What is an employee value proposition and why does it matter?

Money is not the only motivator for teams. Certainly, it’s an important aspect of the full package of employee benefits. But, in my experience, happiness and working for an organisation that really speaks to their values are what really matter to people.

So, when I joined the financial mutual OneFamily just over two years ago as its HR director, I was keen to see what its employee value proposition looked like. As you might expect from a mutual, there was a focus on the people – who are right at the heart of the business. But it needed a refresh – to be looked at closely to see if it was still fit for purpose. 

This was an organisation that was about to embark on a significant change programme and modernisation. But when I looked at its stated values, they felt generic. They were all very worthy, but they didn’t mean anything to anybody, and no one could even tell me what they were. It was as if they’d been picked off a shelf and could have applied to any company.