Employer Value Proposition
The first step was to establish the key attributes underpinning our EVP. Through a comprehensive employer brand audit incorporating leadership interviews, employee focus groups and competitor analysis, we gained detailed insights into our employee experience. They came from a wide range of internal and external sources at all levels, encompassing different markets across the world. This established the key characteristics that we believe most accurately represent us as an Employer of Choice.
Out of this audit, we were able to identify three key brand pillars which convey the compelling qualities that characterise us as an employer; the qualities that differentiate us from our competitors in the recruitment marketplace. The pillars also reveal the ‘Give and Get’ of the employment deal - ie. what Imperial Tobacco expects of its people, and what its people can expect in return.
to being responsible with products, creating a rewarding workplace, respecting natural resources and re- investing in society. We also build strong relationships with our customers and are committed to innovation, placing adult consumers at the heart of our business and building brands they enjoy.”
Pillar 3 - Being ‘real’ and true to our values “We share distinctive Imperial Tobacco values that shape who we are and a personality that sets us apart. We are informal, we are down-to-earth and we enjoy what we do. For a business our size, we are not very hierarchical, and while we are professional and expect a lot of each other, we feel free and able to be ourselves.”
The compelling idea at the heart of the proposition \that drives Your creative expression
The 3-5 core qualities that define your employment deal and key communication themes
Messages that help translate your EVP to different target audiences
Pillar 1 - Thriving on Challenge and Opportunity “Imperial Tobacco is a global company with a challenger mind-set, big ambitions and many opportunities. Our roles are broad and we give responsibility early, our people are diverse and we promote cross-functional working. So for people who thrive on challenge and opportunities to grow and develop, this is the place to be.”
Pillar 2 - Pride in what we do and how we do it
“Doing business responsibly and with integrity has helped us create and sustain a successful business; we are dedicated
With the pillars established and validated, the next stage of the process was to develop an accurate representation of the EVP. How could we bring it to life and share it with our 33,000 employees in a multitude of markets and with external audiences looking to understand what Imperial Tobacco has to offer? We needed to design a communication strategy that would be meaningful and sustainable, yet flexible enough to address the enquiries of different audiences, both internally and externally. We needed to make sure the EVP belonged to everyone and not just the team developing it. This meant consultation with a variety of stakeholders, ensuring the resulting creative was in line with our business strategies and talent agenda.
“Bring it on” was born to sum up the attitude and approach of Imperial Tobacco. As a business, we’re not fazed by the challenges posed by a heavily regulated and highly competitive industry. Instead, we square up to them; we focus on the opportunities and seek out new ways to increase market share and close the gap on our competitors. ‘Bring it on’ acts almost as a rallying call to arms. It is intended to convey the message that, ok, there might be a tough or complex task ahead, but we’re ready for it – whatever ‘it’ may be – and we’ll relish the challenge of overcoming it. It’s
an inspirational message that is entirely in keeping with the Imperial Tobacco brand. In our advertising materials, ‘Bring it on’ is the punctuation to (or sign off for) the myriad challenges we meet and resolve on a daily basis. It is the messaging platform which now forms the basis of our recruitment and people communications.
By developing and utilising our EVP in the recruitment space, Imperial Tobacco is accurately able to outline why graduates should want to work for us, remain with us, and promote us to their peers. In the past 18 months since developing the EVP and associated ‘Bring it on’ brand, we have successfully secured a position as an Employer of Choice amongst graduate employees, climbing to 4th placed FMCG employer in the JobCrowd 2015 Graduate employee survey. We have also enhanced our global presence by increasing the number and quality of graduate applications we receive year on year across our markets. We welcomed the first 6 graduates onto our inaugural programme in 2010 in the UK; today we are about to welcome 40 new graduates to the company as the 2015 cohort in 17 markets, just as one of our first graduates has made the position of Director in our new US venture, ITG Brands.
This success has not been easy and we have learned much from the process. A truthful EVP is not a sterile conception. It takes time, debate and much engagement to get it right. From the beginning we knew to be flexible with the timeframe but rigid with the end goal. Having deadlines does not work for such a sensitive emotive project. Most importantly, we have learned that our EVP does not belong to us but to those who it engages with. Accepting this means that Imperial Tobacco has an EVP that lands better, resonates stronger, will last longer and works much harder for us. However, this is not the end. To keep our EVP alive we need to let it grow and evolve with the natural growth and evolution of the company. The next challenge for us is to grow our brand, utilising the EVP to reach new student audiences. Bring it on! n
www.agr.org.uk | Graduate Recruiter 15
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