Think Beer Pong
- Minus the beer
- And the cups are on your head
Oh and the best thing? Each game of EVPing was recorded in stunning 4K and in 360 degrees and shared with each of the players afterwards.
We knew the game would be popular and we knew it’d be absolute carnage. After all, who wouldn’t want to throw ping pong balls at your colleagues head in a bid to win a bespoke EVP strategy worth £10,000?
That being said, we didn’t expect to have such a large and constant crowd of eager EVPingers from over 120 companies, all itching to play to win.
But we did. And it was awesome.
EVP in 360 degrees with our very own Neil Rudolph
Next up was Neil’s EVP 360 Degree speaker slot in the (very appropriate) EVP tent. And it’s a topic that’s hot at top tables and beyond right now. There were nearly 300 people in attendance – look at Rudolph pulling in the punters!
In times when budgets are being trimmed and squeezed, having an effective EVP is important now more than ever to reduce recruitment costs. Finding and retaining top talent is crucial for improving ROI and re-engaging teams across your organisation.
After a few interesting turns around the stage to work the clicker, Neil discussed how important it is to think of your EVP in 360 degrees – and not as a flat concept. He talked about the EVP Onion, and how your company’s EVP sits within the context of culture, Employer Brand and ultimately, Talent Attraction.
And it doesn’t stop there! Once you’ve harnessed the power of a strong EVP, and found incredible new talent, it’s all about keeping them informed through their onboarding process and nurturing them within your business. Did you know that once implemented, an effective EVP can save you up to £200,000 in recruitment costs?
Neil kept the whole tent of RecFesters engaged and was asked plenty of questions, which he answered with careful thought and consideration. It was enough to keep them in, and out of the sunshine at least!
Wrapping up
And that’s a wrap! We’ve EVPinged our way to Knebworth and back, networked with some incredible brands, and maxed out the memory card on our 360-degree camera.
The organisers of RecFest did an amazing job orchestrating the weather, as well as all of the events, stalls, food trucks and music. It really was the ultimate event for the TA community, and we’re delighted to say we’ll be attending next year!
Thank you to everyone who played EVPing, ate our popcorn, and came to our stand – you’re all legends!
Also a HUGE congratulations to our lucky winners, Campion Group. We can’t wait to work with you to create and deliver your authentic EVP strategy.
Could that be you next year? See you at RecFest 2025!
