Elevating Harrods' employee value proposition
The challenge
Globally-renowned luxury retailer, Harrods, approached SWC Partnership to future-proof its employer brand and redefine its Employee Value Proposition. While its customer brand was world-class, it needed an EVP that would galvanise colleagues and attract the next generation of talent. The ambition was to ensure that every team member, from shop floor to senior leadership, would live and breathe the Harrods brand ethos.
Future-proof employer appeal in a competitive talent market
Align colleagues behind a renewed EVP
Differentiate from competitors while protecting brand heritage
Translate brand prestige into an authentic employee experience
Our solution
We began with a robust audit phase, combining primary and secondary research. Competitor analysis was paired with in-depth interviews across the organisation — from shop floor colleagues to senior leaders — exploring how values were understood in the head (awareness), heart (belief) and hands (behaviour).
Using insights from our 5-step BASE-UP process, we created a refreshed EVP and a practical framework to embed it across the business, ensuring the brand promise translated into everyday actions.
Comprehensive audit: competitor review and stakeholder interviews
EVP development grounded in “head, heart, hands” insight
Values-based expectations and behaviours framework (do’s and don’ts)
Definition of high-performance culture and “Life at Harrods” brand film storyboard & script
The results
A revitalised EVP that authentically captures the spirit of the brand, aligns teams behind a shared purpose and positions the organisation as a destination employer for future luxury talent.