Important employer branding statistics to know in 2021

A well-defined employer brand is an essential part of building high-performing teams. Today, many employers across industries are trying to better understand how they are perceived online and how that perception affects their recruiting, hiring, and retention in a post-pandemic world. Here are some important employer branding statistics that can help inform your talent strategies moving forward.

Employer branding and recruiting

The most important outcome of having a strong employer brand is that prospective employees will be more inclined to consider your company when applying for jobs. Consider the following statistics and how much work candidates put into understanding your company long before you ever see their cover letter and resume:

• 86% of HR professionals surveyed said recruitment is becoming more like marketing
• 86% of employees and job seekers research company reviews and ratings to decide where to apply for a job
• 75% of active job seekers are likely to apply to a job if the employer actively manages its employer brand
• 86% of women and 67% of men in the United States would not join a company that has a bad reputation
• 68% of Millennials, 54% of Gen-Xers, and 48% of Baby Boomers indicated they visit employer's social media channels specifically to evaluate the employer's brand

Employer branding and hiring

Employer branding is important during the hiring process, as well. Once a candidate has submitted their application for consideration, the employer brand informs how they approach the interview process and negotiate the offer stage. Will a candidate appreciate your offer enough to leave their current employer? What kind of reputation have you built as an employer?

• 50% of candidates say they wouldn't work for a company with a bad reputation, even for a pay increase
• 92% of people would consider changing jobs if offered a role with a company with an excellent corporate reputation
• A strong employer brand can reduce the cost per hire by as much as 50%
• A negative reputation can cost a company as much as 10% more per hire

Employer branding and retention

The impact of your employer brand doesn't end once a candidate accepts an offer and completes the onboarding process. The strength of your reputation carries through the hiring process and into the employee lifecycle. A strong employer brand in alignment with your company culture is a powerful force for reducing turnover, improving retention, and keeping employees engaged.

• Almost 30% of job seekers have left a job within the first 90 days of starting (indicating misalignment between the candidate and the employer brand)
• Seven out of ten people surveyed said they had changed their opinion about a brand after seeing the company reply to a review
• Employee voice is three times more credible than the CEO's when it comes to talking about working conditions in that company
• Companies actively investing in employer brand can reduce turnover by as much as 28%