Expected and experienced Employee Value Proposition in a South African professional service firm
Date
2015
Authors
Vala, Meera
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Abstract
Companies are under pressure to secure the best talent they can find in order to achieve and maintain competitor advantage. In competing to attract, recruit and retain the best graduates and professionals, professional service firms, including accounting firms, are dependent on their ability to package, articulate and effectively deliver an appealing Employee Value Proposition (EVP).
The aim of this research was to assess whether there was a gap between the expected and experienced EVP in a professional service firm in South Africa. The study relied upon a quantitative research approach using self-administered surveys as the research instrument. A total of 225 surveys were administered to a sample of first year trainee employees who were completing their accounting traineeship at a Big Four accounting firm. Data was analysed using the Distribution Fit Algorithm technique.
Of the 25 EVP attributes that were presented to the employees for consideration, there were only four attributes where employees reported a perfect alignment between what they expected, what was important to them, and what they experienced on the job. They were ‘client quality and reputation’, ‘ethics and integrity’, ‘co-worker quality’, and ‘senior leadership reputation’. Attributes which the firm appears to have delivered successfully, but was of little significance to employees included ‘diversity’, ‘values-based organisation’, ‘great employer recognition’, ‘company brand’, and ‘social responsibility’.
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Employee retention -- South Africa. Employee selection -- South Africa.Personnel management -- South Africa.