Why your Employer Value Proposition matters more than ever if you want to attract — and keep — the next generation of talent.
By 2030, Gen Z will make up nearly 30% of the global workforce. But for many CEOs and senior leaders (especially to Gen X and older Millennials) this generation can feel elusive. They’re skeptical of hierarchy, allergic to corporate jargon and deeply attuned to whether your brand values are real or just good marketing.
And if your culture doesn’t match your message? Count them out. But the disconnect isn’t just a generational misunderstanding; it’s a brand problem.
Most companies invest in the customer-facing brand. But that’s only half the story.
You’ve probably spent years (we hope!) refining how your brand looks and sounds to the outside world. But if you want to win with ALL of your employees, it’s time to turn that same focus inward.
Your external brand builds awareness. Your internal brand builds belief.
Companies that lead their category, reach their goals and recruit top talent consistently do one thing well: They align the employee experience with the brand experience. That alignment starts with a strong employer brand.
As Harvard Business Review’s Denise Lee Yohn puts it:
“If your culture and brand are mismatched, you can end up with happy, productive employees who produce the wrong results.”
Gen Z expects more. And they aren’t afraid to walk.
They’re values-driven, digital-native and purpose-obsessed. According to Deloitte, 89% of Gen Z workers say purpose is key to job satisfaction. More than three-quarters of them prioritize work-life balance. And nearly 2 in 3 won’t apply to a job if they can’t clearly see how a company’s values align with their own.
Your brand promise isn’t just for your customers anymore. It’s your best recruiting and retention tool — if you’re willing to make it real.
What is an EVP (and why does it matter now more than ever)?
An Employer Value Proposition (EVP) is your brand promise to your people. It defines what employees can expect from you and what you expect from them in return. It’s not a poster. It’s not a recruiting script. It’s a belief system brought to life through your leadership, your policies and your culture.
At Ervin & Smith, we build EVPs using two parts:
- Core positioning
This is the high-level statement that defines what you stand for as an employer. It aligns with your external brand in tone and mission, but speaks directly to employee values and aspirations. It’s rooted in truth and designed to inspire. - Core pillars
These bring your Employer Value Proposition to life. They clarify how your values show up in day-to-day operations, expectations and opportunities for employees to contribute. Think of pillars as the playbook for living your brand inside your walls.
How to get started: building an EVP your employees actually believe in.
More than any other generation before them, Gen Z is quick to detect inauthenticity. So your EVP has to do more than sound good—it has to hold up. Start by asking:
- What does our current employee experience say about us?
- Where are we overpromising — or underdelivering?
- What kind of talent are we trying to attract, and what do they value?
- How do our internal systems reflect (or contradict) our external brand?
When you can confidently answer those questions, you’re ready to build an EVP that resonates — one that doesn’t just fill seats but fills them with people who are engaged, aligned and ready to move your business forward.
Brand alignment isn’t just smart. It’s strategic.
When you bridge the gap between your internal and external brand, you create consistency. You create clarity. You create culture. And in a labor market where Gen Z is often calling the shots, that kind of alignment is your competitive edge.
Because the truth is: You don’t have a hiring problem. You have a brand alignment problem. And the solution is an inside job.
Read more about our brand philosophy to see how we do it.