Following years of layoffs or hiring freezes, many organizations are looking to grow their workforce again. Recruiters and team leaders  are doing this with a conscious eye—closely evaluating the skill sets and alignment of potential new employees with the strategic direction of the company (hopefully one of the attributes you are hiring for is an adaptability to change.)

Successful recruiters are being more than just thorough as they weed through an increasing pile of applicants. They are re-strategizing how to capture the attention of the highest performers in the marketplace (between jobs or not) to lure them into their organization. This often starts with a look at the organization’s unique employee value proposition (EVP.)

What makes the job worth it in the eyes of your employees? What motivates them to not only show up  but to put in the extra effort to succeed at their jobs? And how would they describe their experience to a potential employee?

HR may use employee engagement data and say the EVP is centered in good benefits and attentive managers, but the true value proposition of your company for potential employees lies is in the eyes of your current employees. The key to a winning employee value proposition comes down to understanding employees values and then translating their story to potential hires. To define and translate this winning EVP, the HR Recruiting team needs Communication’s help.

4 Roles Communications Can Play in Creating a Winning EVP:

1. Employee listeners: A winning EVP is defined by employee voice and feedback. Leading communicators have an always-on listening system to gauge the pulse of the organization. This deep understanding of employees allows Communications to understand the topics employees value in their day-to-day experiences — topics that may not jump out in survey results.

• Check out how Best Buy’s Listening System gives communications an ongoing pulse on employee needs and values.

2. Brand builders: A differentiated brand is necessary to capture the attention of top talent. Leading communicators synthesize the attributes employees value and define an employee brand that differentiates their organization.

• Use the Corporate Brand Performance Assessment to gauge stakeholder perceptions of your brand and identify opportunities to differentiate it from competitors’.

3. Story tellers: The company’s EVP needs to be something that is accessible beyond the bounds of the company Web site. Leading communicators start by telling the story of their EVP (in partnership with Recruiting) via employee blogs and videos on the careers page of the Web site; however, they also motivate employees to actively speak about the EVP within their own networks and on channels beyond the ones managed by Communications and HR.

• Check out how Allstate’s Ambassador Movement enables employees to speak about the company with their personal networks and provides employees with these tips for engaging in online conversations about the company.

4. Brand enablers: A winning EVP is something that is constantly being experienced throughout the organization. Leading communicators make brand messages more likely to flow by simplifying how employees can “live the brand” within and outside of the organization.

• ­Read how Vodafone’s Brand Action Workshops help employee turn brand concepts into personally relevant actions.

What are some creative ways your team has partnered with HR to bring your employee value proposition to life for current and potential employees?