- 8 Useful Employer Branding Trends for 2026 - December 30, 2025
The job market continues to be dynamic and competitive. So, employers need to be on top of their game to attract the best talent. Employers have to maintain a great brand and reputation that will attract top talent and help retain employees and key stakeholders.
Several trends have changed the way employers present themselves to prospective employees.
These trends determine how successful and effective the employer brand will be. Here are some of the major trends impacting employer branding in 2026.
Leadership championing employer branding
Beyond being involved in strategy, organizational leaders are getting more visible in promoting their company’s brand. Leaders are showcasing themselves more in the form of content such as videos, podcasts, and written content on company websites and social media.
CEOs and other members of the C-suite have the responsibility of communicating and representing the company’s vision and values. And being visible makes this easier and more effective.
More visible leaders help to humanize the company. Thus, making it more relatable to the audience. This also helps to engage new audiences, promote transparency, and gather insights from the audience.
What companies should do
Employer branding strategy should include how members of the C-suite will get involved. Specifically, it must give them roles to pay in various aspects of the employer brand. Companies may also promote managers as influencers, which can be an extremely motivational move in the age of connectedness.
Manager-Influencers could inspire team members through credible, real-world activities that boost team morale. For example, authentic personas promoted on their influencer accounts could embody the organization’s ideal culture and values to attract like-minded hires. These are strategic efforts in securing talent support since PwC’s Trust Survey reveal that 70% of employees don’t trust organizational leaders to follow up on their promises.
Employees as Brand Ambassadors
Employees play a critical role in employer branding. That’s because job seekers when finding out about a prospective employer, would want to know what current employees have to say about their workplace. Statistics show that people are more likely to trust information put out by employees and the content they put out is more likely to reach a wider audience than the company’s official content. Candidates want real stories and insight about the company. And employers must invest in getting employee stories out. This will encourage them to become strong advocates of the company.
This is a perfect example of social proof, and it’s becoming a major job search component. Surveys show that 79% of job seekers leverage social media in assessing employer suitability before committing to an application.
What companies should do
Companies must leverage more on their employees’ networks to reach more people. Active participation of employees in employer branding should form part of the strategy. Give employees specific, active roles in promoting their organization. Employee-based and story-driven content such as videos should be featured on the hiring page of the company website and social media channels.
The Impact of AI on Employer Branding
Artificial Intelligence has impacted every industry and employer branding is not left out. AI capabilities are influencing all the elements of employer branding. AI can help craft compelling campaigns to attract candidates while also helping to enhance the experience. Employee experiences are also improved with AI in collaboration, feedback, and learning.
87% of companies have relied on AI in their recruitment efforts. These numbers are expected to rise with the development of accurate and secure AI practices.Market forecasts predict that the surge in tech adoption would boost the AI recruitment sector projected, expanding at a 7.63% compound annual growth rate from 2025 to 2030.
Ultimately, this creates a team that works together effectively. As such, there’s an overall strengthening of company culture, which boosts productivity. AI also helps the company communicate its employer brand message more effectively by using available data for precise targeting, yielding more results.
What companies should do
It is expected that in 2024, more companies will integrate AI into their employer branding processes and programs. This will ensure that the target audience gets more accurate and personalized feedback, instead of a one-size-fits-all solution. An effective employer brand strategy should include inculcating AI into content production, hiring processes, and all aspects of employee experience.
Environmentally and Socially Responsible Employer Branding
Many organizations today allude to their commitment to environmental, social, and governance (ESG) in their employer branding. The modern employer branding efforts align with the rising trend of environmentally conscious individuals.
Workforce studies indicate that 80% of Gen Z workers wish to work for a company that has a positive impact. These would include companies that are environmentally and socially responsible. Also, a survey by Deloitte showed that about 55% of Gen Z respondents research a brand’s environmental impact and policies before accepting a job.
While 17% say they have changed jobs or sectors due to climate concerns. Today, more people care about sustainability. It is also expected that more organizations will recognize this and make it a part of their employer brand.
What companies should do
Employer brands should have an ESG strategy aimed at reducing climate impact while including employee participation. Organizational activities and benefits should also reflect sustainability concerns.
Growth opportunities and learning
According to the 2023 Randstad Employer Branding Research Report, a lack of growth opportunities is why employees leave their jobs. In the report, 73% of workers say career growth opportunity is important to them.
These learning and development trends have become more pressing among the younger generation, such as Gen Z workers. Surveys have shown that 40% of Gen Z employees feel undervalued and 44% lack workplace recognition.
One of the ways employers have tackled skill shortages in recent years is by allowing employees to learn new skills and develop in other areas beyond where they started. Most employees would stay longer with a company that invests in their career growth and development and this will continue to be a crucial part of the employer brand.
What companies should do
Employers should communicate the growth opportunities they have for employees as a crucial part of their employer brand. Learning and development will take the front seat as AI, machine learning, and other new technologies impact the workplace. Employers who focus on this area will have a more attractive brand.
Flexibility and Worklife Balance in Employer Branding
Employees continue to demand more work flexibility which creates a better balance between work and other aspects of life. Companies that want to attract and retain talent must find hybrid and remote work strategies that work for them, and this forms an important aspect of the employer brand.
74% of Gen Z workers rank work-life balance as a top consideration for job selections in 2025. These trends could very well continue into 2026 as the group makes up a bigger part of the workforce. According to recruitment expert Randstad’s Workmonitor report, it is the first time work-life balance outranked pay as the primary factor for all age groups.
What companies should do
Organizations will need to rethink where and how work is carried out. They must be more explicit about when and where activities such as collaboration, brainstorming, and feedback take place. Expanding upon this, it is important for companies to show a genuine side of their employer branding. It is necessary for brands to match the employee experience. This will create clear expectations about what is required of employees and how they should work, which would form a robust part of the employer brand.
Diversity and Inclusion for Employer Branding
Though there has been some pushback against DEI initiatives, it is still very relevant to an effective employer brand. DEI is still important in demonstrating a company’s involvement in the “bigger picture.” DEI drives a sense of belonging, well-being, and professional performance and will remain a major part of employer branding identities in 2026.
With opportunities to work remotely and companies willing to seek talent from different parts of the world, employers should focus on building a diverse and inclusive workforce with a robust DEI strategy. Candidates and employees will want to work with an employer that creates a fair working environment, gives them a sense of belonging, and allows new perspectives and ideas.
What companies should do
The employer brand must have DEI initiatives as this will help to attract and retain diverse talent. The employer brand should showcase how its DEI metrics are being tracked, review employee engagement with the initiatives, and highlight the successes of DEI programs.
Innovating Communication Through Skills Shortages
Passing the message of your employer is mainly about getting your message to the target audience on platforms where they can be found. It becomes increasingly challenging as the job market continues to navigate skill gaps. 63% of companies described skill gaps as a major blockade to digital transformation and innovation. As such, 2026 would require companies to get more creative in reaching out to top talent via diverse engagement tactics.
What Companies Should Do
In addition to the older and commonly-used social media sites, target platforms where younger and more digital-savvy audiences are active and create content to get attention on those platforms.
While companies have used platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Glassdoor to showcase their company, platforms such as TikTok, Snapchat, and Instagram are gaining popularity as channels where the employer brand message can be targeted at younger audiences coming into the workforce.
2026 will be an exciting year for employers and branding efforts. The most important thing is to recognize that we live in a rapidly changing world, and in the workplace, you should be ready to adapt to changes and make the most of them as they come.
Why I Wrote This
Ongig optimizes employer branding through AI-powered JD creation that streamlines inclusive hiring campaigns. Book a demo with Ongig to discover how you can elevate candidate connections through data-backed accuracy.
This is a guest post from Adejoke Oguntade-Adeboyejo, Freelance Writer and Journalist, The Resource Writer.
Shoutouts
- PeopleBox – How to Leverage Social Proof in Recruitment Marketing
- Open PR – AI Recruitment Market Outlook 2025-2030: North America Leads with 41% Share | CAGR 7.63% & Key Players SAP, Zoho, Oracle
- SHRM – The Evolving Role of AI in Recruitment and Retention
- Training Magazine – Why Sustainable Business Policies Will Attract and Retain Gen Z
- Fortune – Hoping AI will give you more work-life balance in 2026? Fortune 500 CEOs warn otherwise
- Teamecho – Employer Branding 2026: The most important trends
- Second Talent – 30+ Job Interview Statistics 2026: Key Hiring Trends
- PwC – 2024 Trust Survey
