The latest research from HR.com's Research Institute, 'HR.com's State of Employer Branding 2025', sheds light on the pressing challenges and opportunities in employer branding. Despite 62% of HR professionals rating their employer brand as above average or excellent, confidence in its effectiveness on crucial HR priorities such as talent attraction, engagement, and retention is notably lower. This discrepancy highlights a critical gap in the strategic application of employer branding efforts.
Key findings from the study indicate that less than half of organizations achieve success in vital areas including diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (46%), talent attraction (44%), employee engagement (43%), and employee retention (42%). The research also uncovers a lack of consistency in employer branding strategies, with only 28% of organizations implementing a comprehensive and consistently applied approach. Alarmingly, 40% operate without any formal strategy, and leadership of these initiatives is often misaligned, with marketing or public relations leading 43% of efforts compared to HR's 25%.
The study points to artificial intelligence as a transformative tool for future employer branding strategies. Potential applications include improved candidate targeting and sourcing (41%), personalized candidate experiences (36%), automated recruitment processes (34%), advanced analytics for brand measurement (34%), and AI-driven content creation (34%). Debbie McGrath, Chief Instigator and CEO of HR.com, underscores the pivotal role of HR professionals in ensuring that employer brands authentically reflect workplace culture and support essential initiatives like talent attraction and retention.
For vendors in the human resources industry, these findings underscore the need for solutions that facilitate a more collaborative approach between HR, marketing, and leadership teams. Developing a comprehensive employer brand that aligns business objectives with talent-focused goals is increasingly critical as organizations navigate the complexities of the talent landscape. The study serves as a call to action for HR professionals and vendors alike to prioritize strategic, intentional employer branding that transcends surface-level reputation management, focusing instead on fostering meaningful engagement and retention strategies.
