The world of work has shifted and so have employee expectations. Where a traditional Employee Value Proposition (EVP) once focused on salary, perks, and pension schemes, today’s top talent is looking for more.
Purpose, meaning, inclusivity and alignment with personal values are no longer nice to have – they’re essential.
So talent teams, my advice to help you win and retain your top talent? It’s time to evolve your EVP from transactional to transformational.
From what you offer to why you exist
Historically, EVPs were designed to answer the question prospective and existing employees ask: ‘What’s in it for me?’.
Today’s EVP must also answer: ‘Why should I care about what you do?’
Candidates are making career decisions based on alignment with a company’s mission, culture, and impact. They want to know the ‘why’ behind the work. It’s not just about job roles and responsibilities, it’s about belonging and having a meaningful impact.
Brands leading the way with a purpose-driven Employee Value Proposition
Here are a few brands getting it right in 2025, in my opinion:
GSK centres its EVP around the bold purpose of positively impacting the health of 2.5 billion people by the end of the decade! You can’t get more purpose-driven than that. They recognise everyone has their own personal motivations for wanting to get ahead of disease and they harness this by inviting candidates to join them on their journey, to deliver their purpose.
Their Employee Value Proposition is about saving the planet, not just about the outdoor clothing and accessories they sell. The mission, ‘We’re in business to save our home planet’, runs through every part of the employee experience. Their activism, environmental stance, and internal culture are completely aligned.
With employee ownership at its heart, the company communicates its purpose through fairness, shared success, and community engagement. Their EVP reflects mutual trust and long-term value, not just short-term perks.
These brands demonstrate a consistent truth: when your purpose is clear, your people believe in what you’re building.
Why purpose-driven EVPs work
Research backs this up. According to LinkedIn’s 2024 Global Talent Trends Report:
- 87% of professionals would consider leaving a job for a company that better aligns with their values.
- Companies that communicate a strong sense of purpose see 40% higher employee retention.
And it’s not just about millennials and Gen Z. Across all age groups, people want to know that their time, energy, and skills are contributing to something worthwhile.
It’s one of the reasons I shifted my focus from traditional branding to Employer Branding (have a read of my previous blog post if you are interested).
How to make purpose practical
Not every organisation is saving the planet or curing disease, and that’s okay. What matters is being authentic about your purpose. Yes, it’s that word again ‘authentic’ – but that isn’t going to change, I can assure you, authenticity is always going to be vital to your EVP.
Here’s how to bring it to life:
- Start with your mission: Is it meaningful? Clear? Memorable?
- Embed it in touchpoints: From onboarding to internal comms, your EVP should echo what you stand for.
- Sense-check your content: Does your careers site or social media reflect your purpose in action? You must be able to prove your mission through your storytelling and the content you share, otherwise candidates won’t believe you, and distrust will start to build!
- Empower your people: Use employee stories and ambassador content to make the purpose personal.
The EVP shift is here
In the competition for top talent, transactional perks are table stakes. Purpose is the differentiator.
If your Employee Value Proposition still reads like a shopping list of benefits, it’s time for a rethink. In 2025 and beyond, people don’t just want a job – they want a value exchange and to belong to something bigger.
Do you think your Employer Brand could be quietly costing you with missed hires, high bounce rates, low brand recall, and/or high attrition?
I’m happy to say RedKnows is currently offering an Employer Brand Audit. It’s completely free – no catch I promise! We’ll look at your Employer Brand and give you our honest opinion with some actionable recommendations for you to consider.
There is a high risk of sitting back and doing nothing but no risk in having a chat and getting some expert advice for free!
Feel free to connect with me on LinkedIn and/or drop me a line if you want to know more – suzie@redknows.co.uk
OR check out some of our success stories here!
