Members of The Conference Board get exclusive access to the full range of products and services that deliver Trusted Insights for What's Ahead ® including webcasts, publications, data and analysis, plus discounts to conferences and events.
02 April 2025 | Press Release
Despite a softening labor market, attracting top-tier talent remains essential for businesses to maintain a competitive edge.
A new report from The Conference Board reveals that 78% of surveyed organizations invest in employer branding—a process for businesses to define, leverage, and communicate why they are a desirable place to work so that they can attract, engage, and retain top talent.
But there’s a catch: Most organizations struggle to measure and demonstrate the ROI of these efforts. Only 18% were able to clearly communicate the ROI to their organizations.
“Employer branding is crucial for organizations that are focused on growth. But even more important is the ability to demonstrate a clear return on branding investments. Leaders who can do that can justify and secure continued or increased funding,” said Diana Scott, US Human Capital Center Leader at The Conference Board.
The analysis consists of two reports: one on the complex challenges of measuring employer branding, and the other on practical approaches for demonstrating its impact.
Key findings include:
Organizations recognize the value of employer branding.
Attracting top talent is overwhelmingly the top reason to invest in employer branding.
How much are organizations investing?
While many businesses try to measure outcomes, most struggle to clearly demonstrate the financial benefits.
Most leaders believe employer branding positively impacted public perceptions of their organizations.
The most common employer branding outcomes measured were related to brand engagement.
The main employer branding challenges include measurement difficulties, alignment issues, complexity, attribution and causation challenges, and technology barriers.
“You can’t do it all when measuring the return on investment of your employer branding. Businesses need to look at their specific talent strategies and business goals when choosing the metrics to track. Doing so will ensure efforts directly contribute to the organization’s overarching mission and objectives,” said Erka Amursi, Principal Researcher, Human Capital, The Conference Board.
Thoughtful metrics can reduce the complexity of measuring ROI.
Stakeholder management can help amplify employer branding efforts.
About The Conference Board
The Conference Board is the member-driven think tank that delivers Trusted Insights for What's Ahead®. Founded in 1916, we are a non-partisan, not-for-profit entity holding 501 (c) (3) tax-exempt status in the United States. www.ConferenceBoard.org
Media Contact:
Katie Puello
kpuello@tcb.org