Attracting Top Talent: The Role of EV Chargers in Employee Recruitment and Retention

Written by Zack Griffin, President & Founder of Evolved Lighting & Energy

Zack started Evolved in 2006 with the mission to transform lighting in commercial spaces from traditional and costly, to energy efficient and productivity boosting. He uses science, significant product knowledge and design expertise to grow Evolved into the successful business it is today.

 

When you think of perks that matter to your workforce, on-site coffee stations, flexible hours or a shiny breakroom may come to mind.

But increasingly, there’s one benefit that’s quietly gaining power — on-site electric vehicle (EV) charging. For many organizations and business leaders, installing EV chargers is no longer just about sustainability; it’s a strategic move in the battle to hire and keep good people.

Why Facilities Should Care

There are two core pressures here.

First: talent. Skilled professionals are in high demand. Employers that stand out win and retain the best talent.

Second: infrastructure. As more employees drive EVs (or plan to) the workplace becomes a hub for their vehicle’s power needs. When you meet that need, you reinforce loyalty and create advantage.

A recent survey by Plug In America found that 72% of employees without workplace EV-charging options said they’d value them—and 98% expressed interest in access to charging specifically. Hypercharge EV Charging

In short: this is now a widely expected amenity, not just a “nice to have.”

Meanwhile, employers offering on-site charging move beyond impression management. According to one study, companies that provide workplace charging are seen as more forward-thinking and values-driven—which matters for younger workers in particular. ReVision Energy+2Cyberswitching+2

What the Metrics Say

Let’s talk numbers — because operations and facilities professionals need a business-case to get EV chargers installed, not just feel-good rhetoric.

• Employee charging access influences retention: one source suggests workplace charging can reduce turnover by encouraging employees who drive EVs (or plan to) to stay. BTC Power And we are all aware of the high cost associated with employee turnover.
• Investment return: While direct ROI from charging for employees isn’t always immediate, the indirect benefits are real. Studies indicate that workplace charging infrastructure can boost a company’s sustainability credentials, improve recruitment, support employee satisfaction, and ultimately reduce hiring/training costs. PowerFlex+1
• Example ROIs: One UK business found ROI as high as 95% over five years due to incentives and savings tied to charging infrastructure. Homecharge
• Talent uptake: According to the U.S. Department of Energy, employees at firms offering workplace charging are six times more likely to drive plug-in vehicles than average workers. Boston.gov

Framing the Opportunity in Your Facility

Imagine you’re responsible for the facility operations of a mid-sized manufacturing or warehousing campus. Your labor market is tight, turnover is costly, and your workforce is increasingly younger and values-oriented.

Here’s how on-site EV chargers help:

• Recruitment: “We offer EV charging at work” becomes a differentiator when a candidate chooses between two employers.
• Retention: For employees who already drive or plan to drive EVs, having a charger at work removes a pain point (range anxiety, slow public chargers, etc.).
• Productivity and convenience: Employees spend fewer minutes off-site looking for charging and more time focused on work.
• Sustainability front-footing: Supporting your company’s ESG goals, reducing Scope 3 emissions (employee commuting), and making your campus future-ready.
• Budget and cost logic: With available tax credits, rebates and state/utility incentives, the incremental cost of install is reduced and payback cycles improve.

Consider This:

Consider a growing regional business that added Level 2 chargers for employees. Following the install, they noted several outcomes:

• Employee awareness of the benefit increased job satisfaction.
• New hires cited the charging amenity as a deciding factor.
• The facility began leveraging utility incentive programs to offset a portion of the installation cost (improving the pay-back period).
• Facilities leadership positioned the charging station as part of a larger upgrade program, tying it into lighting and controls modernization to spread the project cost and multiply benefits.

Key Implementation Considerations

When you decide “yes, let’s do this”, you’ll want to plan thoughtfully:

1. Understand demand – Survey employees: how many already drive EVs? How many plan to? This gives you data to size the install.
2. Choose appropriate hardware – Level 2 vs Level 3 (DC fast) depends on time parked, employee shift patterns, fleet vs employee vehicles.
3. Leverage incentives and rebates – Federal tax credits (e.g., 30%), utility programs, state and local grants can significantly reduce upfront cost.
4. Design for scalability – Choose systems that allow expansion, network management, load-balancing and future proofing.
5. Make it visible – A charger tucked away is less of a perk. A prominently-located station communicates value to employees and supports your employer brand. Charge@Work
6. Integrate into your operations strategy – Tie charging to broader facility upgrades (lighting, controls, HVAC) so you achieve synergy across energy and talent goals.

Bottom Line

In today’s competitive labor market, facility-leaders need more than efficient lighting and reliable HVAC. They need meaningful differentiators that appeal to the workforce of now and next.

On-site EV charging is one of those differentiators. It intersects talent, retention, sustainability and operations into a single strategic investment.

For facility and operations professionals looking to make their next investment count, installing workplace EV charging isn’t just about plugging in cars — it’s about plugging into your talent and your future facility.

At Evolved Lighting & Energy, we help you evaluate demand, design the system, handle installation, and integrate it with your facility’s infrastructure and incentive-strategy.

If you’re working at a facility that aims to attract the best people, while managing costs and elevating your brand, we’d welcome a conversation.