Employer Branding Inspiration for 2023 and Beyond

Good employer branding examples come in many different shapes and sizes. The most successful employer brands are the ones who live up to their word and deliver on promises made to current and future employees.

As candidates increasingly want to know what it’s really like to work at your company, having an employer brand that does exactly that has never been more important. In this article, we’ll look at 10 of the best examples of employer branding for inspiration on how to build a culture employees love, and showcase it authentically to attract top talent.

We’ll cover:

• Why is employer branding important?
• What makes a great example of employer branding?
• 10 inspiring examples of great employer branding

Let’s get into it.

Why is employer branding important?

At its core, your employer brand is your public reputation as an employer. Regardless of whether you’re actively hiring at the moment, your reputation among the workforce is foundational to the long-term growth of your company.

According to Glassdoor, 86% of employees and job seekers read company reviews and ratings before they decide to apply for a job. So when it comes to attracting and converting the most talented job candidates and keeping them happy and thriving at your org, a strong employer brand is worth its weight in gold.

If you’re thinking, “What employer brand?” — make no mistake. You already have one, whether or not you’ve been managing or amplifying it. Fortunately, you don’t have to reinvent the wheel to make it even stronger.

The most successful employer brands are built on authenticity and transparency. While that tends to look different at every org, there are plenty of companies setting a great example with their employer brands. Let’s take a look at what makes a great example of employer branding.

What makes a great example of employer branding?

If job seekers and employees view you as a good company to work for, your company is an example of a good employer brand. When you take steps to improve your reputation as an employer, you’re engaging in the long (but valuable) game of employer branding.

The first step to a great employer brand is prioritizing the needs of your current and future employees.

For current employees, that means:

• Compensating them fairly
• Giving them the tools they need to do their jobs
• Recognizing their hard work and dedication
• Offering a dynamic and inclusive company culture
• Treating them with respect, especially during the hard times

For future employees, that means a smooth and transparent candidate experience:

• Job descriptions that accurately reflect your company culture (and the salary range)
• Timely and thorough responses to candidates
• Setting clear expectations for the interview process and timeline
• Being thoughtful and gracious in your approach to rejecting unsuccessful candidates
• Setting new joiners up for success with a robust and practical onboarding plan

On top of being the right thing to do, word travels: your reputation grows organically when you treat current and future employees well. And as long as your actions back it up, you can spread the word yourself on your careers page, business profiles, social media accounts, and job descriptions.

To be abundantly clear, a great employer brand isn’t built on a single initiative — it’s built on the trust you earn over time. No matter where your employer brand stands today, there’s a lot to learn from the inspiring examples of world class employer brands below.

10 inspiring examples of great employer brands

1. Patagonia

Patagonia is a perfect example of a strong employer brand. With their commitment to fighting cheap fashion practices, inhumane working conditions, and climate change, the outdoor clothing company is built on strong values.

They walk the walk, too. Patagonia prove their dedication to their principles by:

• Manufacturing clothing that lasts for years, even in harsh conditions
• Donating 1% of all sales to various charities
• Offering employees activist training in support of social causes
• Reimbursing transportation costs for employees who choose not to drive
• Helping workers maintain a healthy work-life balance through flexible work schedules

At first glance, you might question what it is about these factors that makes the company an example of good employer branding. The answer is that they’re all proof points that Patagonia not only lives and breathes its brand values, but encourages employees to, as well.

By establishing (and upholding) unique and fluff-free company values, Patagonia resonates with like-minded talent who share those values, are proud to work there, and who go on to become employer brand advocates. It comes as no surprise that Patagonia’s voluntary turnover rate is 6% — which is 29% lower than the industry average.

2. HubSpot

HubSpot is an example of an employer brand invested heavily in cultivating a healthy company culture. They operate with an extensive Culture Code, outlining the what, why, and how of their company culture.

While many companies choose core values that read like baseline requirements for any functioning workplace (think: integrity, respect, collaboration), HubSpot provides actionable context to show how they manifest at their organization:

• “We are radically and uncomfortably transparent.”
• “We speak the truth and face the facts.”
• “We give ourselves the autonomy to be awesome.”
• “We believe in work + life, not work vs. life.”

And they don’t stop there. They make sure to unpack the “why” behind each point, laying out the company’s philosophy in detail. This gives job seekers a better idea of whether they’d be a good fit, and helps existing employees uphold HubSpot’s company culture.

3. Google

Despite recently losing its status as the most attractive employer globally, the employee perks and benefits at Google have become nothing short of legendary. Google’s employer brand sets a great example — and a high bar for companies competing within the same talent pool.

With the list below, it’s easy to see why:

• Free food, with dining halls at company facilities catering to a variety of tastes
• On-site medical services at all facilities
• Free gym memberships
• Comprehensive coverage for healthcare costs
• Generous parental leave for both mothers and fathers
• Tuition assistance, and a Global Education Leave program that allows employees to take a leave of absence to continue their education

The perks may be what catches job seekers’ attention, but their EVP promising that employees will “do cool things that matter” is what keeps attention on them as a world class employer. According to Comparably, Google is in the top 5% of companies when it comes to employee happiness, and the top 10% for retention.

4. Canva

Canva, an online design and publishing platform, goes the extra mile to connect with job seekers.

While most companies have a careers page, Canva has a full careers website dedicated to addressing top of mind considerations for job seekers, such as:

• Details on their company culture and benefits
• Employee success stories
• Career pathways
• What to expect during the hiring process

Making vital information like this available to job seekers is a meaningful way to present your company as transparent, accessible, and worth applying to. This is exactly why Canva consistently puts time and effort into their company culture and employer brand. Their efforts have earned them top rankings on Best Workplaces lists, and a whopping 370% increase in job applicants — all thanks to their employer brand.

5. Salesforce

Salesforce has been featured on Fortune’s 100 Best Companies to Work For list for 14 years straight. This is largely due to their emphasis on fostering a sense of community within the company.

Salesforce refers to its workforce as “ohana” — the Hawaiian word for family. When describing its family philosophy, Salesforce says:

“Ohana is a support system we nurture inside our company. It extends from our

employees to our customers, partners, developers and members of our communities.

We work collaboratively, take care of one another and have fun together.”

With such a strong company culture, Salesforce can confidently make employee advocacy their number one strategy for getting their employer brand message across. Look no further than the #SaleforceOhana hashtag across social media for proof of Salesforce employees authentically sharing their experiences at the company.

With their employees acting as brand advocates to their personal and professional networks online, it’s no surprise that Salesforce’s primary hiring source is employee referrals. This makes them a great example of an employer brand built on a community of thriving employees.

6. Starbucks

Starbucks has earned its reputation as a standout employer brand for consistently affirming their support for all employees, and their commitment to being an equitable employer internationally.

Rather than focusing their employer branding efforts solely on corporate employees, Starbucks makes sure their EVP and culture resonate just as much with frontline staff. They also make sure everyone feels like more than just an employee by referring to their workforce as “partners.”

These factors combined make it easy for their employees to take pride in the brand they work for — and for Starbucks to showcase those proud employees on their social media. They have dedicated employee-focused accounts across platforms, and use those channels to:

• Recognize the accomplishments of team members
• Share inspiring employee stories
• Highlight the perks of working for Starbucks
• Establish the company’s values and goals
• Invite job seekers to start their careers at Starbucks

Putting their employees’ words and stories at the center of their employer branding content is how they put their money where their mouth is, and prove that employees really are treated like partners.

7. Eventbrite

Eventbrite has earned a glowing reputation as an employer by demonstrating a willingness to adapt to the needs of their staff — or Britelings, as the company affectionately refers to them.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Eventbrite’s employees asked for more flexibility and empowerment within the company. Rather than ignoring these preferences, Eventbrite overhauled its workplace philosophy.

When offices reopened, Eventbrite told employees they could choose from work styles. Those styles were:

• Hub: Employees can work four to five days per week in an Eventbrite hub office
• Flex: Employees can combine remote and in-office work, going to an office three or fewer days per week
• Remote: Employees can work fully from home (if possible for their role)

As Eventbrite says on their website: “You’re invited to decide what’s best for you.” With that kind of perspective, it’s no wonder Eventbrite’s public employee reviews are overwhelmingly positive, with 93% of employees saying it’s a great place to work. This makes Eventbrite a great example of an employer brand built on listening to employees and putting their needs first.

8. Netflix

Netflix is one of the highest-rated employers on Glassdoor. It isn’t hard to see why, either.

The company is known for offering their employees more control over their day-to-day lives than almost any other company. For one, their employees aren’t held to any set work schedule, or even minimum hours per week. Netflix only asks that employees put in enough hours to complete the tasks assigned to them.

They’re also offered unlimited paid time off, with no need for an excuse to take a vacation. New parents are even encouraged to take as much as a full year of paternal leave after the birth of a child.

Netflix explains these policies by claiming to “hire, reward and tolerate only fully-formed adults.” — meaning that Netflix wants to appeal to independent and honest employees who don’t need strict rules or a micromanager to hit their goals. Netflix has shown how setting a high bar for employees is another way of treating them with respect and building mutual trust. For employees who can rise to the occasion, Netflix is an ideal employer — and that makes them an inspiring example of employer branding done right.

9. Marriott International

Marriott International has built its employer brand on the promise of employee development and growth by prioritizing continued education and supporting their career advancement within the company. While this is common parlance from most employers, Marriott puts this into practice with an impressive variety of virtual and in-person training programs.

These employee development programs go beyond just upskilling simple work functions — they also help employees learn soft skills, leadership techniques, and manage their wellbeing and work-life balance.

Their best-known program is the Voyage Global Leadership Development Program, designed to help university graduates jumpstart their careers at Marriott and equip them for a bright future in the hospitality industry.

By offering their employees so much opportunity and growth potential, they’ve come to be known as a great place to kickstart and develop your career. In fact, 17% of Mariott’s employees have worked there for over 20 years.

10. Delta Air Lines

Delta earns its status as a great employer branding example for its efforts to provide the ideal candidate experience. Delta’s strategy for this is to show every candidate that they care.

They do this by:

• Leveraging video interview technology such as HireVue to let applicants tell their story through more than just a resume
• Giving candidates a clear, realistic picture of what the job they’re applying for would look like
• Walking candidates through their offer options to ensure that Delta is the perfect fit for them
• Emphasizing transparency and open communication at every step of the hiring process
• Making sure that every candidate feels respected and appreciated — even the ones who don’t make the cut

Delta’s efforts have paid off. The airline company has won awards for its favorable candidate experience several years in a row.

11. Wistia

Wistia is a video software company that helps other companies market themselves and build their brands. It stands to reason that they're conscious of their own branding strategies — and their employer brand is no exception.

The opening pitch of Wistia’s careers page sets the tone right away:

Rather than bragging about what a great company they are, Wistia focuses on the job seeker’s goals. That focus continues throughout the careers page as Wistia lays out their employee value proposition in detail.

12. SoulCycle

SoulCycle offers in-person and virtual spin classes to help customers stay in shape. SoulCycle has built a strong employer brand through the many benefits and perks they offer their employees, such as:

• Paid days off to volunteer at a charity of the employee’s choice
• Unlimited free spin classes
• Additional fitness discounts
• Employee resource groups where like-minded team members can share their experiences and encourage each other

SoulCycle has made it clear that they aim to give their employees a good reason to keep riding.

13. Eventbrite

Eventbrite is a global events platform, and they also have a full website dedicated to their employer brand. But the real key to Eventbrite’s glowing reputation is their willingness to adapt to the needs of their employees — or Britelings, as the company affectionately refers to their staff.

During the global pandemic, Eventbrite’s employees expressed a desire for more flexibility and empowerment. Eventbrite didn’t ignore them or shut them down. Instead, they overhauled their workplace philosophy.

When offices reopened, they gave employees three options to choose from:

• Work four to five days per week in an Eventbrite hub office
• Combine remote and in-office work, going to an office one to three days per week
• Work fully remotely (if possible for that employee’s role)

As Eventbrite says on their website: “You’re invited to decide what’s best for you.” With that kind of EVP, it’s no wonder Eventbrite’s employee reviews are overwhelmingly positive.

Key takeaways: A little inspiration goes a long way

If there’s one key takeaway from these examples of leading employer brands, it’s that word travels when companies do the right thing and live up to their word on the promises they make to current and future employees.

There’s no quick fix for a great employer brand — the best ones out there have been built over time on a foundation of trust.

No matter where your reputation as an employer stands today, these inspiring examples of employer branding can help you build a roadmap to a stronger company culture and employer brand. If you’re ready to get started, The Org can help.