Measuring the ROI of Employer Branding

Measuring the ROI of employer branding is often misunderstood. Too many organisations still assess success based solely on how many people apply for roles. But employer branding is not recruitment marketing.

While recruitment marketing drives immediate action (like applications), employer brand is about long-term perception, connection, and trust. It shapes how people feel about your organisation before they’re actively looking for a job. A strong employer brand builds affinity, nurtures engagement, and keeps you front of mind for high-quality candidates. This is well before the application stage. In this blog, we explore how to measure employer branding effectively using the Employer Branding Funnel (EBF), looking beyond application volume to understand impact across awareness, attraction, and engagement.

Measuring the true impact of Employer Branding on your bottom line may seem like a daunting task, but it's possible. Let's Look into this challenge and see how you can effectively quantify the influence of Employer Branding on your company’s success.

The challenge of measuring ROI on Employer Branding

Quantifying the return on investment for Employer Branding initiatives is undoubtedly a challenging task. 

Unlike other marketing strategies, such as paid campaigns, the results of Employer Branding might not always translate directly into tangible metrics. 

However, neglecting to measure the ROI of Employer Branding is a missed opportunity in understanding its impact on talent acquisition and your overall company success. 

So what metrics should you be looking at? 

Key metrics for measuring Employer Branding ROI

Rather than measuring employer brand against short-term recruitment metrics, you should evaluate it across three key stages of the Employer Branding Funnel (EBF):

1. Awareness – “I know who you are.”

This is about visibility. How many people are aware of your company and beginning to consider you as a potential employer?
Metrics to track:

• Reach and impressions across employer brand content
• Increase in branded searches or company profile views
• Growth in followers or talent pool sign-ups

2. Attraction – “I’m interested enough to find out more.”

Attraction goes deeper than awareness. It represents curiosity and initial action, whether small or significant.
Metrics to track:

• Website traffic to careers pages or your Flexa profile
• Time spent engaging with EVP or culture content
• Click-through rates on employer branding campaigns
• Event attendance, webinar sign-ups, or talent community registrations

3. Engagement – “I feel aligned with this company.”

This is the most important and often overlooked stage. Engagement indicates the quality and relevance of your talent pool and is an early predictor of future hiring success.

Metrics to track:

• Candidate quality: Percentage of applicants making it to first and second interviews and offer acceptance rates
• Brand affinity: Not just "Have you heard of us?" but "Would you want to work with us?" and "Would you commit time to engage with us?"
• Quality of engagement over volume: Focus on whether the right candidates are engaging with your brand, not just how many
• Passive talent pipeline: Track people who save roles, sign up for job alerts, or show interest even when not actively job searching

The strategic impact of Employer Branding

Measuring the ROI of Employer Branding goes beyond crunching numbers; it's about understanding the strategic impact on your company's success. 

A compelling Employer Brand can help:

• Attract and retain top talent - the best candidates want to work for the best employers. A strong Employer Brand can act as a differentiator, luring top talent away from competitors and encouraging them to stay long-term.
• Boost employee productivity - engaged employees who feel aligned with their employer's values and culture are more likely to be productive and go the extra mile in their roles.
• Enhance company reputation - a positive Employer Brand not only attracts potential employees but also improves your overall reputation. This reputation can positively influence how customers, partners and candidates perceive your company.
• Nurture a high-performing culture - a well-crafted Employer Brand communicates your company’s expectations and values, attracting candidates who are more likely to thrive within your company's culture.

We’re not saying this is an easy task, but with the right tools it certainly it doesn't have to be difficult. 

And by focusing on key metrics and understanding their broader impact, you can secure your position as an employer of choice in the competitive marketplace.