Top Employer Branding Trends for 2023

Employer branding has made the cut on the list of strategic business priorities for many organisations lately, transforming from a buzz word to its own function. People and Marketing professionals are collaborating more than ever to discover how to cut through the noise, to attract top talent and keep them happy. But the world remains challenging. Starting with covid, to quiet quitting, then the great resignation, global lay-offs, loud quitting, economic and environmental crises – these trends are shaping employee’s perceptions and expectations of work at an unprecedented pace.

A summary of the blog:

• Ensure genuine brand values shine through in work policies, process, and experiences
• Maintain a strong brand reputation to attract and retain the best talent
• Have a clear and compelling EVP with optimised experiences across social and the hiring process will encourage applications

To help you better understand the importance of investing in employer branding or to bring your stakeholders up to speed, we’ve collected the most recent and important employer brand trends to keep you in the know.

1. Beyond providing for themselves, people are driven to work by two main factors: having a sense of purpose and feeling a sense of accomplishment.

 We know that a strong employer brand can do both by articulating the value employees contribute to the overall company purpose, while also sharing what the employee gets in return.

 [Source: McCann Truth About Work Report, 2023] 

2. For the third year running, businesses are seen as more trustworthy than government.

There has never been a better time for companies to refine their brand identity through their reputation, employer value proposition, and employee experience they offer and deliver. Prospective and current employees are finding it easier than ever to see businesses as trustworthy institutions when they’re clear about driving value for the people who work there as well as the communities they serve. That means backing up our brand promises with action.

[Source: Edelman Trust 2023]

3. 86% of workers would not continue to work for (or even apply in the first place) a company with a bad reputation regarding former employees or the general public.

With polarization and a lack of trust plaguing the globe, people are more motivated than ever to take action when it comes to bad press and bad experiences that involve the perceived poor treatment of employees and customers. The better you are at building and maintaining a strong brand reputation, the easier it will be to attract and retain passionate and engaged people.

[Source: Randstad 2023]

4. 86% of candidates found their last position through social media

 In case you needed another reason to keep a well-maintained social profile; millennials and Gen Z candidates are using business social media accounts to decide if that company looks like the sort of place they want to work. 

[Source: Bluemoon]

5. 80% of the general population want CEOs to be personally visible when discussing public policy with external stakeholders or work their company has done to benefit society. 

 There’s no more hiding for CEOs. Edelman Trust barometer have revealed that for the second year running, there is an expectation that companies should not only benefit society but for leaders to take a public stand and act on serious employment, economic, and human rights issues. 48% believe that it’s possible for businesses to be insulated from politization when addressing societal issues by being a trustworthy information source, base actions on science, not aligning with any political party, and by acting on the same values over time.

[Source: Edelman Trust 2023]

6. 75% of job seekers use company reputation to inform job applications 

 Candidates aren’t just reviewing your website anymore; they’re also investigating your brand reputation prior to interviewing. Prospective employees want to be certain that they’re joining a company that aligns with their values and they’re also looking for any compelling evidence that suggests untoward behaviour towards customers, previous employees, or the environment. With a staggering 4.9 billion users on social media, it’s crucial that employers build a positive reputation and brand in order to attract the best talent.

[Source: Zipdo, 2023]

7. 9 out of 10 candidates would apply for a job when it’s from an employer brand that’s actively maintained.

 This is because a strong employer brand takes the guesswork out of decision making. With a challenging economy bearing down on us and effecting our everyday lives, candidates are more risk adverse than ever. By having a clear and compelling EVP, optimised experiences across social and the hiring process, and an inside look at the culture and workspaces, candidates find it easier to take the leap and apply.

[Source: Workable]

8. 98% of candidates wouldn’t work for a company that didn’t align with their values.

 Expectations to see genuine brand values shine through in work policies, process, and experiences are higher than ever. Whether that’s by building and showcasing an inclusive culture, or through ethical and sustainability strategies, candidates are more discerning than ever when it comes to working at companies that align with their personal values.

[Source: City of London Economic Research]

Start your employer branding journey  

Whether you know it or not, your business has an employer brand. The question is, is it the right one? If you’re unsure, then get in touch to speak with an employee engagement consultant today.