NOW
NOW
NOW
NOW
Employer Branding
NOW 2022
A survey of over 1,650 talent leaders about
the ways they are competing in the midst of
a critical talent shortage, plus a look at the
specific strategies of companies identified
by Universum’s research as the World’s Most
Attractive Employers. CONTENTS
CONTENTS Methodology 3
Trends Worth Watching 4
Outlook for 2023: The talent crisis will persist 5
CONTENTSBuilding resilience in a disrupted talent market 9
Attracting the right people to a hybrid workplace 13
Employer values and branding in a disrupted world 15
CONTENTSData-driven approach to recruiting & Employer Branding 19
CONTENTS Lessons from the World’s Most Attractive Employers 21
CONTENTSMethodology
Survey Field Period
March 2022 – May 2022
Includes 1,656 respondents from 75 countries
Survey Respondents
Total Respondents: 1,656; Industries: 35, Countries: 75
This includes:
o 633 responses from small- to medium-sized enterprises with fewer than 1,000 employees (SMEs)
o 415 responses from organizations with between 1,000 and 10,000 employees (Large)
o 591 responses from organizations with more than 10,000 employees (Very Large)
The World’s Most Attractive Employers Cohort
This data represents the responses from 60 of the 90 World’s Most Attractive Employers (WMAEs).
Universum, one of the world’s leading Employer Branding agencies, surveyed 1,656 talent leaders from 75 countries between March 1 and May 3, 2022.
The aim was to gather insights about current Employer Branding practices as well as to learn from the World’s Most Attractive Employers (WMAE*s).
Why follow the WMAEs?
The World’s Most Attractive Employers (WMAEs) are 90 organizations that have been identified as the most attractive employers across 10 leading
global economies: Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Italy, Russia, the UK, and the US. To be named a WMAE, companies need to rank
among the top employers in at least 5 of these 10 major economies in the eyes of those who participate in Universum’s global student survey. In this
Employer Branding NOW study, we have highlighted the Employer Branding strategies of the most attractive global employers to understand what
they do differently and what other organizations can do to emulate their best practices.
3Trends
worth watching
RECRUITMENT MARKETING IN CRISIS HIRING A HYBRID WORKFORCE MEANS SEARCHING FOR MINDSET
Universum research shows the hiring environment for knowledge workers across The attributes employers are looking for in prospective employees have changed in
industries is likely to worsen in the next 12 months. 70% of talent leaders say the interesting ways over the last five years.We see a pivot toward people who will power
hiring environment is getting harder — a record high in the 8 years we have run this remote workforces (e.g., people who value collaboration, integrity, ethics, and an
talent leader survey. What’s more, our research shows recruiting budgets are shrinking openness to diversity). As companies gain confidence managing hybrid teams, we
in 2022, even for WMAE*s (World’s Most Attractive Employers). This despite the fact expect they will continue to refine how they interview and test would-be employees.
that 58% of WMAE*s say their recruiting needs for the next 12 months will increase.
COMPANIES ARE STILL NOT DATA-DRIVEN WHEN IT COMES TO
BUILD VERSUS BUY TALENT? BUILD WINS OUT BY A WIDE MARGINRECRUITING
Companies are investing heavily in reskilling existing talent and promoting people from Companies clearly indicate that data-driven recruiting is a priority, but only half
within. It’s a win-win for employers, who can access skills that are in high demand/ “frequently or always” make Employer Brand marketing decisions that are data-driven.
low supply, while also building a reputation as a company that invests in talent. As hiring needs ramp up in 2022-23, making the argument for bigger budgets
relies on a data-driven approach.
COMPANIES ARE QUICKLY DIVERSIFYING TALENT SOURCES
EMPLOYER BRANDING IS CRITICAL TO STANDING OUT AMIDST
This means casting a wider net to attract and hire new talent, including hiring more TALENT DISRUPTION
freelancers, part-timers, and boomerang employees. Plus, companies are looking
beyond the elite colleges and universities, sourcing top talent from mid-tier Among the WMAE*, 86% call it a top priority — a 15 point jump in just one year. And
schools with promising graduates.among non-WMAE* large companies, 75% cite it as a priority in 2022.
*World’s Most Attractive Employers 4Outlook for
4 in 5 say hiring environment
2023: The talent is getting more challenging
Q: Do you expect the hiring
crisis will persist environment to get harder?
As the pandemic recedes in most major economies, the economic fallout is still
running its course. The upheaval in the talent market, which began in SpringYEARNON-WMAE*WMAE*
2020, shows no sign of abating. In fact, research from Universum shows
that among knowledge workers, the disruption may be growing. 2022 70%81%
According to Universum’s global survey, 70% of talent leaders say the hiring 2021 46% 48%
environment is getting harder, and among the World’s Most Attractive Employers
(WMAE*), 81% say the same. For the WMAE* segment, the figure is a shocking 2020 55%56%
69% increase in one year. Both of these findings are record highs for Universum’s
Employer Branding NOW survey, now in its seventh year.
Universum Employer Branding NOW 2022
*World’s Most Attractive Employers 5