Many companies rely on Glassdoor ratings and LinkedIn reviews as a measure of their employer brand. While these platforms provide valuable insights, they only scratch the surface. A truly strong employer brand requires deeper, more comprehensive measurement strategies that capture the full employment experience.

The Limitations of Glassdoor and Other Review Platforms

Review sites offer a glimpse into employee sentiment, but they often reflect the extremes—highly satisfied or highly dissatisfied employees. This can create a skewed perception of your employer brand and fail to provide actionable insights. Additionally, anonymous reviews lack context, making it difficult to pinpoint specific areas for improvement.

Key Metrics to Track Employer Brand Success

To gain a well-rounded understanding of employer brand effectiveness, as a starting point, companies should focus on the following metrics:

1. Retention and Turnover Rates: High turnover can indicate issues with culture, leadership, or employee satisfaction. Tracking voluntary and involuntary departures can reveal trends that impact employer brand perception.
2. Candidate Experience Score: Collecting feedback from candidates about their hiring experience helps measure how well your company is perceived by potential employees. Metrics like application-to-hire ratio and interview feedback provide insights into your recruitment process.
3. Employee Engagement Surveys: Regular engagement surveys gauge overall job satisfaction, leadership effectiveness, and alignment with company values. These insights help identify strengths and areas for improvement.
4. Referral Rates: A strong employer brand results in more employee referrals. If employees actively recommend their company to peers, it’s a sign they believe in the workplace culture.
5. Alumni Advocacy: Former employees can be powerful brand ambassadors. Tracking alumni engagement, such as participation in alumni networks or positive testimonials, can provide long-term employer brand insights.
6. Social Media and Brand Mentions: Monitoring employer brand-related discussions on LinkedIn, Twitter, and industry forums can help measure how your company is perceived externally.

There are many more metrics to track, but consider this the starting point, and what we understand most organizations have the ability to collect. 

How to Build a Meaningful Employer Brand Measurement Strategy

To effectively measure employer brand success, companies should:

• Establish Baselines: Identify key metrics and track progress over time.
• Combine Qualitative and Quantitative Data: Pair survey results with direct employee feedback for a more complete picture.
• Act on Insights: Use data to inform employer brand strategy, making necessary adjustments to improve employee experience.
• Benchmark Against Competitors: Compare your metrics with industry benchmarks to understand how your employer brand stacks up.
• Capture Perception and Sentiment Data: Employee experience data is one set of perspectives to collect, and just as important are the external perception and sentiment. Survey target candidates on their perspectives to understand the perceptions, or misperceptions, to better formulate your marketing messaging.

A strong employer brand isn’t defined by a single Glassdoor score—it’s a combination of employee experience, candidate perceptions, and long-term engagement. By using a holistic measurement approach, companies can gain meaningful insights and build a brand that attracts and retains top talent.