Case studies

AGL is a company with concrete plans in place to actively support local Indigenous communities through what are termed enterprise hubs.  These hubs enable AGL to support and mentor local businesses and provide employment opportunities to local First Nations Peoples.

AGL wanted to build upon the work already being undertaken with local indigenous communities, and be  seen as a first-choice employer for First Nations peoples.  They engaged us and Pipeline Talent to undertake the development of a First Nations EVP with the aim of creating a number of assets and messages to target their recruitment and retention efforts.

Key to the success of the project was to make the EVP realisable, and aligned with the Reconciliation Action Plan Steering committee.   This meant that the roadmap we designed and the outputs at each stage of an employees' life cycle needed to be validated.

What was eventually presented was a series of videos (see links below) in addition to a re-designed First Nations careers website which can be found by clicking on the logo above.

• https://youtu.be/l9_sZ3JfAsc
• https://youtu.be/Xbsu-cAVfOc
• https://youtu.be/xvy2KGEpYdo
• https://youtu.be/b_dUW1rfGi0

The EVP was  very well received within the business but more importantly, it should help drive meaningful change within AGL and help create a culturally safe space that helps recruit and retain First Nations employees for many years to come.

Sanitarium is a different FMCG – one that still has all the pace, excitement and focus of consumer goods brands – but with a difference that focuses on engaging its people through purpose, values and integrity.  

As with many organisations, the company faced challenges in attracting and retaining quality candidates in a tight talent market, despite the strength of its brand.

Compounding this challenge was the advent of remote working in the wake of the COVID pandemic which eroded some of the competitive advantage Sanitarium enjoyed as an FMCG operating outside of a major metro area (they are Headquartered on the NSW Central Coast).  The business needed to compete beyond salary and benefits.

As you can see in the logo, Sanitarium is a Health Food company so had a couple of attractive elements for employees wanting to work in FMCG but who didn't want be associated with a sugary beverage or snack-food company.

We were able to leverage this uniqueness and provide more tangibility to what this means for employees as we conducted market research, leader interviews and focus groups.  It's a company that still has all the pace, excitement and focus of consumer goods brands – but with a difference that focuses on engaging it’s people through purpose, values and integrity.

Click on the logo to see how this came to life across its career pages (which are still evolving)

There were two elements of this project, reflecting not only a diverse workforce, but also two distinct business units..  City Services delivers a range of services including public libraries, the collection of recycling and waste, graffiti removal, shop and playground upgrades and grass mowing. It is responsible for the management of urban trees, public open spaces and city places including maintenance of shops, domestic animal services, animal welfare and other licensing and compliance services including ranger services and permits for public land use. City Services also manages roads, footpaths, street lights and cycle paths.

Transport Canberra manages Canberra’s public transport system. It ensures that buses and light rail are integrated with each other, and with other forms of transport including taxis and active travel elements such as cycling and walking, all of which makes public transport accessible for all Canberrans. 

Bringing these two elements together presented a real challenge as the type of people each unit sought were different, and generally the organisation was seeking people within a limited talent pool (Canberra).  

Adding to the complexity of the project was to develop an Indigenous EVP targeted at increasing the number of Indigenous employees applying for entry-level roles who could then build long-term, growing and stable careers with TCCS.

This EVP focused more on the wording in advertisements and in defining how leaders needed to behave in the interviews during the recruitment process than something that was communicated on a website.  However, key elements from the research, leader interviews and focus groups were woven into the careers pages and jobs, in addition to being reflected in internal imagery, messaging and leader behaviour that has been widely appreciated within and outside the organisation.  

How it is communicated externally can be seen by clicking on the logo.

The narrow perception of what the Department of Finance "did" was one major challenge the EVP was targeted to address.  Candidates didn't understand the important policy role the department played in Australia's economy, having only a superficial understanding of what it did and the value it added to the overall operation of government.

The EVP not only had to define what the department does, but also why it was a more attractive proposition that some other high-profile departments - "Why Finance?" was the question we needed to answer.

Conducting a comprehensive market analysis gave us a clear view of where the gaps lay between the perceived offering of Finance and that of its talent competitors in a tight talent market.  We then dug further by reviewing the messages that were communicated to employees in onboarding and employment materials, engagement surveys and other communications.  This information provided further insights which we validated through interviewing leaders and conducting employee focus groups.

The resulting EVP highlighted the role of Finance in underpinning the economy, the pride, growth opportunities and team success enjoyed by employees and the influence they could exert in their roles to make tangible differences to the operations of different parts of government.  The key was to showcase Finance as an enabler rather than a "checker".

How this work played-out can be seen in the various careers pages on the organisation's website (click the link)

Competing in a challenging talent market and operating as an essential service, PFD Foods recognised there was a shortage of talent in the market and needed to be seen as a first-choice employer for the calibre of people the organisation needed to recruit and retain.

Core to the project was to recognise the customer-driven focus of the business and to define how to leverage this to attract like-minded candidates and retain like-minded employees - like-minded in terms of being customer-focused.  PFD has a wide range of roles and we needed to ensure that we leverage the customer-centric element that was one of the company's core values.

Conducting market research, interviews with the key leadership and stakeholders, and meeting with a wide variety of employees across the country gave us a clear understanding of what imagery, messaging and leader behaviour would be needed to bring the EVP to life which is now seen through their careers pages (which include videos) as the business showcases what it is genuinely like to be an employee of PFD Foodservices.

Click the logo to see the live site.

The City of Palmerston is located in the top end of the Northern Territory, with an estimated population of 39,587 in 2021. High growth is expected to continue with Palmerston predicted to be the fastest growing region in the Territory between 2016 and 2036 with an annual growth rate of 2.4%. The population is predicted to reach 44,108 by 2026 and 57,772 by 2036. With a workforce of around 77 employees City of Palmerston prides itself in delivering objectives to make Palmerston A Place for People.

The purpose of the project was to provide a framework to ensure the City of Palmerston was able to offer a competitive value proposition against strong competition for talent from larger local government entities (Darwin and Norther Territory).

There were four specific deliverables from the project:

1. A report outlining gaps and recommendations for City of Palmerston as they relate to remuneration and benefits
2. A recruitment and retention strategy
3. An employee value proposition
4. A toolkit for HR, managers and executives to help manage, engage and recruit people 

We undertook market research interviews with a range of leaders and focus groups with employees representative of all role types and cohorts.

The deliverables were rolled-up into a series of user-guides which were provided to managers to help them play a crucial role in the implementation and embedding of the EVP which consisted of a tag line, narrative and a series of pillars. The user-guides also set-out the behavioural expectations of managers to bring the EVP to life. These user guides included mock-ups of a visual representation of the employee value proposition and pillars and a clear roadmap highlighting the imagery, messaging and behaviour that is expected at each stage of an employee’s lifecycle required to bring the EVP to life.

The narrative was incorporated into all job descriptions to provide a consistent and positive messaging to job seekers, and was positive received by employees when communicated through internal channels and their experience from interactions with their managers.

Key to success of this project was the engagement of the executive (CEO and leadership team).

The Department of Industry, Science and Resources (DISR) wanted to position itself as an employer of choice for individuals with disabilities. The first step was to develop an Employee Value Proposition (EVP). 

At the onset of the process DISR partnered with Randstad and GetSkilledAccess to undertake market research, interviews with leaders and conduct focus groups with current employees.

The team identified unique aspects of the department from a purpose perspective and how these could be effectively communicated to potential candidates. In doing so, we gained a comprehensive understanding of the key motivators and potential barriers to employment for individuals with disabilities.

The outcome of this project was a compelling message that resonated strongly with disabled employees and potential candidates, enabling DISR to successfully attract and recruit individuals with disabilities. It was a privilege to be part of this initiative that had such a significant impact on the department and the individuals it sought to support.

Click the image to see the results of the project.

The Objective:

Having committed to promote Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander employment opportunities through a targeted strategy, the Department of Veterans' Affairs (DVA) sought to develop an EVP to resonate with employees and potential candidates in the demographic.

The Project:

We were engaged to identify the positive elements of working at DVA that would speak to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander employees and candidates. We partnered with Rachelle Towart, Tamara Giles and Cathy Sear from Pipeline Talent (https://www.pipelinetalent.com.au/) who provided cultural advice and insight to the project.

The organisation had a number of initiatives in place but we bound them to an underlying value proposition to drive DVA a first choice employer for the audience.

The project outputs enhanced recruitment and engagement activities throughout the department.

The Result:

We look forward to sharing the results of this recent work to demonstrate how we enabled the department to meet the goals of its Reconciliation Action Plan and mobilise the Aboriginal the Torres Strait Islander employment strategy.

Click on the image above to see the EVP live on the Indigenous Careers website.

Please contact malcolm@peakcorporatesolutions.com.au for more information.

The 350-plus agencies and departments forming Australian Public Service (APSC) look to them for guidance on the most effective, tonally correct ways to engage with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander potential candidates.

The aim of the project was to create culturally aware job advertisements, with a clear interview framework. One that would be easy and consistent to roll out across agencies.

We conducted extensive research and interviews with key stakeholders throughout the Australian Public Service to better understand the challenges and opportunities. We assessed the strengths and weaknesses of how different government agencies promote opportunities to indigenous candidates.

The output was a series of cascading templates designed to help hiring managers tailor their messages effectively based on factors such as location, level, role and type. These tools have been widely adopted across the Commonwealth and are supporting managers to have more constructive discussions with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander candidates about a range of roles across government agencies.

The templates have been instrumental in addressing key objectives and providing guidance on the most effective mediums for advertising roles. Once the templates have been incorporated into an automated tool, our work will further streamline the engagement process and better support hiring managers.

The Australian Radio Network (ARN) has a stable of some of the most successful radio brands in Australia, voiced by leading on-air talent.

ARN wanted to identify why it's a great place to work, how they can continue to define the audio landscape and how they can be recognised as a leading innovator in the industry.

Whilst they recognise they have some of the best radio people in the industry they know they need to hang onto great talent whilst attracting specialists who can help them grow their foothold in the fast-growing digital audio market.

The project resulted in a set of key recommendations for ARN's EVP roadmap that align with its people strategy for the next 3-5 years and a compelling message to resonate strongly with the market.

Click on the image to see the project in action.

The Australian Public Service Commission (APSC) engaged us to develop a pan-government Employee Value Proposition (EVP) to put some real power behind their graduate recruitment campaign of 2021 for 2022 graduates.

The goal was to highlight the unique benefits and opportunities of working in the public service, beyond any preconceptions or notions they may have held - to develop and leverage a value proposition to attract graduates to the great Australian Public Sector.

We set out to position the Australian Public Service as a first choice option, regardless of study field.

The outputs of the project were used as foundations of APSC graduate recruitment campaigns, live from ‘21 to the ‘22 graduate intake.

The Result:

We successfully highlighted the unique aspects of working in the Australian Public Service across four pillars: having a voice; relevant work; a lifetime of career opportunities and good work-life balance.

The Objective:

Drive greater retention and engagement of key talent.

The Project:

A global drinks manufacturing and distribution business wanted to identify the main segments that comprised its workforce and understand the unique motivators of each group. 

With a defined EVP and strong consumer brand, the project was to validate the authenticity and relevance of the EVP against the experience of employees. It had two elements:

1. Identify the workforce segments
2. Identify the defining characteristics and motivators of each segment

We partnered with a market research business to oversee qualitative and quantitative research. We identified 5 segments, largely based on demographic indicators - age and time of life - which correlated with a projected tenure with the organisation. 

This, combined with comprehensive surveying of the workforce to identify key motivators and their future career focus, plus an analysis of existing employee data gave a particularly strong base to build upon.

Our findings were structured into broad categories:

• The persona of the segment - likely demographics, function, location and type of focus 
• Career motivators
• How to engage and motivate individuals in each segment

A personas guidebook was developed for managers and recruiters to engage, recruit and retain individuals within the 5 talent segments.

The Result:

The personas guidebook was successfully launched throughout the business. The feedback from managers was overwhelmingly positive - the guidebook was invaluable in understanding and managing the different motivators of employees in their teams.

The Objective:

To retain and inform people over a period of transition.

The Project:

A global FMCG brand underwent a major business enterprise initiative set to impact all employees. The organisation was moving from a large manufacturing and packaging plant to an office-only environment. With a significant change in format and location, employee communications and transportation would be affected. 

We partnered with the CEO and Executive Leadership team to build programmes addressing the transition, retention, future talent attraction and what employees value about the organisation. We developed an EVP to align with the corporate brand and employee experience and built a roadmap to assist transition to a new way of working and engagement.

The Result:

There was minimal talent loss after the transition to new offices - less than 2% of the workforce. Armed with a clear EVP the organisation attracted candidates who would not have previously considered the organisation.

The client is happy to provide a reference, so please contact malcolm@peakcorporatesolutions.com.au for more information.

The Objective:

To retain and attract the best talent to achieve the goals of a 5-year strategic plan.

The Project:

The government agency wanted to revamp its perception in the marketplace. The brief was to build an enticing, resonant value proposition and align its retention and recruitment activities with the new messaging.

There were three phases to the project:

1. Define the current EVP
2. Define the aspirational EVP to achieve strategic goals
3. Embed the EVP with creative imagery, resonant messaging and focused behaviour changes

The first step was to define the organisation's current employee value proposition (EVP) and align it with the aspiration of managers and the experience of employees. We built a roadmap to help the organisation fill any gaps and align three aspects of their employer brand: what employees experienced; what managers wanted aligned; what the market perceived.

The second phase was commanded by a revised strategic plan. A new value proposition and brand was needed to allow us to refocus on a number of core talent segments. We undertook: 

• Review of engagement survey information, learning and development, on-boarding and training materials
• Focus groups
• Interviews with current and former leaders
• Compared and contrasted the offering of the organisation against other government and private sector talent competitors

The exercises put a lens on how and where employees and candidates interacted with the employer brand, and how they understood the messaging. We plotted our findings onto a brand touchpoint map with all the steps to take to ensure successful transmission of the new engagement messaging.

The final phase of the project was to define the visual aspects, internal messaging and behaviour changes needed to activate the new brand. These included:

• Developing an "nchor" creative asset for retention and recruitment activities
• Employer brand user guide with an overview of the value proposition and pillars that underpinned it.  This provided recruiters and managers with the insights and messaging to help them retain and attract talent
• Talent sourcing strategy to more effectively target key segments needed to achieve strategic goals
• Guidelines around the communication of the value proposition at each stage of the employee lifecycle, including key messages and appropriate media to use

Please contact malcolm@peakcorporatesolutions.com.au for more information.

The Objective:

To attract, recruit and retain people to work in the client’s state and see a role with them as a first-choice career option.

The Project:

This state government wanted to improve its status as a preferred employer so sought to identify and leverage key aspects of its employee value proposition that weren’t being capitalised upon.

The project started with identifying key propositions the client needed to clearly communicate, beyond job security and other lifestyle considerations. In order to compete with other employers - locally and interstate - the client needed to identify what motivated their target audience and they needed a framework to attract, recruit and retain them.

The project kicked off with a market review to understand the existing employer brand.  Followed by interviews with key leaders to understand what they believed would motivate the key people. Subsequently we conducted a series of focus groups to gauge the experience of employees.

We analysed the data sets to highlight any discrepancies between market perception, leadership aspiration and employee experience in relation to the employer brand.

This gave us a springboard to collaborate with the strategic communications and marketing teams to develop clear messaging, imagery and recommended leader behaviours to bring an aspirational and dynamic brand to life.

The Result:

The client significantly improved its relative attractiveness compared with other state government commercial entities (measured using an external employer branding survey).

Whilst highlighting the lifestyle benefits of working with the state government we emphasised the purpose-led elements of public service employment that are rarely matched by central government or commercial entities.

Click the image to visit the webpage incorporating the EVP.

The Objective:

To reduce first year staff turnover and build an enticing message to reduce length of vacancies.

The Project:

A global manufacturer of building products wanted to redefine its offering as it sought to address some of the erroneous perceptions that they felt put them at a disadvantage.

The project involved identifying how the external market perceived the brand, how employees perceived and experienced the brand and assess if this aligned with how executives viewed the brand.

We achieved this through desk and market research, focus groups, interviews and a review of culture and engagement survey results. We identified:

• The value proposition the organisation could offer employees - a simple message substantiated with a key pillars around safety, accountability, growth and opportunities
• Any gaps between the value proposition and the goals of the executive team 

From this groundwork we developed a roadmap which incorporated:

• Creative theme for use across digital and print media
• Inclusion of key messaging in all communications with employees and candidates, including job advertisements; letters of offer; welcome emails; employee on-boarding surveys and an employee handbook
• Alignment of necessary behavioural changes to the leadership development programme and mapping onto the revised competency framework
• Implementation of the roadmap with a redesign of the company careers page, content for all documents and the development of all visual assets

The Result:

The EVP was embedded into all recruitment and engagement material - leading to tighter recruitment times, more suited and skilled candidates for roles and clearer briefings for recruitment partners.  

Click the image to see the client’s EVP.