2025 employer trends

5 February 2025

Some key takeaways for us?

• Graduates & professionals increasingly say ‘no thanks’ to challenging jobs & leadership roles. (Just 33% of EU professionals prioritise challenging work.)
• Flexibility and work-life balance aren’t perks – they’re expected
• Generational gaps matter – understand what attracts and retains young talent

So, what should employers prioritise in 2025?

• Your EVP or People Promise needs to be clear, distinct, compelling, authentic and consistently actioned and experienced
• Your comms need to be simple and direct – people need to ‘get you’ instantly
• Invest in training & development. Reposition what leadership MEANS and get your teams to invest in your mission

Through years of working in employer branding, we’ve seen how prioritising purposeful work can significantly encourage both employee appeal and retention. In fact, Harvard Business Review reports purpose-driven companies retain 40% more employees than competitors.

First-hand feedback from Coty and Norwex after their rebrands, revealed that employees saw the profound and meaningful intent behind the newly defined purpose and cited it as the key reason for staying with the company. Purpose attracts, but only action and consistency make it stick.

What do YOU think makes employers attractive?