The author, Vodacom South Africa HR director Njabulo Mashigo

The past two years have altered the world of work. As the pandemic brought people’s priorities into focus, many employees began to pause and re-evaluate jobs where they felt overworked, underpaid or unappreciated. LinkedIn’s Workplace Learning Report 2022 reveals a 25% increase in members changing roles, compared to the same period before Covid-19, with the platform calling these times, “The Great Reshuffle”.

To avoid a skills and talent shortfall that threatens long-term business success, organisations need to examine their employee value proposition (EVP) and how it differentiates them in the employment marketplace to attract and retain talent. In today’s competitive climate, an EVP should create an exceptional human-centric experience that understands what matters most to current and future employees.

Redefining an EVP in the telco to techco journey

At Vodacom, our vision is to become a leading pan-African technology company that connects society for a better future. Therefore, we want to attract and engage with Africa’s top tech talent while ensuring our current employees have the capabilities, commitment and enthusiasm to support this strategic direction. As our refreshed brand tagline says, by harnessing the power of technology with the human spirit, we can go “Further Together”.

With this in mind, our EVP has evolved to enable working conditions where employees can belong, thrive, and make a difference to our continent and the world. Underpinned by four pillars: opportunity; innovation; people; and impact, our EVP creates a purpose-led, technology-driven environment where people want to work. Testament to the success of our refreshed employer brand, Vodacom was rated as the top tech company and the only telco to be listed in the top 10 of LinkedIn’s Top Companies for 2022 in South Africa, which showcases the best workplaces to build a career.

Unlocking opportunity

For people to succeed, they need the right opportunities. Organisations can provide experiences, tools, training and skills to not only excite employees, but shape a more rewarding career. The result? A happy and engaged workforce.

In 2020, Vodacom launched #1MoreSkill to drive reskilling and upskilling across the organisation to give every employee the opportunity to grow into new targeted roles in our shift from traditional telco to techco. Through our ongoing training and skills development programmes, such as #1MoreSkill, we hope to unlock the potential of employees and build a conducive workplace in which they can thrive.

Unleashing innovation

Digital technology continues to drive transformation, offering possibilities to improve lives. This is no different in the work environment, where leveraging new technologies can accelerate performance in the workplace, prioritise career development and ensure working conditions meet employees’ needs.

At Vodacom, we want our employees to be champions of our digital products and services, while at the same time encouraging them to think big, take risks and be inspired to contribute towards a better digital future. We aim to employ people who are intentional about building a career at a technology company – those who are excited about working with impactful products and being challenged for good rewards.

Placing significance on the people factor

The task for organisations in this new era of work is not only to attract and retain talent but ensure that employees feel positive about the company and their role within it while connected to a bigger purpose. Achieving this means not only focusing on compensation, benefits and career development but employee wellbeing, too. According to a recent Brands in Motion study, employee wellbeing is rated as the most important issue for brands across sectors to address if they want to be considered leaders with a strong purpose.

As Top Employer in Africa, our people are our most valued assets. From implementing gender empowerment initiatives and equal renumeration practices to mental and physical wellness programmes, we are striving to foster an inclusive and diverse culture that celebrates difference, achieves gender balance and ensures employee safety and wellbeing.

Making a positive impact

In a McKinsey survey, 63% of respondents said they want their employer to provide more opportunities for purpose in their day-to-day work. Companies that align their greater purpose to business decisions can help employees feel they are contributing meaningfully to the world around them and attract and retain a workforce who will drive this goal forward.

Vodacom has established itself as a purpose-led organisation that connects society to a better future. To bring this purpose to life, our employees must share in our values and interests, otherwise our purpose initiatives are set up to fail. Two years ago, we introduced the Spirit of Vodacom – a new culture in which our employees play a proactive role in earning customer loyalty, innovating and collaborating to help us fulfil our Social Contract.

Grow with Vodafone

As we accelerate our transformation into a new generation connectivity and digital services provider, we need to build the right capabilities to execute our strategy, grow the business and delight our customers. We believe this is only possible by ensuring that Vodacom is a place where growing never stops and learning is an integral part of each and every role. In this regard, we have launched Grow with Vodafone, an innovative, digital platform that gives employees the power to determine their own professional development and career direction.

The pandemic has heralded a shift in employee expectations, and companies that are unable to meet them will be at risk of losing out in the talent stakes. An authentic EVP that listens to what employees want in this changing work landscape, providing opportunities to innovate, unlock potential, create a sense of belonging and make an impact on the world, can help employers fare best in the face of the Great Reshuffle.