The shortage of skilled workers is no longer just a headline — it’s a reality. More than half of all employers in Switzerland are affected, according to a study by ZHAW and JobCloud. Among medium-sized companies, the number is even higher. When job ads, job portals, and active sourcing reach their limits, a deeper approach comes into play: Employer Branding.
Why Employer Branding Works Inside and Out
Employer Branding isn’t just about presenting yourself externally as an attractive employer — it always starts internally. It’s rooted in company culture, employee engagement, and whether the promises you make to the outside world actually match reality.
One thing is certain: employer branding only works in recruiting if employee retention works first. It’s not just about creating a polished career page; it’s about living genuine values every day.
Employer Branding vs. Recruitment Marketing – What’s the Difference?
The two terms are often used interchangeably, but they are fundamentally different:
- Employer Branding is the strategic foundation. It involves analyzing target groups, defining values, and developing an Employer Value Proposition (EVP).
- Recruitment Marketing is the operational implementation: job ads, social media posts, or career pages.
Without a clear strategy, recruitment marketing remains random. Only when it’s clear what the company stands for and what message it wants to communicate do the individual measures truly have impact.
5 Steps to a Successful Employer Branding Strategy
So how do you build an employer brand that’s more than just a façade? A structured process helps:
- Define your Employer Value Proposition (EVP): What makes us unique? Why should someone want to work here — and more importantly, why should they stay?
- Develop a communication plan: On which channels can we reach our target audience — the career site, social media, or events?
- Implement a content strategy: Share employee stories, insights into everyday work, benefits, and values — regularly and authentically.
- Link it with recruiting: Employer branding is often the first touchpoint that should seamlessly connect to recruitment.
- Secure retention: Those who join should stay — through culture, benefits, and genuine growth opportunities.
What Do Candidates Really Want to See?
Whether it’s a video, employee interview, or social media post — employer branding thrives on content. But it’s not about how much you publish, it’s about what you publish. Relevance beats frequency. Candidates and employees want to see what the company is really like — which values are lived and what makes working there special.
A short, authentic team video or an honest testimonial is often far more convincing than a perfectly polished image film.
Employer Branding in Practice: Employees as Brand Ambassadors
The best brand ambassadors are already inside your company. Employees who talk positively about their work, share content, or attend events help build credibility and trust.
Companies can foster this by:
- Providing a strong onboarding experience
- Creating attractive referral programs
- Actively involving employees in content creation
This creates an authentic image that no marketing campaign can fake.
Employer Branding Is a Leadership Responsibility
Ultimately, employer branding isn’t about flashy campaigns — it’s about one thing above all: credibility. Those who only shine outwardly risk cracks in the façade. But those who build a strong employer brand both internally and externally not only attract talent but also retain it in the long term.
In other words: Employer Branding is no longer optional — it’s essential.
