Building a Strong Employer Value Proposition

HR: Employees are leaving jobs. CFO: Do we have data on why they’re leaving? HR: Yes. 70% of our turnover is tied to unmet needs like growth, recognition, and flexibility. CEO: But how much does it actually cost us when they leave? HR: Each lost employee costs 1.5x their salary to replace, not to mention the productivity gap. CEO: We need to reduce spending. We can't spend on engagement programs. CFO: What’s the impact of these engagement programs on retention? HR: Programs focused on growth and recognition have reduced turnover by 25%, saving us $3M annually. CEO: Are there other benefits to meeting employee needs? HR: Absolutely. Employees who feel valued are 30% more productive and report higher satisfaction. CFO: What about profitability? CHRO: Engaged teams generate 21% higher profitability. It’s not just about keeping them. It’s about keeping them productive and motivated. CEO: So cutting back on programs that meet employee needs could cost us more? CFO: The data shows there’s a significant financial impact. HR: Meeting employee needs isn’t just an expense. It’s an investment in retention, productivity, and profit. The lesson? Employees quit when their needs go unmet, whether it’s for growth, recognition, or flexibility. Invest in your employees.

Ever walked into a room and felt like you didn't belong? Now imagine feeling that way at work. Every. Single. Day. This is why diversity and inclusion in recruitment isn't just a buzzword – it's a business imperative. As someone who's spent years in executive research and recruitment, I've seen firsthand the power of diverse teams. But here's the truth: attracting diverse talent is just the beginning. I remember when a client came to me, frustrated. "We're trying to hire diversely," they said, "but it's not working." Their mistake? They were fishing in the same old ponds. So, how do we shake things up? Here's what I've learned: 1. Cast a wider net: Look beyond your usual talent pools. Partner with diverse professional organizations. 2. Check your job descriptions: Are they truly inclusive? Words matter more than you think. 3. Diverse interview panels: Candidates should see themselves reflected in your team. 4. Blind resume reviews: Remove bias-triggering information like names and schools. 5. Showcase your commitment: Make your diversity initiatives visible on your website and social media. And hiring diverse talent means nothing if you can't retain them. Inclusion is where the real work begins. I once worked with a company that hired a diverse workforce but couldn't figure out why turnover was so high. The problem? They expected new hires to "fit in" rather than creating a culture where everyone could belong. To foster true inclusion: -> Mentor programs: Pair diverse employees with senior leaders. -> Employee resource groups: Give people a place to connect and be heard. -> Inclusive leadership training: Help managers understand and mitigate unconscious bias. -> Regular feedback: Create safe spaces for honest conversations about inclusion. -> Celebrate differences: Don't just tolerate diversity – embrace it! You should focus on creating a workplace where everyone can thrive, contribute, and feel valued. As leaders, it's on us to make this happen. It's not always easy, but it's always worth it. What's your experience with diversity and inclusion initiatives? #DiversityAndInclusion #RecruitmentBestPractices #InclusiveLeadership #WorkplaceCulture

In the wake of the recent executive orders targeting DEIA initiatives within federal organizations and beyond, it’s clear that the current administration is setting the stage for broader attacks on inclusion efforts. From the establishment of a “hotline” for reporting DEI language to the appointment of DEI critics to key leadership roles, these actions are not just a government matter—they are a signal of what’s to come for private businesses. As I’ve said before, it’s going to get worse before it gets better. However, instead of retreating, we must act now. The playbook being deployed isn’t new, and it’s more important than ever to double down on creating cultures of belonging and environments where all voices are valued and heard. Here are six actionable steps leaders can take to safeguard and strengthen their commitment to building inclusive workplaces: 1. Embed DEI Into Core Business Strategy Treat DEI as integral to your business strategy, not a separate initiative. Align DEI initiatives with organizational objectives, and tie them to measurable outcomes like employee retention, innovation, and customer satisfaction. Pro Tip - Ensure Merit, Excellence & Intelligence (MEI) is highlighted. 2. Invest in Psychological Safety Ensure your workplace fosters open communication where employees feel safe to express themselves without fear of retaliation. This foundation of trust enables innovation and builds stronger, more cohesive teams. 3. Be Transparent and Data-Driven Use metrics to assess the current state of your culture and workforce. Share findings transparently with employees and leadership. Pairing data with storytelling humanizes the numbers and helps make the business case for DEI. 4. Strengthen Leadership Equip leaders with the cultural competency and tools they need to champion inclusion authentically. Empower them to drive change at every level of the organization, making them visible advocates for a culture of belonging. 5. Collaborate Across Sectors Join forces with advocacy groups, industry leaders, and community organizations to share resources, amplify impact, and stand united in advancing inclusion. This collective approach can strengthen resilience against external pressures. 6. Listen, Learn, and Adapt Create regular opportunities to listen to employees and communities impacted by your decisions. Use their feedback to refine and adapt your DEI strategies to remain relevant and effective. While the current climate might be challenging, this is also an opportunity to reaffirm your commitment to creating workplaces where everyone feels valued and supported. Proactive leadership in the face of adversity not only protects your organization but also positions it for success as workforce and market demographics continue to evolve. Rise to meet the challenge, stay the course, and collaborate to create a workplace where belonging thrives. Together, we can ensure our workplaces are resilient and inclusive moving forward.

RTO mandates, especially rigid, top-down ones, can be a wrecking ball to corporate culture. When leaders decree a full return without compelling reasons or flexibility, it often signals a profound lack of trust in employees who demonstrated productivity and commitment during remote work. This undermines autonomy, erodes morale, and inevitably leads to resentment. It's not just about convenience; it's about the employee experience and feeling valued. Companies that ignore this risk face a talent exodus, losing their most adaptable and high-performing individuals who will seek out organizations that respect their autonomy and optimize for impact, not just presence. Now, if a full RTO is truly deemed essential for specific business reasons, then HR leaders must guide the process with empathy and strategy to minimize disruption. 1) Make it about purposeful presence: clearly articulate why coming to the office benefits collaboration, innovation, or culture, rather than just dictating attendance. 2) Implement a phased approach, allowing employees time to adjust their lives, childcare, and commutes. 3) Offer tangible support: consider commuter benefits, childcare stipends, or even office-based amenities that make the commute worthwhile. Most importantly, listen to employee feedback and build a hybrid model that maximizes the benefits of in-person work while retaining the flexibility that employees now expect. It's not about forcing people back; it's about creating an environment where coming to the office feels like a valuable choice, not a punitive command. #RTO #FutureOfWork #EmployeeExperience #HRStrategy #Leadership #WorkplaceCulture

The real problem with eliminating DEI programs is the potential return of the mediocre white male. As companies retreat from diversity initiatives amid political pressures, we're not just losing buzzwords and HR programs. We risk reverting to a system where connections trump competence, and mediocrity thrives under the protection of homogeneity. I've spent decades watching organizations struggle with talent acquisition. The data is clear on 2 things: - Teams with a variety of perspectives and backgrounds perform better; - When companies rely solely on traditional networks, they perpetuate existing imbalances and also wind up missing candidates with the most merit. Consider this: While men represent roughly 50% of the population, they occupy 70% of leadership positions. Black Americans comprise 13% of the population but hold just 3% of executive roles. The solution is to elevate standards rather than abandon them by looking for what I call ME&I: Merit, Excellence, and Intelligence across every step of the talent pipeline. There are 3 parts of your pipeline to look at: 1. Start with your search function. Examine where your candidates come from to ensure that you’re sourcing diverse candidates. If you’re only getting white males, you may be missing an excellent candidate. 2. Next, selection. Selection should start with finding the highest quality candidates, but if two candidates perform equally well, there’s value in choosing the minority candidate, especially if your company currently has a discrepancy internally. 3. Finally, integration. True integration means creating environments where all perspectives get heard and valued. Once critical mass is achieved, this becomes self-sustaining - you’ll have more of a built-in support system for employees of different backgrounds. Let's be clear: Ditching DEI programs without addressing underlying process flaws doesn't advance meritocracy, it undermines it. The choice isn't between merit and diversity. The highest-performing organizations know that having a meritocracy means you need to make sure that diverse candidates have the same chance to show their merit as others.

Stop treating your Employee Value Prop like a tagline. Start using it to galvanize your entire workforce. Most companies say they have an EVP. Few know what to do with it. It’s not about career site copy or rebranded onboarding kits. A real Employee Value Proposition unlocks momentum, the kind that aligns 5,000 (or 80,000+) people around a shared purpose. I learned this firsthand leading culture transformation at one of the largest healthcare employers in the U.S. Here’s the truth: If your EVP lives in HR, you’ve already lost. It’s not a talent tool. It’s a business accelerator. The organization had scaled through acquisition. That meant fragmented cultures, legacy systems, and a “one company” message that didn’t match reality. Corporate strategy called for innovation and next-level care. But the culture wasn’t built for it - yet. So we started with the people. Thousands of conversations, not just surveys. We asked: What connects you to your work? What keeps you proud? We found a unifying force: the collective drive to deliver incredible care. That became our EVP. But the transformation came when we operationalized it. We built outcome-based pillars, not just values, but decision lenses. Not words on posters. Tools for action. They became: Hiring guides (we trained recruiters to assess for alignment, not just skills) Onboarding narratives Manager scorecards Performance criteria Bonus frameworks (yes, compensation tied to culture outcomes) Every function, not just HR used the EVP to guide decisions. It became the organization’s GPS. And we didn’t do it alone. We partnered with outsiders - not consultants, but provocateurs. People who pushed us beyond industry norms. Who asked the uncomfortable questions. Who helped us stop designing for now and start designing for what’s next. One of those partners now runs a venture called Fauna, a testament to what bold collaboration can spark. Here’s what I’ve learned: If your EVP isn’t designed to: 🔹 Align culture and strategy 🔹 Focus every team around shared outcomes 🔹 Make performance part of your values …then you’re missing the point. This isn’t about launching an internal brand. It’s about building a culture system that accelerates your business and turns people into believers. So ask yourself: → Does your EVP live in a slide deck… or in daily decisions? → Are your values just wall art… or linked to pay and performance? → Did HR build your EVP… or did the whole business? An EVP buried in HR is a missed opportunity. An EVP wired into your operating model? That’s how real transformation sticks.

Keeping top talent isn’t about offering the biggest paycheck. It’s about offering the deepest respect. I’ve seen this play out over and over: Talented people walking away, Not because of money, But because they felt invisible. Most teams lose their best people because: ↳ They assume salary is enough ↳ They skip real recognition ↳ They expect loyalty without care But retention isn’t luck. Retention is built. 1/ Before They Think of Leaving It’s already too late. ➡️ Daily Recognition ↳ Praise their impact, not just effort ↳ Be specific: what did they actually do well? ↳ Celebrate wins in public ↳ And give feedback that helps them grow ➡️ Career Pathing ↳ Don't wait for them to ask "what's next?" ↳ Create visible growth ladders ↳ Offer projects that stretch, not just stress ↳ Make it easy to see a future at your company ➡️ Emotional Safety ↳ Are you listening when they speak up? ↳ Do they feel safe failing, learning, trying again? ↳ Respect isn’t just words, it’s culture in action 2/ During Moments That Matter The best companies don’t wait for exit interviews to start listening. ➡️ Milestones ↳ Promotions, birthdays, even tough seasons ↳ A simple “we see you” goes a long way ↳ Gratitude shouldn’t just be annual ➡️ Manager Check-ins ↳ Are they challenged? Bored? Burnt out? ↳ Ask. Then act. ↳ Growth talks > performance reviews ➡️ Team Culture ↳ Respect everyone’s time and boundaries ↳ Celebrate contributions, not just personalities ↳ Create space for quiet talent to shine too 3/ When They’re at Their Best That’s when they need the most support. ➡️ Don’t over-rely ↳ Top performers aren’t machines ↳ Give them rest. Give them space. ↳ Or they’ll go where they’re nurtured, not used ➡️ Pay Fair, Not Just High ↳ Transparency builds trust ↳ Compensation should match impact ↳ But value goes beyond money Remember: People don’t just stay for the perks. They stay where they feel valued, seen, and supported. What’s one thing your best boss ever did to make you feel valued? Drop it in the comments 👇 🔁 Repost this if you lead a team, or want to someday. ➕ Follow me for more people-first hiring & leadership insights.

What makes an employer brand actually convert talent? Candidates are filtering for 3 core signals, consciously or not: 1 - Psychological safety “Will I be respected here?” Diversity representation, tone of comms, and how the company handles feedback all matter. 2 - Authenticity “Is this real, or just marketing fluff?” Peer stories > polished slogans Consistency across Glassdoor, LinkedIn, and your careers page is a huge trust builder. 3 - Proof of performance “Will I grow here?” Clear career paths, employee growth stories, team wins. Show, don’t just tell. What doesn’t convert: ☒ Vague perks (everyone has a snack wall now) ☒ Empty “we’re like a family” statements ☒ Stock photo overload with no real employee voices What does convert: ☑ Real stories from current employees ☑ Transparent hiring process ☑ Clear signals of what success looks like in your org ☑ A candidate experience that matches what you promised Your employer brand isn’t a logo or tagline. It’s a feeling backed by proof. #employerbranding #candidateexperience #hiring

Do you think you are fooling your employees about inclusion? Probably you are not. So often I see that employers seem to believe that saying how inclusive they are on social media will convince their employees that they have a great culture. The fact is, employees know when all is not well. You can’t “fool” them about inclusion, they must live it.  As organizations strive for inclusivity, navigating the plethora of diversity events and initiatives can raise awareness in a positive way, but it requires a thoughtful approach. If your tactics are about marking dates on a calendar but do not drive meaningful change, your efforts will not be effective 1️⃣ **Purposeful Engagement:** Embrace diversity days and months as opportunities for awareness and understanding. Encourage open dialogue about race, disability, gender, sexuality, and religion to dispel myths and assumptions. 2️⃣ **Go Beyond Tokenism:** Avoid superficial gestures by prioritizing internal awareness and engagement first. Celebrate achievements internally before broadcasting externally. Ensure that you share and celebrate tangible accomplishments around equity, not just celebrate diverse identities. 3️⃣ **Embed Equity &  Inclusion in Culture:** Integration is key. Embed equity & inclusion into every aspect of your organization, from recruiting to manager expectations to leadership engagement. Only by making it a 365-day commitment will it drive a culture where everyone feels valued and respected. 4️⃣ **Science-Led Monitoring:** Measure success beyond visible diversity. Seek feedback regularly including anonymous channels to provide input. Assess the impact of initiatives and identify areas for improvement. Regular data review and alignment are crucial for long-term progress. 5️⃣ **Empowerment & Leadership:** Provide genuine opportunities for staff to shape priorities and advance their careers. Foster inclusive leadership, ensuring all senior leaders are seen engaging in the work, and strive for diverse representation at all levels of the organization. By following these best practices, organizations can not only celebrate diversity but also drive real change, creating environments where everyone can thrive. #DiversityandInclusion #InclusiveCulture #DEIBestPractices Diversity North Group

"They’re not a culture fit." Those words echoed in the conference room as we discussed a promising candidate. 🙋🏾♀️ Me: "What exactly do you mean by that?" 😕 Hiring Manager: "You know... they just don't seem like they'd fit in with our team." As an HR Executive, I've encountered this phrase countless times. But this particular instance made me realize we needed to reframe our entire approach to workplace culture. Let's break down why "culture fit" can be a dangerous concept: 1. It often leads to homogeneity 👥👥👥 2. It can mask unconscious biases 🕶️ 3. It limits diversity of thought and innovation 💡 Instead, I proposed we focus on "culture add." 💡 Insightful Moment: A truly strong culture isn't about finding people who "fit in," but about welcoming individuals who bring unique perspectives and experiences that enrich our organization. From that day forward, we shifted our hiring discussions: ❌ "Are they like us?" ✅ "What unique value can they bring?" ❌ "Will they fit in?" ✅ "How can they help us grow?" ❌ "Do they match our current culture?" ✅ "How can they enhance our culture?" This mindset shift had a profound impact. We saw increased diversity, fresh ideas, and ultimately, better business outcomes. Our teams became more dynamic, innovative, and adaptable. ✨ Personal Transformation: This experience reinforced my commitment to fostering truly inclusive workplaces. It's not just about ticking boxes; it's about creating an environment where every individual can thrive and contribute their unique strengths. #MyWhy is clear – to build organizations where diversity is not just welcomed, but actively sought after. Where "culture" is not a mold to fit into, but a living, evolving entity that grows richer with each new voice. 💼💡 Let's start a conversation: How does your organization approach culture in hiring? Have you moved beyond "fit" to "add"? Share your experiences below! Together, we can transform workplaces into vibrant, diverse communities that drive innovation and success. 🌈🚀 #DiversityAndInclusion #WorkplaceCulture #HRLeadership #TalentAcquisition #InclusiveHiring #OrganizationalDevelopment