In the dynamic landscape of talent acquisition, companies are increasingly recognizing the importance of a compelling Employer Value Proposition (EVP) and consistent talent branding. Jess Matthewman, Global Head of Employer Brand, at OLX, has been at the forefront of this evolution. Jess and other key decision-makers at OLX recognized that as a global leader in technology-assisted marketplace creation, they needed an EVP that resonated with their global talent. In a recent interview, she shared her insights on successfully evolving employer value proposition and OLX’s talent branding.
Evolving employer branding
The concept of employer branding has been around for a while. However, it has undergone significant changes, especially in the technology industry. According to Jess, the surge of interest in employer branding began pre-COVID, driven by the need to attract top talent in an increasingly competitive market. Companies started to realize that selling a job was no longer just about the salary. To win talent, they needed to sell the full package that included company culture, values, and a sense of purpose.
The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated this shift even further. As remote work became the norm, companies had to adapt their approach to selling (and retaining) talent. Employer branding evolved from a focus solely on recruitment marketing to also encompass internal culture and employee retention. This expansion has given rise to an evolved form of employer value proposition. To tackle, some organizations are prioritizing attracting new candidates. While others focused on enhancing the internal employee experience and long-term career development.
OLX has been actively adapting to these changes, investing in its EVP to resonate with current and potential employees. This evolution aligns key aspects of company culture with the aspirations of talent. This union has positioned them to secure the critical skills and leadership the company needs to thrive.
The importance of employee feedback
Jess and the team have embraced data as their guide. She emphasizes the importance of having a connective thread between various activities. Further, she highlighted that it is critical to make the connection clear to employees without being overbearing.
A primary vehicle Jess used to solicit data-based feedback and identify opportunities was their employee engagement surveys. These allow for consistent measurement and the ability to pinpoint areas to target while measuring progress. In addition to the engagement surveys, she sought additional feedback vehicles to obtain depth and a more comprehensive picture. These included employee groups and networking with leadership and hiring managers.
External metrics were not overlooked during OLX’s evolving employer value proposition and talent branding. Metrics such as talent Net Promoter Score (NPS), careers website engagement rates, and the “influenced hires” metric on LinkedIn, which shows the percentage of people who viewed OLX’s LinkedIn profile and then got hired, provided external reinforcement for their efforts.
Finally, Jess highlighted the importance of transparent and authentic communication with all of OLX, not just leaders. She pointed out that this goes beyond just sharing improvements in metrics. In her experience, it should start with committing publicly and then reporting on the progress regularly. This way, employees and external talent feel heard and supported. Evolving employer value proposition does not happen overnight. And it takes more than the employer branding team to be successful, so building an aligned coalition is crucial.
Considering external recognition and awards
For some, the market only sees the work if you’re recognized externally with an award. However, Jess and OLX felt the immediate focus on this recognition would be distracting. So, for the first 18 months, the team was solely focused on defining their employer value proposition. This focus allowed them to move quickly while solving for their main constituents – external and internal talent. Thankfully, the focus paid off, with notable improvements to key metrics arriving alongside nominations and awards.
Once OLX felt confident in their progress and documented improvements, they became more active in pursuing awards and recognition. While Jess acknowledges that some awards may have a “pay to play” aspect, she believes the winners are generally good companies to be associated with and is still interested in securing the recognition.
For OLX a focus internally first as a strategic decision paid off. It accelerated the evolving employer value proposition without delaying external recognition and awards.
Recruiting impact of evolving employer brand proposition
One of the opportunities that OLX prioritized with its evolving employer value proposition was infusing it throughout its recruiting efforts. With a large and widely distributed team representing multiple country offices, it was essential to have a cohesive and comprehensive approach. The Talent Success team, which includes training, onboarding, and other talent-related functions, played a key role in bringing everyone together who needed to be involved. They helped Jess institutionalize the new EVP by infusing it into their standard hiring process powered by Datapeople. Within Datapeople they instrumented the Style and Policy guides to match their employer brand and compliance standards. Jess and the team also reviewed and refreshed country-specific pre-approved job templates to ensure the EVP elements were consistent and accurate, and would be included as second nature for recruiters worldwide. Additionally, while drafting their EVP-infused job posts in Datapeople, the OLX team has been able to effortlessly enhance their inclusivity, supporting the team’s DEI goals.
OLX’s evolving employer value proposition efforts were further reinforced with collateral, training, and spot checks. Updated “recruitment packs,” LinkedIn training, and job post spot checks ensured the OLX talent experience represented their evolved EVP.
Positioning employer branding within OLX
Throughout her career, Jess has seen the employer branding function sit within a few different functions. However, her experience at OLX solidified her belief that inclusion within an Integrated Talent Team that combines HR, TA, DEI, and Employer Brand is ideal. This proximity allowed her to bring an external, marketing-focused perspective to the HR function.
Treating employer branding as a separate “thing to do,” leads to wasted effort and suboptimal outcomes. Instead, look upon it as a holistic representation of who the company wants to be and how it wants to show up. As a separate program or special project, it tends to feel like something imposed rather than embraced. A more successful approach, according to Jess, is to have open discussions about the company’s guiding principles and how everyone can embody those principles in their work. By encouraging everyone to view their evolving employer value proposition as an important shared objective, she has been able to secure support and commitment to improving outcomes more meaningful than being isolated.
Challenges and successes with evolving employer value proposition
Implementing employer branding initiatives is challenging. To position yourself for swift impact, Jess highlighted the importance of aligning efforts to core business outcomes. By understanding the business, stakeholders, and their varying levels of innate support for the initiative, you can improve alignment and increase contribution. Whether this is done as an external consultant or an internal employee does not matter. What does matter is that you bring everyone along and ensure they remain on board.
Reflecting on her years as a consultant, Jess spoke fondly of being able to approach similar problems in different contexts. With experience in marketing, recruitment, sales, and HR, Jess has been able to wear many hats comfortably. At OLX, has meant she worked on a wide range of projects, including diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives, and events. She was involved in many “exciting projects” where the company felt the employer brand team could add value. While it may, at the time, feel like a stretch to participate, lending a hand invests in building relationships as well as understanding the wider business
Evolving employer value proposition inspired by OLX
For companies looking to embark on their employer branding journey, the OLX experience offers valuable insights. It’s essential to understand the unique needs and culture of your organization. While external consultants can provide valuable expertise, it’s equally important to involve internal stakeholders and build a strong foundation from within.
OLX’s success in evolving its employer value proposition serves as a testament to the power of a well-defined and executed strategy. By focusing on employee and talent experiences, measuring results, and integrating employer branding seamlessly into standard tools like Datapeople, you can create an effortlessly adopted program.
Are you curious about how to start your own journey or integrate your evolving employer value proposition into your hiring process? We would love to help!
