Tatiana Koval is an expert in employee happiness and employer branding with 20+ years of experience. Business development director of Apostrophe Digital (Brazil), a consulting company specializing in employer branding, corporate culture transformation, and employee wellbeing projects. Head of Jury of EMBRAS HR-Award and Graduate Award. Visiting practitioner in Higher School of Economics and Westminster International University Tashkent.

As we enter 2025, the employer branding landscape continues to evolve, influenced by economic uncertainties, technological advancements, and changing employee expectations. Based on expert insights, industry reports, and global HR discussions, the key trends will shape employer branding in the upcoming year.

1. AI in employer branding: friend or enemy?

This year, we need to implement AI tools, train our employees to use them, and maintain a balance between artificial intelligence and humanity. As we implement AI, it is important to combine that with personal interaction to support personalization and empathy in the hiring process.

AI is transforming employer branding strategies, prompting many companies to invest in its potential. In 2025, leveraging AI for employer branding involves enhancing content creation with AI-driven text, video, and design tools; utilizing AI-powered analytics for data-driven decision-making; streamlining recruitment marketing through process automation, and maintaining a balance between AI and human experience to ensure authenticity.

Organizations must implement AI tools, train employees to use them effectively and integrate personal interactions to preserve personalization and empathy in the hiring process and stay competitive.

However, improper use of AI in employer branding can lead to too robotic candidate experiences, making interactions feel overly automated and impersonal. Additionally, relying too heavily on AI without human oversight may introduce biases in hiring decisions, potentially harming diversity and inclusion efforts.

2. Adapting to economic challenges

Budget constraints, or the challenge of maintaining stability amid increasing demand for talent attraction, are driving companies to find innovative ways to sustain employer branding effectiveness. This includes reallocating resources to prioritize high-impact initiatives and modern creative solutions, leveraging referral programs as a cost-effective alternative to traditional talent attraction channels, and embracing creative problem-solving to implement branding strategies despite limited funding.

According to the latest Cliquify report, 71% of companies plan to maintain their 2024 budget levels, while 20% allocate over $500K annually to employer branding—additionally, 41% use two to three HR tech solutions to support branding efforts. The most used branding tools include career websites (81%), programmatic ads (58%), social media advocacy (52%), candidate experience surveys (48%), and blogging tools (39%).

When it comes to candidate sourcing, job boards remain the top channel (41%), followed by social media (30%) and referral programs (22%).

3. Innovative Communication Channels and Formats

With budget limitations, companies are turning to creative branding approaches by leveraging guerrilla marketing for low-cost, high-impact brand awareness, adopting unconventional content strategies beyond traditional job ads through engaging storytelling, and supplementing organic reach with targeted paid recruitment marketing to attract the right talent effectively.

Employees are becoming the primary voice of employer brands as companies encourage organic content creation by empowering employees to share their workplace experiences. They are also building internal advocacy programs to foster employee-driven brand promotion while leveraging both free and paid digital platforms to enhance engagement cost-effectively.

4. Honesty and Authenticity

Candidates are increasingly skeptical of corporate messaging that prioritizes image over reality, making transparency necessary. Employers must acknowledge mistakes openly, demonstrating a commitment to improvement with clear, timely communication rather than prolonged silence. Showcasing real employee experiences through genuine stories rather than polished narratives builds trust and authenticity. Additionally, employer value propositions (EVPs) should be honest, avoiding exaggerated claims and ensuring promises align with the workplace culture. It is more effective to communicate what the company truly offers and what it expects from potential employees rather than creating unrealistic impressions.

5. Diversity and Inclusion: A Regional Approach

Diversity and inclusion (D&I) remain critical elements of employer brand strategies, though priorities vary across regions. Supporting women’s leadership is a key focus, particularly in Central Asia and the Middle East, especially in the IT and engineering sectors. Neurodiversity initiatives are gaining traction to create inclusive environments for diverse cognitive styles. Age diversity is becoming increasingly important, especially for professionals aged 50+ in European countries with older populations.

Efforts to enhance workplace accessibility for people with disabilities continue to grow. In Brazil, inclusion strategies emphasize racial diversity and LGBTQ+ representation. HR teams must localize their DEI strategies to align with cultural and societal expectations in each country.

While the Trump administration’s shift in U.S. DEI policy has sparked debate, it does not diminish the effectiveness or importance of well-structured diversity initiatives in fostering inclusive and competitive workplaces.

6. Leadership Engagement: The Key to Trust

Glassdoor data highlights shifting expectations from leaders, with mentions of well-being and empathy rising by 222% and 76% since 2019. References to clarity and addressing uncertainty have increased by 52% and 45%, while equity and inclusion prioritization has grown by 41% and 76%. As a result, leaders are now expected to take a more active role in employer branding through personal advocacy, transparent communication, and authentic engagement.

7. Engaging Gen Z and Alpha: The Next Talent Pool

Companies are adapting their communication strategies to attract younger generations by expanding their presence on social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram, experimenting with gaming and interactive experiences in spaces like Roblox and the metaverse, and leveraging short-form video content for dynamic storytelling. Additionally, they are investing in educational initiatives, offering free training programs to build future talent pipelines and strengthen their employer brand.

8. Employer Brand Differentiation and Corporate Brand Synchronization

Companies must align employer branding with corporate branding to create a cohesive identity by ensuring unified brand storytelling and maintaining consistency in messaging across HR, marketing, and communication teams. At the same time, they must establish a distinctive employer brand that sets them apart from competitors while providing tangible proof of company culture by demonstrating values through actual actions rather than mere statements.

9. Meaningful Work and Sustainability as EVP Priorities

Younger employees expect companies to demonstrate a genuine commitment to sustainability by integrating ESG initiatives as a competitive advantage, involving teams in employee-led social impact projects, and adopting clear purpose-driven branding that aligns work experiences with meaningful outcomes.

10. Employee Well-Being: From Perk to Expectation

Well-being programs are transitioning from a nice-to-have to an essential component of workplace culture. Companies are offering customized benefits to meet diverse employee needs, introducing innovative perks such as fertility benefits and even dating app subscriptions, and prioritizing mental health support to enhance psychological safety. Additionally, leadership training on well-being is becoming more prevalent, equipping managers with the skills to foster healthier work environments.

The Year Ahead: A Balanced, Tech-Enabled, and People-Centric Approach

2025 will be a year of harmonizing technology with authenticity, balancing budgets with creativity, and aligning employer branding with corporate values. Companies that prioritize transparency, human connection, and strategic use of AI will gain a competitive edge in attracting and retaining top talent.

What do you think? If you’re working in HR or employer branding, share your insights on what other trends will shape 2025!