Rethinking HR: Why Experience is Africa’s New EVP Currency

kwezikitariko
Aug 4
3 min read

Across Africa, the strategic lens through which we view talent is shifting. For too long, HR has been viewed as a support function—centred around policy, compliance, and transactions. But as the pace of business transformation accelerates, and the competition for high-calibre, mobile African talent intensifies, employers must now treat employee experience as a strategic lever.

In this new reality, employee experience is fast becoming the currency of a compelling Employer Value Proposition (EVP)—especially for organisations seeking to attract, retain, and engage the best talent across Africa and its diaspora.

The EVP Misalignment Challenge

Our research across 12 African markets reveals a clear trend: employers are still over-relying on global EVP messaging that often fails to resonate with local or regional talent priorities. While innovation and purpose may attract talent in one market, stability or professional development may matter more in another.

This misalignment weakens employer brands, limits return on investment in talent, and reduces competitive advantage. In an era where African professionals are increasingly discerning—particularly those in high-demand industries and across the diaspora—this is a risk few organisations can afford to take.

From EVP to Employee Experience: The Strategic Shift

A successful EVP today is no longer a static message—it is a lived experience. Forward-thinking employers are rethinking their HR model from the ground up. Rather than viewing HR as the custodian of resources, they are embracing it as the architect of experience.

This means evaluating every stage of the employment journey:

How do candidates perceive your brand before they apply?
What do new hires feel during onboarding?
Are managers delivering on your brand promise?
Do your high-potentials see a path for progression?

The answers to these questions define your EVP in the eyes of current and future talent.

Employer Experience as a Competitive Advantage

Our work with organisations across Africa shows that those who operationalise the employee experience are not just more attractive to talent—they are outperforming their competitors in business terms.

A detailed study from our Talent Matters platform revealed that employers with the most aligned employee experiences are delivering measurable performance improvements in areas such as productivity, engagement, innovation, and ultimately, profitability.

This is not just a talent conversation—it’s a business imperative.

The Diaspora Factor

The global African professional is more connected, more mobile, and more ambitious than ever. Our diaspora attraction research confirms that these candidates are 65% more likely to engage with employers offering an EVP that speaks to impact, progression, and authenticity.

To reach and retain this group, organisations must move beyond conventional messaging and instead create personalised, market-relevant employee experiences—from first touchpoint to long-term growth.

Building an EVP for Today’s Africa

To craft an effective, Africa-centric EVP, organisations must:

Localise their value proposition to reflect market-specific priorities.
Integrate employee experience into business strategy, not just HR.
Use data to link experience to business outcomes.
Treat talent as stakeholders, not resources.
Ensure leadership alignment across purpose, development and delivery.

These steps require a mindset shift—from HR as compliance to HR as competitive advantage.

In a region defined by growth, resilience and innovation, talent is the ultimate differentiator. And as the landscape changes, so too must our approach to engaging people. Experience is not a ‘nice-to-have’. It is the new EVP currency, and it is redefining how African businesses attract, retain, and activate high-performing teams. Those who lead on experience will lead in performance. The rest risk being left behind.