In recent years, there has been much more focus on clearly explaining the total benefits package. Mainly driven by retention. Employees who only have insight into a limited part of their total package, often the gross salary. Possibly resulting in dissatisfaction or opting for a different offer. Based on limited information.

In the last two years, I see the focus shifting to job applicants, due to the fierce competition in the labour market. Increasingly, organisations are succeeding in making both financial and non-financial conditions transparent. So that employees and candidates have full insight and better understanding of the offer. In a form that contributes to employer branding.

What strikes me is that conversations I have with HR managers often focus on the ‘what’ of the benefits package. What labour conditions do we all have, do we look back or forward, how do we explain it, for whom and whom not. And certainly not only in the Netherlands.

The ‘what’ is certainly of great importance, but there is more. When asked about the ‘why’ of labour conditions, people regularly remain unanswered. How do the labour conditions match the organisation’s identity? The impact, value and understanding becomes many times higher if this can be explained properly. A direct link between who we are and why we offer precisely these labour conditions.

If we value climate, we offer alternatives to mobility. If we value inclusiveness, we offer the possibility of exchanging holidays. And so on.

Start with the why. On the one hand, this may lead to a revision of labour conditions that are a better fit. But above all, communicating about the ‘what’ becomes a lot more powerful. And thus gives a huge boost to identity, appreciation and commitment.