The employer branding playbook: What’s changed and what hasn’t

This Isn’t Just a Talent War. It’s a Trust Crisis.

Today’s workforce is navigating more than career choices — they’re navigating uncertainty, anxiety, and burnout. Pandemic recovery, AI disruption, generational divides, climate shifts, and social tension have all fundamentally changed how people show up at work. For many, the workplace is no longer just where they earn a living — it’s where they seek belonging, safety, growth, and identity.

The question isn’t just how do we attract top talent?
It’s how do we deserve them?

That’s why employer branding can’t be an HR function alone. It’s a full-body expression of who you are — and who you promise to be. And in this new era, only the brands that lead with empathy, clarity, and courage will win the right to be chosen.

As Gary Baker, CEO of Baker, puts it:
“The stakes are high; you need the best and brightest people in your organization to outperform your competition. Your people strategy will make or break your success.”

What’s Changed — and What Hasn’t

It’s tempting to think employer branding is about trends: TikTok videos, flashy perks, clever taglines. But those are just tactics. The real shift is deeper.

Employees today don’t just want to know what your brand says. They want to know what it feels like. Who thrives there? What values are lived, not just posted? What happens when things go wrong?

Three Forces You Can’t Ignore

1. Flexibility Is the New Foundation
   People now expect their employers to honor how, when, and where they work best — without compromising culture or clarity. Flexibility isn’t a perk; it’s a signal of trust and respect.

   “You can’t just market culture anymore — you have to operationalize it.” — Gary Baker, CEO of Baker

   “A great employer brand today is lived just as much as it is promoted.”

2. Purpose Is the New Prestige
   Today’s talent is values-led. They want to contribute to something bigger than themselves. A well-articulated purpose — backed by evidence and action — is more magnetic than any compensation package.
3. AI Has Changed the Talent Equation
   As AI transforms the workplace, people are asking: Will I be replaced? Will I be trained? Will I still matter here? The employer brands that offer transparency, upskilling, and dignity will rise above the noise.

The One Question You Must Answer: What’s In It for Me?

Every great employer brand starts by answering a deceptively simple question from the candidate’s point of view: “What’s in it for me?”

This goes far beyond listing benefits or flexible schedules. It’s about showing that you understand — and are actively addressing — what matters most to people right now.

Here’s a framework we use at Baker to help organizations map their “WIIFM”:

At Baker, we work with clients to uncover their unique WIIFM through listening — to what employees value, fear, and hope for. When your EVP reflects those truths, trust follows.

And that trust? It’s the true differentiator in today’s marketplace.

From Messaging to Meaning: Capturing the Heart and Soul

The strongest employer brands don’t start with slogans — they start with self-awareness. Before defining what you want to say to talent, you have to understand who you are as an organization.

At Baker, this process begins with listening: interviews, research, and visioning sessions that reveal how employees experience the culture — not how leaders think it’s experienced. It’s about capturing what makes you unique at the human level, not just the corporate level.

“It’s imperative that you capture the heart and soul of your organization and the individuals in it. That’s the key to your unique DNA and differentiation.” — Gary Baker

Your employer brand must reflect who you really are — and who you’re becoming. That takes courage. It takes consistency. And above all, it takes listening.

Where Employer Brands Go Wrong

Too often, companies rush to publish a polished EVP before doing the deeper cultural work. The result? Brand dissonance. The messaging may be slick, but the reality inside doesn’t match. Employees feel misled, trust erodes, and the employer brand becomes more risk than asset.

It’s not just about what you say. It’s about what people experience after you say it.

What Still Matters Most

Despite the rapid evolution of work, three foundational truths endure:

• Clarity wins. Talent doesn’t want spin — they want specifics.
• Employees are your best ambassadors. What they say about you matters more than what you say about yourself.
• Experience = brand. What happens after Day One determines whether your promise was real.

“If your employer brand doesn’t match the lived experience, you’re not just losing talent — you’re losing trust.” — Gary Baker

“Reputation is as much an internal game as it is external.”

Are You Ready for What Comes Next?

This isn’t about checking boxes or keeping up appearances. This is about future-proofing your ability to attract and retain the people who will define your success. Your employer brand is no longer a supporting character. It’s the lead actor in your growth story.

“Employer branding is much like consumer branding today — and sailing,” says Gary Baker.

“You may not need to change your sails with every breeze, but the best brands are always watching, measuring, and adjusting.”

Looking Ahead: Gary’s Perspective on 2026 and Beyond

“The next evolution of employer branding will be human-first, AI-aware, and reputation-driven,” says Gary Baker. “It’s no longer about just attracting talent — it’s about sustaining belief. The companies that will lead in 2026 are the ones that build their employer brands with the same discipline, soul, and strategy as their product brands. That’s the future — and it’s already here.”

If your employer brand isn’t evolving, your top talent already is — toward someone else.

Let’s talk now — before the gap grows wider.