The shortage of skilled workers is no longer a theoretical risk - it is hitting B2B companies with full force. Especially when highly qualified specialists are needed, for example in IT, technology, engineering or consulting. If you are not visible as an attractive employer, you will lose talent - to competitors, corporations or more agile players. A strong, credible employer brand helps you to position yourself, gain visibility and show what really matters: what you stand for as an employer.
What is employer branding?
Employer branding refers to the strategic development, maintenance and communication of an employer brand - i.e. the image that a company conveys internally and externally as an employer.
The employer value proposition (EVP) is at the heart of this: the central promise to applicants and employees. It answers questions such as:
- What values are lived out?
- What does the working environment look like in concrete terms?
- What development prospects are there?
- What management style characterizes the cooperation?
- And: What is the meaning behind the daily work?
Employer branding is long-term, identity-based and strategic. It provides the framework. Personnel marketing only builds on this - with suitable messages and channels.
Why B2B companies in particular benefit from this
1. the change in values is real - and affects you too
Generation Y and Z bring new expectations with them:
- Work-life balance and flexibility are not bonus points, but basic requirements.
- Meaningfulness and values determine attractiveness as an employer.
- Growth and learning are key reasons to stay - or change.
These developments don't just affect start-ups or agencies. Today, engineers, IT specialists and project managers also want more than stability: they want development, influence and a real attitude.
2. visibility becomes a challenge - and an opportunity
Many B2B companies have a strong product - but a weak employer brand.
A clear positioning as an employer helps:
- to stand out from the competition
- to reach talents who are not actively looking
- to build trust and recognizability
Because the following also applies in B2B: good people don't just choose the job, they choose the company.
3. skills shortage as a strategic construction site
Whether IT, sales, production or project management: there is a shortage of the right people in many areas. Employer branding creates orientation and provides potential applicants with a clear decision-making aid: Is this a good fit for me? Do I want to work there?
What goals does a strong employer brand achieve?
- Acquire highly qualified specialists
- Improve fit & reduce fluctuation
- Motivation, identification and retention
- Reduce recruiting costs & shorten time-to-hire
- Increase the quality of applications
- Expand the talent pool for future roles
- Strengthen the company's reputation - beyond HR
The clearer the brand, the clearer the decision.
What measures are part of employer branding?
Employer branding is more than just a campaign - it is an interplay of attitude, communication and experience.
Internal measures:
- Develop a clear, lived EVP
- Define values, understanding of leadership and culture
- Actively integrate employee feedback
- Offer training and development opportunities
- Improve onboarding processes
- Strengthen employees as ambassadors (e.g. via stories, events, social)
External measures:
- A career website that shows more than open positions
- Social media content with real insights into culture & everyday life
- Recruiting campaigns that clearly match the EVP
- Cooperation with universities, networks, platforms
- Activity on review portals (e.g. Kununu, Glassdoor)
Conclusion: If you want to attract talent tomorrow, you have to show attitude today
Employer branding is not a "project" that is completed at some point. It is an ongoing process that strengthens the company from within - and makes it visible to the outside world.
B2B companies in particular that are looking for highly qualified specialists benefit twice over: through more suitable applications and through employees who want to stay.
