Strengthening Workforce Engagement: Sapphire Coast Community Aged Care’s Employee Value Proposition
Overview
Sapphire Coast Community Aged Care (SCCAC) is a community-created, not-for-profit organisation that provides a comprehensive range of specialised aged care services for older people in the Bega Valley region. Their services include home support, retirement living, and residential aged care.
Challenge
Like many rural and remote areas, the Bega Valley region faces significant workforce shortages, particularly in aged care, where skilled workers are in high demand.
Over the past year, SCCAC had successfully welcomed a number of overseas migrant workers to help address staffing gaps. A key priority was ensuring they felt supported, included and valued within the organisation.
Following a review of SCCAC’s workforce and HR management processes, a key recommendation included the development and implementation of an Employee Value Proposition (EVP). This initiative aimed to increase staff attraction and retention by clearly articulating the unique benefits of working at SCCAC – both tangible and intangible.
Solution
To ensure the EVP was authentically rooted in employee insights, Edmonds Marketing conducted a thorough research process, including:
- Desktop analysis of workforce trends and organisational materials.
- Leadership interviews to gain strategic perspectives.
- Employee satisfaction survey, which achieved a 72% response rate, revealing valuable, confidential insights into employee motivations, engagement levels, and SCCAC’s key strengths.
The findings helped gauge employee perceptions and assess whether SCCAC was providing adequate support and nurture. By giving employees a voice, the research revealed what they valued most in their work, their commitment to clients, and areas where improvements could be made. Special attention was paid to the experiences of migrant employees, ensuring the EVP reflected their unique needs and challenges.
These insights were compiled into a detailed report and presented to the Leadership Team. Through a facilitated workshop, we collaborated with leadership to develop a clear and compelling EVP, including a mission statement, corporate manifesto and a set of recommended actions. These included internal and external communication strategies to ensure the EVP was meaningful to both current and prospective employees.
Outcome
The project revealed high employee satisfaction and a strong sense of purpose, with staff deeply committed to making a difference in residents’ lives. The EVP – “Be part of a community that unites around making a difference for older people” – reflects a key insight: employees have a strong sense of the meaningfulness of their work. They care deeply about being part of a supportive, community-driven organisation and making a genuine difference to others’ lives.
However, areas for improvement were identified, including:
- Strengthening employees’ understanding of key organisational values.
- Expanding SCCAC’s benefits package to enhance retention.
- Increasing social activities to reinforce collaboration and team culture.
As a next step, SCCAC embedded the EVP into recruitment and employee engagement initiatives, ensuring it is actively communicated across the organisation. In addition, the EVP will align with a newly developed Customer Value Proposition, supporting a consistent and connected approach to both employee and customer engagement.
The employee survey will now be conducted regularly to track progress, measure the impact of the EVP initiatives and inform ongoing improvements in workforce engagement and satisfaction.
Testimonial
“Developing the SCCAC Employee Value Proposition (EVP) was a valuable opportunity for our team to come together and reflect on what makes us unique. It helped us refresh our vision and come together with our shared purpose of ‘making life great’ for those in our care. The project gave voice to our staff and strengthened the multicultural team culture we aspire to. We now have a strong platform to continue growing and improving our EVP—something we see as vital to the sustainability of our rural aged care service.
Edmonds Marketing brought expertise and guidance to every stage of the project. They kept us on track, offered thoughtful feedback, and supported our team throughout. It was a pleasure working with a professional team who truly understand the aged care sector.”
Julie Evans, CEO, Sapphire Coast Community Aged Care
