30+ Employer Brand Statistics [2024]

Many factors play a role in a candidate’s decision to not only apply, but accept a job offer from your company. One factor we’ve covered in-depth is the critical importance of the candidate experience. Today, we’re focusing on employer brand — like your consumer brand represents what your company is about and how it serves its customers, your employer brand should depict what it means to work at your company.

These two go hand-in-hand, a strong employer brand means more candidates are likely to apply, but maintaining that brand through a strong candidate experience plays a crucial role in maintaining and influencing an employer's brand. The way candidates are treated during the recruitment process can have a significant impact on their perception of the organization as a potential employer.

In this article, we’re going to delve into crucial statistics that highlight the diverse impact of employer branding on candidate engagement, company perception, strategic investments, and social media. By leveraging these insights, businesses can fine-tune their talent acquisition strategies, improve their brand image, and ultimately establish themselves as preferred employers in a competitive market.

Key Employer Branding Statistics to Know

1. 75% of job seekers consider an employer’s brand before even applying for a job
2. 94% of candidates are more likely to apply for a job if a company actively manages its employer brand
3. A strong employer brand can lead to a 50% increase in the number of qualified candidates
4. 69% of candidates would reject a job offer from a company with a bad employer brand
5. Companies that actively invest in employer brand see a 28% reduction in employee turnover and a 50% decrease in cost-per-hire

Candidate Engagement and Experience

Candidates' perceptions of a company play a crucial role in shaping their decision-making process. Understanding how candidates view a company's values and whether or not these values are upheld are essential for building a positive employer brand. The following statistics highlight the significance of these aspects.

Crafting the first impression

Candidates are exploring opportunities on job boards and Linkedin.Once they discover a job they’re interested in, they prioritize researching your brand on Google, Glassdoor and social media.

According to Linkedin,

• 75% of job seekers consider an employer’s brand before even applying for a job
• 52% of candidates first seek out 1) the company’s website and 2) social media to learn more about an employer

Emphasis of employer brand management

Effectively managing your employer brand is a key factor, as candidates are more likely to apply when a company proactively upholds its brand.

• 94% of candidates are more likely to apply for a job if a company actively manages its employer brand (Linkedin)
• 82% of candidates consider employer brand and reputation before applying for a job in 2023 — a 7% increase from 2018 (CareerArc)
• 86% of employees and job seekers are likely to research company reviews and ratings when deciding where to apply for a job (Glassdoor)
• 70% of job seekers consider diversity a factor when evaluating a potential employer (Manifest)

The influence of candidate experience

A positive candidate experience significantly influences candidates' perceptions of your company's values and how they anticipate being treated as employees.

• 95% of candidates identify a company’s reputation as a key factor when exploring new career opportunities (Glassdoor)
• 78% of candidates say that their overall candidate experience is an indicator of how a company values its employees (Career Builder)
• 95% of candidates agree that the way a potential employer treats them as a candidate is a reflection of how they would treat them as an employee (iCIMS)
• 69% of candidates would reject a job offer from a company with a bad employer brand (MRINetwork)
• A negative reputation can cost company at least 10% more per hire (Harvard Business Review)
• 72% of candidates are likely to share their bad experiences online or with someone directly (CareerArc)

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Employer Brand Investment and Impact

Dedicating resources to creating, and effectively managing a strong employer brand sets your talent acquisition teams up for success. The data presented in this section highlights the significant influence of investing in an employer brand and its consequences for recruitment, retaining talent, and overall business results.

Tangible impact on hiring

The impact of employer brand on hiring is significant, as acknowledged by recruiting leaders and talent acquisition managers across industries.

• 80% of talent acquisition managers believe that employer brand has a significant impact on the ability to hire great talent (Global Recruiting Trends)

In addition,

• Companies with a positive employer brand receive twice as many applications compared to those with negative brand perceptions (Linkedin)
• A strong employer brand can lead to a 50% increase in the number of qualified candidates (Linkedin)
• 84% of organizations believe that a well-maintained employer brand helps them hire quality talent (Gitnux)

Financial implications and business outcomes

Investing in employer branding isn't just a talent acquisition strategy; it's a business strategy with tangible financial outcomes.

• Companies that actively invest in their employer brand see a 28% reduction in employee turnover and a 50% decrease in cost-per-hire (Glassdoor)
• 96% of companies believe employer brand and reputation can positively or negatively impact revenue, yet only 44% monitor that impact (CareerArc)
• Businesses with a strong employer brand experience a 43% decrease in cost-per-hire (Linkedin)
• Companies with higher employer brand rankings see an 11.6% increase in shareholder returns (ZipDo)

Challenges and opportunities in brand perception

The line between employer brand and marketing continues to blur, with organizations recognizing the integration of recruitment and marketing.

According to iCIMS, 86% of HR professionals agree that recruitment is becoming more like marketing.

While the importance of employer brand is universally recognized, some organizations face challenges in implementing effective strategies.

According to CareerArc,

• 49% of employers believe they don’t have the tools to effectively enhance employer brand
• Only 57% of organizations surveyed have an employer brand strategy

Forward-thinking strategies and investment

Organizations are planning to extend their employer brand through diverse channels, emphasizing the need for a multi-faceted approach.

The top three channels Small and Medium Businesses (SMBs) plan to extend their employer brand are (Linkedin):

• Company website (69%)
• Online professional networks (61%)
• Social media (47%)

In addition,

• 59% of recruiting leaders are investing more in employer brand
• 60% of in-house recruiting professionals predict that they will invest more in employer branding
• Among leading global employers, 78% say their employer brand is a top priority in 2023 — up 11 points in just two years. Even for small- and medium-sized employers, the majority say employer branding is a critical area of HR investment, with close to half of all the employers surveyed increasing their employer brand budgets (Universum)
• 53% of companies express a desire to invest in employer brand if they had unlimited budgets (Global Recruiting Trends)

Employer Brand and Social Media

Social media has become a powerful tool for job seekers and potential employees to gain insights into a company's culture, values, and employee experiences. In fact, 63% of job seekers actively check social media for employee and consumer comments about workforce diversity, or lack thereof, at a company (CareerArc).

According to Capitalize,

• 80% of respondents look up the social media profiles of current staff when applying for or even considering a position
• 60% of prospective employees research a potential employer on Linkedin before submitting an application
• Linkedin (60%), Glassdoor (51%), Facebook (37%), and Twitter (36%) are top social platforms potential employees look to for insight

Conclusion

Employer brand goes beyond recruitment, impacting candidate perceptions and decision-making. For companies aiming to thrive in this competitive talent landscape, the key lies in not just understanding these statistics but leveraging them to craft a compelling employer brand strategy. By actively managing candidate experiences, strategically investing in branding, monitoring perceptions, and harnessing the power of social media, organizations can foster a positive employer brand that resonates with top talent and propels them towards sustainable growth.

Continue your exploration into the vital statistics of talent acquisition – we’ve got you covered:

• Top of the talent acquisition funnel: 30+ Job Application Statistics
• Middle of the talent acquisition funnel: 50+ Job Interview Statistics and 50+ Candidate Experience Statistics
• Bottom of the talent acquisition funnel: 10+ Job Offer Statistics and 80+ Employee Onboarding Statistics

If you’re interested in delving deeper into articles on Employer Brand:

• How to build a stronger employer brand to support your volume hiring efforts