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

CONTENTS
Trends Worth Watching 4

Outlook for 2023: The talent crisis will persist 5

Building resilience in a disrupted talent market 9

CONTENTS
Attracting the right people to a hybrid workplace 13

Employer values and branding in a disrupted world 15

Data-driven approach to recruiting & Employer Branding 19

CONTENTS
Lessons from the World’s Most Attractive Employers 21
Methodology
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:
• 633 responses from small- to medium-sized enterprises with fewer than 1,000 employees (SMEs)
• 415 responses from organizations with between 1,000 and 10,000 employees (Large)
• 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.
3
Trends
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 MARGIN RECRUITING

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 4

Outlook for
2023: The talent 4 in 5 say hiring environment
is getting more challenging

crisis will persist

Q: Do you expect the hiring
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 Spring YEAR NON-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
 Hiring needs rise dramatically in 2022
Recruitment needs for the coming year
compared to previous 12 months

This punishing hiring environment impacts nearly every industry, but some
are affected much more acutely than others. According to research from Korn
Ferry, the US financial services sector is most severely affected, with “$435.69
billion in projected unrealized economic output, equal to about 1.5% of the
country’s entire economy.” And in the tech sector, Korn Ferry predicts talent
shortages will be as high as 4.3 million workers by 2030.1

Low unemployment coupled with rising numbers of open positions

are both clear signals of the severity of the crisis. Fully 58% of those in
the WMAE* group say their hiring needs will grow in the coming 12 months
compared to the trailing 12 months.

Universum Employer Branding NOW 2022

*World’s Most Attractive Employers 1
Korn Ferry: “Future of Work: The Global Talent Crunch,” May 2018. https://www.kornferry.com/content/dam/ 6
kornferry/docs/pdfs/KF-Future-of-Work-Talent-Crunch-Report.pdf
 Another big pressure point for the talent market: ongoing turnover across
roles and industries, even among top performing talent brands. As a CEO
of a recognized tech company recently explained, “Turnover is at historic highs,
but our exit interviews don’t give us a clear signal about what needs fixing.”

Today, turnover is no longer about discontentment or even primarily about pay;

for many highly sought-after professionals, the chance to leapfrog forward
in their careers is simply too great to pass up. Gains in management roles,
learning opportunities, or even a better quality of life beckon to those who are
otherwise content in their current jobs.

A 2022 study from ActionsProve and the Engineering Management Institute

underlines this point. According to that research, nearly 2 in 3 (61%)
professional engineers and architects in North America would consider
leaving their current employer in the next 12 months for the right
opportunity2. And among younger professionals, 83% would consider a move.

“Many assume that increasing salary offers or bonuses will on its own retain
top talent, but our research shows money isn’t the primary reason engineering
and architecture talent seeks out new jobs,” says Peter C. Atherton, president
and founder of ActionsProve. “Engineers and architects are in search of career
development opportunities, as well as greater flexibility about the ‘where’ and
‘when’ of work — and companies that resist change in these areas will find
themselves struggling to hire and retain top candidates.”

2 ActionsProve and Engineering Management Institute: “Present and future of work in engineering and 7
architecture,” June 2022.
“ By 2030, the United States could experience
unrealized revenue of $1.748 trillion due to
labor shortages, equivalent to 6% of its entire
economy…

Brazil, the world’s fifth most populous country

and South America’s largest economy, also
faces huge talent shortages by 2030, when it
will hit a 15.8 million employee deficit across all
skill levels. Its [highly skilled] talent shortage
will be equivalent to 36% of the country’s entire
[highly skilled] workforce by 2030. “
Future of Work: The Global Talent Crunch | Korn Ferry3

3 Korn Ferry: “Future of Work: The Global Talent Crunch,” May 2018. https://www.kornferry.com/content/dam/kornferry/docs/pdfs/ 8
KF-Future-of-Work-Talent-Crunch-Report.pdf
Building resilience
in a disrupted
talent market
How do top talent brands compete under these deeply challenging conditions? A look at the World’s
Most Attractive Employers offers clues about how companies can increase the size and quality of
their talent pool. The key: diversifying how talent brands source talent.

Insource mission-critical roles

More companies are improving internal career mobility and “upskilling” existing employees as a strategy
to fill important positions. Among the WMAE*, 37% cite internal mobility as a major priority, while
29% of very large companies say the same. We expect these numbers to grow even more in 2023.

“Given the severe shortage of specific skills such as developers, data scientists, and analysts, many
companies are investing in university-quality training programs for high-potential talent,” says Richard
Mosely, chief strategist at Universum. “ The benefits are twofold: Companies can source specific skills
from within their own ranks, plus use the educational opportunities to attract and retain employees.”

Despite their stated priority to invest in internal mobility, few companies currently handle this well,
Universum research shows. Just 19% of our global sample say internal career mobility at their companies
is “excellent” (compared to 39% of the WMAE* claiming this to be a high priority).
*World’s Most Attractive Employers 9
 For many talent brands, “insourcing”
is a top priority
Q: Is improving internal career mobility a
focus over the coming 12 months?

Engage freelancers to fill

talent gaps
Top companies are also turning to the freelance labor pool
as a way to access hard-to-find skills. Tapping independent
professionals offers companies a way to fill short-term needs
while reducing the risk of long-term, salaried hires. Among
the WMAE*, 36% use freelancers, and an additional 22%
don’t do so currently but intend to.

Universum Employer Branding NOW 2022

*World’s Most Attractive Employers 10
 Companies seek out freelancing
talent to fill gaps
Q: Do gig workers/freelancers play a role in your current
resourcing strategy?

Deploying freelancers, however, isn’t something that

should be done ad-hoc, on a case-by-case basis.
Companies must invest in the technology, processes,
and networks to make the strategy a success,
particularly at the scale required to make a difference
for global companies. For example: developing systems
to identify, select, and vet independent contractors, as
well as the technology to collaborate with independent
professionals and manage performance.

Universum Employer Branding NOW 2022

11
 Expand recruiting to a more diverse pool
Finally, companies expand their talent pools by considering a more diverse group
“81% say diversity and of candidates. Among the WMAE*, 81% say diversity and inclusion is a “very
important” part of their recruitment policy.

inclusion is a “very For top companies, diversity is not only about gender, race, and ethnicity; it also relates

important” part of their

to geography and even university type. For example, rather than recruiting heavily at
Ivy League and other gold-standard schools worldwide (and competing strongly to hire

recruitment policy. “ their graduates), many top employers are widening the net, recruiting top students
from mid-tier schools. 2 in 3 of the WMAE* say they are casting a wider net by using
virtual recruiting on campuses, for example, and 30% are using virtual events, a 20%
jump from 2021.

*World’s Most Attractive Employers 12

 Each year, we ask employers what attributes they are looking for most often in
prospective employees. The responses, and how they evolve each year, signal important
ways the job market is changing for young and mid-career professionals.

In 2022, the World’s Most Attractive Employers are most in search of the following

Attracting the
key attributes in would-be employees: collaboration, customer focus, and problem-
solving ability. Close behind are openness to diversity and integrity/ethics.

right people
We believe collaboration ranks significantly higher than all others among the WMAE*
due to a strategic focus on two main characteristics:

to a hybrid
People who will stay for years rather than months: Companies want to hire people
who want to work for fast-paced, innovative companies, but who also want to stay
put and see projects through to their conclusion. As Jacqui Barrett-Poindexter from

workplace
Glassdoor explains, hiring collaborative employees means identifying people “who not
only lead transformation initiatives within their organization, but also follow through
for a reasonable, sustainable time frame.”

People who will thrive in a hybrid environment: Companies have adopted virtual and
hybrid work models en masse, yet they are still figuring out how these hybrid teams
work most effectively. A collaborative employee understands that their own success is
tied up in their teammates’ successes.

*World’s Most Attractive Employers 13

 What do top talent brands look for
in job candidates?
Q: Which of the following describe the
qualities you most look for in new recruits?
Another interesting pivot point in 2022: the search
Attractive Qualities or Attributes 2022 Global 2022 WMAE* for “integrity & ethics,” which gained eight points
Collaboration 35% 49% in 2022 compared to 12 months prior — one of the
biggest jumps across all attributes we measure. We
Costumer focus 30% 39% suspect that with so many people working remotely
Problem solving ability 32% 39% for the first time in their careers, companies are
struggling to manage distributed workforces. Are
Openness to diversity 18% 37%
employees working the hours they claim to be?
Integrity / ethics 22% 37% Can they be productive without the same level of
oversight? The new push for higher integrity and
Adaptability / flexibility 28% 34%
ethics goes hand in hand with this shift.
Creativity / innovation 28% 34%
Learning agility 29% 29%
Result focus 24% 27%
Drive / proactivity 30% 27%

Universum Employer Branding NOW 2022

*World’s Most Attractive Employers 14
Employer values
and branding in a
disrupted world
The top three EVP elements among the World’s Most Attractive Employers by a wide
margin are commitment to diversity/inclusion, inspiring purpose, and innovation.

Diversity and inclusion has become a major priority for the WMAE* as the
public demands greater accountability from companies that don’t show diverse
representation among employees and especially senior leadership. Yet among the
WMAE*, “commitment to diversity and inclusion” is not as common in 2022 as an EVP
element, even though it still ranks #1. We don’t believe this signals the issue is less important
overall, but instead marks a subtle shift in attractor elements among employers as they
face a new normal in what professionals seek out most from potential employers.

In fact, despite the year-over-year change cited above, 58% of talent professionals say
increasing diversity is a primary Employer Brand objective for the coming year, and 81%
say diversity and inclusion is “very important” to their recruitment policy.

Innovation is up 8 points from 2021, a big shift in just 12 months. This matches
Universum student and young professional data, which shows innovation is a top attractor
for young professionals, particularly young engineering and IT talent.
*World’s Most Attractive Employers 15
 EVPs more likely to include innovation in 2022
Q: Which of the following best describe the key elements
included in your EVP / employment promise? Finally, inspiring purpose is another big attractor for brands —
not surprising, since the pandemic triggered a search for higher
quality of life and a sense of purpose among knowledge workers
worldwide. Josh Bersin, founder of Bersin & Associates, calls it the
WMAE* WMAE*
“never-ending search for relevance.” He explains, “Now, like never
2021 2022
before, people are struggling. Mercer’s new research shows that
Commitment to diversity and inclusion 53% 46% ↓7pts 81% of employees are ‘burned out,’ and the combination of the
pandemic, inflation, and war has taken its toll. [...] Why should
Inspiring purpose 47% 44% ↓3pts
people care about your company? Why should they care about
Innovation 34% 42% ↑8pts the job you’re offering them? Why should they care about your
Flexible working conditions 15% 30%
mission, your purpose, and your brand?”4

Professional training and development 27% 30% Bersin’s commentary is not suggesting people need to work for brands
Team-oriented work 17% 24% that are making a big social impact. But they do want to feel that their
own work is valued, meaningful, and a stepping stone in their career
Opportunities to make a personal impact 24% 24% and development. Prakash Kota, CIO of Autodesk, says that when his
Employee well-being 19% 22% company hires IT talent, they work hard to ensure employees feel
they are contributing to key initiatives inside the organization, and
Encouraging work-life balance 22% 20%
they are making a measurable impact.5

Universum Employer Branding NOW 2022

*World’s Most Attractive Employers 4 The Josh Bersin Company: “The Search For Relevance In A Time Of Change,“ April 2022. https://joshbersin. 16
com/2022/04/the-search-for-relevance-in-a-time-of-change/
5 The Wall Street Journal: “IT Leaders Adjust Hiring Strategies With Tech Talent Even More in Demand,” September 2021.
https://www.wsj.com/articles/it-leaders-adjust-hiring-strategies-with-tech-talent-even-more-in-demand-11631218276
 Employer Branding rises in importance
Employer Branding rises in Q: Where does Employer Branding rank among
importance as brands compete your organization’s priorities for the coming year?
to stand out organization’s priorities for the coming year?

For the WMAE*, Employer Branding is a top priority in

2022. 86% say it’s one of their top priorities, up 15 points
from 2021. Even among non-WMAE* enterprise brands,
Employer Branding is a growing priority. 75% of enterprise
brands say it’s a priority, compared to 65% last year.

These big shifts are likely due to brands’ increasing struggle

to differentiate themselves from other companies, both
direct competitors and talent competitors. The race is on to
hire talent at a significantly faster rate than employees are
leaving — and given this, we don’t expect the high importance
of Employer Branding to change anytime soon.

Universum Employer Branding NOW 2022

*World’s Most Attractive Employers 17
“Our work, perhaps the most
meaningful part of our lives, is
losing relevance. We’re too busy
thinking about everything else. “
Josh Bersin | Founder of Bersin & Associates

18
Data-driven
approach to
recruiting &
Employer Branding
Data-driven recruiting — once considered the realm of top talent brands — is now a necessity
for all. Best-in-class companies use it to personalize candidate experiences, optimize spend,
choose productive content types and channels, and calculate ROI, among other things.

Despite this, many employers still lag behind in this critical area. Our research finds
that among large companies, just 50% frequently or always make Employer Brand
marketing decisions that are data-driven, and among the WMAE* that number is
69%.

Data-driven decision making in Employer Branding and recruiting is critical not only to
make talent attraction activities productive and efficient, but to prove to higher-ups that
money is being spent effectively. This is especially true now as hiring needs ramp up and
the quality and size of the talent pool shrinks. Talent professionals need more resources to
compete, and proving that money is well-spent is a priority.
*World’s Most Attractive Employers 19
 Data-driven decision making still a What does data-driven recruiting and Employer Branding look
like?
challenge for Employer Brands
Q: How often would you describe your - Localizing strategy: A company’s EVP is a core set of values to
Employer Brand marketing decisions as guide and inspire Employer Branding and communications, yet that
being data-driven? EVP must flex to adapt to local hiring conditions and needs. Top talent
brands take a local, data-driven approach to Employer Branding. 2 in 3
talent leaders at WMAE* companies say they localize and target their
communications, compared to 1 in 3 that focus on consistency.

- Adopting niche talent strategies: Savvy employers understand

that highly sought-after talent requires a special touch. The strategies
and messaging required to hire someone in IT differ from those needed
to hire in marketing, which differ again those needed to attract legal
talent. Top talent brands use personas, informed by data, to personalize
Employer Branding to specific regions, roles, and people.

- Experimenting with new technology: Sophisticated Employer

Branding leaves room for experimenting and creativity. This means
trying out new tech platforms and methods to build better candidate
datasets, personalize experiences, and predict candidate behavior,
among other things. Top brands understand that systems and processes
— while necessary to scale operations — can stand in the way of new
thinking and innovation. Top brands try out new ideas to iterate and
improve over time.
Universum Employer Branding NOW 2022
*World’s Most Attractive Employers 20
 Search for skills and a state of mind. The World’s Most Attractive Employers
understand that success in a hybrid work world requires a new set of skills and
even a new mindset. In just one year, employers’ search for “integrity and ethics”

Lessons from
in future employees jumped 15 points, and “collaboration” jumped 14 points.
Both of these are in-demand attitudes for workers who won’t be shoulder-to-
shoulder with peers and managers.

the World’s View “purpose” as a key directive. A large portion of WMAE*s cite “inspiring
purpose” as a key EVP element (44%), but here “purpose” is less about working

Most Attractive
on a cause and more about doing meaningful work. Best-in-class employers
understand that their employees spend a large portion of their lives at work,
and they want to feel valued in those roles — whether because they are working

Employers
on meaningful projects, recognized by their managers as key contributors, or
given opportunities to grow their skills.

Prioritize flexibility to build a healthy talent pipeline. WMAE*s understand

that no matter what today’s priorities and investments look like, they may need
Each year we examine the specific lessons Employer Brand leaders can to shift quickly to meet tomorrow’s needs. Companies in the WMAE* take an
extract from the behaviors and strategies of the World’s Most Attractive agile approach to talent sourcing and management, pivoting quickly based on
Employers. In 2022, the lessons from the WMAE* are powerful and local conditions and data-driven insights. They were first to adjust their EVPs
pronounced. After two years of disruptions, the WMAE* is embracing the during the pandemic and first to pivot to nontraditional talent. Now, in the face
new rules of work, attracting candidates who are in many ways profoundly of rapidly changing demands from workers, top employers are shifting policies
different from those who sought jobs pre-2020. and benefits, and doing so at speed to capture competitors flat-footed. In May
2022, Airbnb announced employees could work from anywhere without taking
a pay cut; within three days, the company’s career page received 800,000
visitors.6
*World’s Most Attractive Employers 6 The Wall Street Journal: “At Tech Companies, the Rebellion Against the Return to the Office Is Getting 21
Serious,” May 2022. https://www.wsj.com/articles/remote-workers-dont-want-to-go-back-to-the-
office-11652500810?mod=Searchresults_pos3&page=1
 Diversify talent sourcing. Top companies realize that despite their best efforts
in Employer Branding, they will have to tap nontraditional sources to fill open
positions. For many in the WMAE*, freelancers are becoming an important
sourcing strategy. 36% use freelancers, and an additional 22% don’t do so
currently but intend to.

Double-down on Employer Branding. Best-in-class talent companies view

Employer Branding as an asset, not an expense. Nearly all (86%) view it as a top
priority to attract quality candidates and retain employees. At a time when talent
professionals are maxed out with high turnover and record-high hiring needs,
Employer Branding helps across the spectrum of talent attraction, hiring and
retention — from pulling in a larger pool of attractive candidates and improving
offer acceptance rates, to building better employee experiences.

*World’s Most Attractive Employers 22

ABOUT
Universum is a data-driven, insight-led employer branding agency. Headquartered in
Stockholm, we are now active in over 60 countries, with key hubs in Paris, Berlin, London,
Zürich, New York, Singapore, and Shanghai. Every year we survey over one million students
and young professionals and provide our clients with the analytics, strategy, and creative
solutions they need to compete more effectively for talent.

23
THANK
YOU!
To find out more about
how best-in-class
Employer Brands think, visit:
www.universumglobal.com