Looking 'inside the box' with Harrods and Camelot

We sat down with Raj Basi, Digital Content and Engagement at Harrods and Kat Ogunsanwo, Internal Communications and Employer Brand Manager at  Camelot on Wednesday, 27th October. We chatted about company values,internal communications and how they can increase employee engagement and help to build strong Employer Brands. 

Looking within

A uniting thought across our panel and audience was that starting at the heart of your business with your people is crucial to understanding your values. It’s not just about understanding the values either, but speaking to your employees to see what matters to them and makes a difference.

Raj explained that what happens on the inside is reflected outside. She said that Harrods employees couldn’t deliver a fantastic experience to customers if employees are not feeling it. When setting an Employer Brand and values, it’s crucial to look inwards to uncover brand truths and opportunities, “If it’s not authentic and real, you’re exposed externally”.

Kat noted that when you reflect on your Employer Brand, it should be incorporated into every part of your employee lifecycle from attraction to their time with a company and then when they exit. “Your employees should leave as fans, regardless of the reasons for leaving”.

Understanding the values of values

Kat explained that values are “what help guide employees’ thoughts, words and actions on what they do in any given situation”. The correct use of values allows companies to reach the right decisions and evaluate our own and others’ performance, despite differences in priorities, disciplines and experience. Kat explained that values are critically important during change and transition, as they help keep employees centred, connected to the business, and working towards their goals with the same approach.

Keeping things simple is Raj’s top tip for employee values. “We used focus groups, talked to our employees and implemented five values immediately”. Figuring out what your employees want is just as important as the values themselves.

EVP and Values… What’s the real difference?

EVP and values are terms that have cropped up a lot over the last few years, so we thought we’d dive in with the experts. A clear distinction was that EVP is about the benefits that someone gets from working for your organisation, and values are about how you act on them. Launching clear values and EVP’s has resulted in Camelot moving from a pure agency approach to a mixed model.

For insights like this and more, watch our on-demand recording for free now!