In today's competitive jobs market, attracting and retaining good Salesforce talent is paramount for the success of any organisation. A quick search shows that on one job board alone, there are currently over 12,000 open adverts for Salesforce opportunities. ?So, the burning question is, how does your business differentiate itself to entice the best in the field?
What gets a Salesforce expert excited?
Before crafting your EVP, it's crucial to understand the unique desires and aspirations of today’s Salesforce expert. These individuals are driven by more than just financial compensation. They seek opportunities for professional development, meaningful work, and a supportive company culture that aligns with their own personal values.
What opportunities are there for career advancement?
It’s fair to say that today’s Salesforce expert is passionate about developing their skills and knowledge. They’re an ambitious bunch of people, that actively contribute to the community and proactively look for ways to showcase their skills and talent. As an organisation's it’s important to show your commitment to ongoing professional development by offering clear pathways for career progression. Whether it's access to advanced training programs, certification opportunities, or mentorship initiatives, emphasise how your company invests in the continuous growth of its employees.
There are many ways that you can demonstrate your commitment to professional development, and it’s important to offer choice. Below are a just a few examples of how you can demonstrate your organisation is fully committed in supporting individuals career journeys within the Salesforce ecosystem:
- Specialisation: Salesforce boasts a wide array of cloud-based solutions, including Sales Cloud, Service Cloud, Marketing Cloud, Financial Services Cloud, Data Cloud and more. Companies that utilise multi-cloud solutions within their business can offer Salesforce experts the opportunity to cross train or become a specific cloud guru.
- Certifications: Salesforce offers a comprehensive certification program designed to validate expertise and skills across different roles and technologies. Since most Salesforce experts pursue certifications such as Salesforce Administrator, Platform App Builder, Architect, and Sales Cloud Consultant, among others, offering to pay towards certifications could give you an advantage against other employers.
- Career Progression: Experts advance their careers through roles of increasing responsibility and leadership. Starting as an entry-level Salesforce Administrator or Developer, individuals can progress to roles such as Senior Administrator, Delivery Lead, Technical Architect or Solutions Architect. Creating leadership roles such as Programme Manager, Product Owner, or Practice Lead provides opportunities to oversee teams and drive strategic initiatives and will provide a clear pathway for growth to support their entire career.
- Entrepreneurship: Some individuals choose to leverage their expertise through entrepreneurial opportunities. For example, they may relish the opportunity to offer more specialised services, develop innovative solutions, or build products on the Salesforce platform. By enabling entrepreneurship, you can retain amazing talent, whilst still enabling your employees to carve out a niche in the market and create their own success story.
- Community Engagement: Active participation in the Salesforce community can also contribute to career growth. Setting time aside to allow employees to engage in online forums, attending Salesforce events and conferences, contributing to open-source projects, and networking with peers and industry leaders can lead to valuable connections and learning opportunities, for them and your business.
Overall, career growth is characterised by continuous learning, skills development, and adaptation to evolving technologies and industry trends. Whether advancing within a company, pursuing certifications, or creating innovative apps for your organisation, Salesforce experts will be fully engaged if they have a multitude of avenues to shape their careers and achieve their professional goals.
Why meaningful work matters?
Beyond career advancement, Salesforce experts are motivated by the impact of their work. By highlighting how your organisation is at the forefront of innovation to drive tangible business outcomes for clients, and through sharing success stories that demonstrate the transformative power of Salesforce solutions, employees can envisage how they will contribute to these achievements.
Within the Salesforce ecosystem, meaningful work often revolves around leveraging technology to drive positive change, enhance efficiency, and empower organisations to achieve their goals. Here are just a few examples:
- Nonprofit Impact: Salesforce plays a significant role in empowering nonprofit organisations to fulfil their missions and make a difference in the world. Salesforce specialists working with nonprofits may design and implement custom solutions to streamline donor management, volunteer tracking, program monitoring, and fundraising efforts. By optimising processes and enabling better data-driven decision-making, Salesforce professionals help nonprofits maximize their impact and reach more beneficiaries.
- Education Transformation: In the education sector, Salesforce solutions are used to modernise student enrolment, engagement, and success initiatives. Salesforce experts may collaborate with educational institutions to implement Student Relationship Management (SRM) systems, personalised learning platforms, and student success dashboards. By harnessing the power of data analytics and automation, Salesforce solutions support educators in delivering personalised learning experiences, improving student outcomes, and fostering lifelong learning.
- Healthcare Innovation: Salesforce is increasingly being adopted in the healthcare industry to enhance patient care, optimise operations, and drive healthcare innovation. Experts working in healthcare may develop patient relationship management systems, electronic health record (EHR) integrations, and telehealth platforms. By using technology to improve communication, coordination, and access to care, individuals contribute to better health outcomes, patient satisfaction, and overall healthcare quality.
- Small Business Growth: Salesforce solutions empower small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) to compete effectively in the digital age. Salesforce experts may work with SMBs to implement customer relationship management (CRM) systems, marketing automation tools, and e-commerce platforms. By enabling SMBs to better understand their customers, streamline sales and marketing processes, and scale their operations, Salesforce professionals play a vital role in driving business growth, innovation, and success.
- Environmental Sustainability: Increasingly more and more organisations are committing to sustainability, environmental initiatives, and corporate social responsibility. For example, Salesforce experts may develop custom applications to track and reduce carbon emissions, manage renewable energy projects, or promote eco-friendly practices among employees and partners. By leveraging Salesforce technology to support environmental sustainability efforts, professionals help advance the company's mission of driving positive social and environmental change.
- Social Impact Projects: Salesforce offers opportunities for employees and partners to participate in volunteer projects and pro bono work through programs like Salesforce.org's 1-1-1 model. Organisations that follow this model help to support nonprofit organisations, schools, and community initiatives by building custom Salesforce solutions, providing training and mentorship, or participating in skills-based volunteering projects. By giving back to communities and making a tangible difference in people's lives, individuals experience meaningful work that goes beyond their day-to-day responsibilities.
These examples illustrate how many organisations can provide employees with an opportunity of carrying out meaningful work that aligns with their values, interests, and aspirations, whilst making a positive impact on society.
How does equity and inclusivity play a part?
Company culture plays a huge role in attracting and retaining top talent. Individuals thrive in environments where collaboration, creativity, and diversity are encouraged and celebrated. According to Glassdoor, 76% of workplace personnel say diversity is an important factor for them when applying for a new job. Make a point of promoting your organisation's inclusive culture, where employees are empowered to voice their ideas, collaborate across teams, and make a meaningful impact.
Areas to consider include:
- Diversity and Inclusion: Create an environment where diversity is celebrated, and inclusion is actively promoted. Encourage diverse perspectives, backgrounds, and experiences, and ensure that all employees feel welcome and respected for who they are.
- Establish Clear Values and Behaviours: Define and communicate core values that reflect inclusivity, respect, and collaboration. Encourage behaviours that support these values, such as active listening, empathy, and open-mindedness, and hold employees accountable for upholding them.
- Promote Open Communication: Create opportunities for open and transparent communication across all levels of the organisation. Encourage employees to share their ideas, feedback, and concerns openly, and ensure that their voices are heard and valued.
- Foster Community and Connection: Create spaces and opportunities for employees to connect and build relationships with one another. Organise team-building activities, social events, and affinity groups where employees can bond over shared interests and experiences.
- Provide Support and Resources: Offer support services and resources to help employees navigate challenges and achieve their full potential. This could include mentorship programs, employee resource groups, counselling or coaching services, and professional development opportunities.
- Recognise and Celebrate Achievements: Acknowledge and celebrate the contributions and achievements of all employees, regardless of their background or position. Recognise individual and team accomplishments publicly and ensure that everyone feels valued and appreciated for their efforts.
- Promote Flexibility and Work-Life Balance: Offer flexible work arrangements and policies that accommodate employees' diverse needs and responsibilities outside of work. Respect employees' boundaries and encourage them to prioritise their well-being and personal commitments.
- Encourage Equal Pay: Build a workplace environment, where individuals are rewarded and recognised on their ability to do the job, skills, experience, and expertise, regardless of their gender.
- Lead by Example: Business owners and leaders play a crucial role in fostering a sense of belonging by modelling inclusive behaviours. Leaders therefore need to lead by example, by demonstrating empathy and respect, and actively advocate for diversity and inclusion initiatives.
- Provide Training and Education: Offer diversity and inclusion training programs to raise awareness, build empathy, and equip employees with the skills to foster inclusivity in the workplace. Provide resources and educational opportunities to help employees expand their understanding of diversity and inclusion issues.
- Regularly Solicit Feedback: Continuously seek feedback from employees about their experiences and perceptions of inclusion in the workplace. Use this feedback to identify areas for improvement and implement meaningful changes to foster a more inclusive and supportive environment.
Creating a compelling Employee Value Proposition for Salesforce experts requires a deep understanding of their unique needs and aspirations. By implementing a few simple strategies, organisations can cultivate a culture of belonging where all employees feel respected, supported, and empowered to thrive within their careers. Remember, a strong EVP not only attracts top talent but also fosters employee engagement and loyalty, ultimately driving the success of your organisation.
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Absolutely insightful! Steve Jobs once said - Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. Crafting a compelling Employee Value Proposition is indeed the key to attracting top talent and innovation. ??? #InnovationLeaders #UnlockPotential #CareerGrowth