Several years ago, I worked at The Coca-Cola Company. I had the privilege of leading global market research for the Coca-Cola brand and helped spearhead the development of the very first global brand positioning for Coca-Cola. Sure, Coca-Cola existed well before then, and people worldwide knew it; but there were inconsistencies in how marketing teams defined and brought it to life around the world. Increasing marketing consistency while enabling cultural and regional nuances was a game changer, resulting in more effective and efficient activation and increased sales growth worldwide. 

Building and activating a global employer brand requires the same strategic approach. That’s why my team and I focus on developing global employer value propositions (EVP) with localized nuances for our multinational clients.

Related: Why Your Corporate Brand is Not Your Employer Brand or EVP 

The best of both worlds

When people decide where to work and build their careers, large multinational companies are often very attractive to them. Maybe they’ll have an opportunity to start in one market and then work in another, or they’ll be able to work on well-known global brands or build their skills by working at a company with significant resources to build and leverage state-of-the-art technology. 

They’ll explore the global careers page to learn about what an organization stands for and promises as an employer, but then they’ll want to learn more about what it's like to work at the company in their preferred location. Maybe they’re in India and want to make sure they’re comfortable with the organization’s adaptability to the culture there; maybe what’s most important to them is an opportunity to start there, leave to have a family and come back. 

Having a global EVP is essential for multinational companies. It ensures a common understanding of who you are and what you represent, helping to establish you as a global employer of choice. Tailoring it to meet local market nuances ensures you stand out as an employer of choice amidst everyone competing for talent in that market. A global EVP with localized nuances is the best of both worlds. 

Think global, act local

Think global: If you’re part of a large global or multinational company, most likely, you have a corporate brand rooted in a vision, purpose, and values that consistently guide all you do across your geographic footprint. You don’t change who you are or what you believe in country by country. One company = one global corporate brand proposition. 

Since your employer brand is built upon the same bedrock as your corporate brand, one global corporate brand proposition translates into one global employer value proposition or EVP.  It’s what you want to promise to talent everywhere — the core employment theme on which you’ll build your reputation.

Act local: That doesn’t mean everything that brings your brand to life should be 100% ‘matchy-matchy’ around the world. There are different cultural norms and nuances, different market-based perceptions and realities, and differences in the appropriateness of specific communication styles or motivations. You’ll be surprised by what can differ from market to market: from what may be seen as a high-status job to things like the expected length of tenure within an organization. What’s more, how you advertise can also change depending on the market’s preferred tone of voice, which we often think of in terms of relatability. Understanding that can enable you to nuance your core EVP messages into something that feels far more locally-grown.

All of these market-specific factors speak to the need to localize or tailor how global brands should come to life to be as effective and efficient as possible. What should be dialed up or down to increase your relevancy in a given market? What examples or stories can you tell that demonstrate your cultural acumen of that market or address any perception concerns? 

Once you can answer these questions, you’ll be on your way to achieving the best of both worlds. 

Learn more about navigating global EVPs 

In our guide, “Unlocking Talent Motivations: Advanced Strategies for a Powerful EVP,” we unveil expert strategies for building, strengthening, and activating a powerful EVP.

Shari Neumann is a VP of Global Brand Strategy at Symphony Talent where she partners with clients to develop their EVPs and bring them to life across the full talent funnel. Shari has over 20 years of corporate marketing experience.