Employer Branding Trends Every Leader Must Know
Episode 26
Hiring today isn’t just about filling roles—it’s about telling a story candidates want to be part of.
In episode 26 of The People Success Circle, we explore the latest employer branding trends that help leaders attract talent and showcase culture.
If you’ve ever asked yourself how to make your brand magnetic to both customers and candidates, this conversation is for you.
Tune in or read on for actionable tips and examples you can start using right away.
In this conversation with website and marketing expert Leslee Owen, we discuss employer branding trends HR leaders and business owners can put into practice right away, including:
Why your company website is one of the most powerful tools for modern employer branding trends
How to balance customer marketing with building an employer branding website that attracts top talent
Smart ways to design clear career paths online—so candidates don’t have to dig for opportunities
Practical employer branding examples, from showcasing culture and team photos to creative About Us pages
The role of videos, testimonials, and testimonials for social proof in strengthening trust with candidates
A breakdown of the HEART method for evaluating your site’s humanity, empathy, accessibility, responsiveness, and trustworthiness
🎧 Listen in to discover how small updates to your online presence can have a big impact on recruiting and retention.
🔗 Helpful Links
🌐 Mindy’s website for business consulting: https://www.limerockcareerco.com
🎧 Listen to the podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts
Episode 26: Watch or Listen
Key Takeaways From Episode 26
Why Employer Branding Trends Matter Now
As leaders, we can’t rely on word of mouth or job boards alone. Candidates are researching us the moment they get an interview invitation, and they’re forming impressions fast. Staying aware of the latest employer branding trends helps us show up as the kind of organization people want to join.
Your Website Is Part of the Employer Brand
Your company website isn’t just for customers—it’s a front door for future employees too. A well-designed employer branding website makes it easy for candidates to see open roles, understand your culture, and imagine themselves as part of your team.
Show, Don’t Hide, Your Culture
Job seekers trust what other employees say more than polished job descriptions. Sharing testimonials for social proof, whether through quotes, videos, or team spotlights, helps candidates feel confident they’re making the right choice.
The Power of Social Proof
Trust is at the center of every successful team. As leaders, we can operationalize kindness by weaving it into hiring practices, onboarding, and even performance reviews. These HR leadership strategies help us go beyond policies and processes to create cultures where people genuinely want to stay and grow.
Keep It Mobile and Accessible
Over 60% of people view websites on their phones. If your careers page isn’t a mobile-responsive website or doesn’t meet accessibility standards, you could be turning away great candidates before they ever apply.
People First, Profits Follow
If you’re struggling to get leadership buy-in, here’s what I remind my clients: when the people side of the business isn’t working, everything suffers. Sales, service, retention, culture—it’s all connected. When you invest in your people, you build the foundation for long-term success. And it all starts with seeing what’s really going on behind the curtain.
🎧 Want the full story, examples, and action steps?
Listen to the full episode of The People Success Circle for more insights on building a thriving culture that drives results.
Read the full transcript
Mindy East:
Welcome to this week's episode of the People Success Circle podcast. The topic this week is near and dear to my heart because it’s a combination of marketing and human resources. It asks: how do we show up as an employer to attract not only customers, but employees? I’m excited to welcome my guest, Leslee Owen, an expert marketer and website developer. Welcome, Leslee.
Leslee Owen:
Hello, thank you so much, Mindy. It’s an honor to be part of your podcast and to talk about something as important as company branding and attracting the right employees to your brand through your website. There’s so much you can do there.
Mindy East:
When I think about this topic, a stat comes to mind: within two minutes of being invited to interview, people pull out their phones and research the company. We have to capture their attention fast. The company website and LinkedIn page are usually the first results. It was natural to have you on to talk about this, because as company owners we’ve got to be ready in those two minutes to get someone interested in working with us.
Leslee Owen:
Exactly. Another statistic that complements that: 88% of people who have a bad experience on a website never return. If a company is struggling with its brand or hasn’t updated the site in years, a potential employee may land there, can’t find anything, the site loads slowly, the About page is outdated—so they don’t return. They conclude, “This isn’t the company for me.”
Mindy East:
Totally. Let me jump into my first question. When you’re building a website at Movement Maker, how do you balance attracting customers with building the employer brand?
Leslee Owen:
Great question. First, we focus on understanding the audiences. For example, we’re working with a large construction company in Texas. They have multiple audiences: potential clients they want to build for, subcontractors who will submit bids, and people who want to join the company because of its reputation.
I loved Choose Your Own Adventure books growing up—you can use your website the same way. Create a clear roadmap: “I want to hire this company” versus “I want to be part of this company.” Instead of a potential employee digging through a large navigation menu to find careers, make it visible. There’s nuance in the design, but clearly signaling who each path is for helps attract the right audiences.
Mindy East:
I love that. I actually find joy in looking at the careers section on any website. Sometimes it’s hard to find—tiny print in the footer, not there at all, or embedded in Contact or About. It’s not clear for someone who wants to work there, and it’s such a miss.
Leslee Owen:
Exactly. We call the footer the “junk drawer.” Every house needs one, and every site needs a footer to store odds and ends. But that can’t be the only place for Careers. We’ve had clients who only linked Careers in the footer and not in the top navigation. As soon as we added it to the top navigation—our recommendation is as a sub-menu under About Us—they saw more resumes and form submissions. Sometimes they even received more candidate interest than customer leads. That’s when you know you’ve built a pipeline of potential employees instead of hoping people will reach out.
Mindy East:
Absolutely. A best practice I’ve used in HR: even if there isn’t an active opening, include “Don’t see a job that interests you? Submit your resume anyway.” In HR, we call that “file for future.” It gives people a chance to share their information and supports proactive recruiting.
Leslee Owen:
Yes, exactly.
Mindy East:
In your experience, what key elements should companies include on their websites to showcase culture, values, and team environment?
Leslee Owen:
Most importantly, make your website feel human—less like a digital brochure and more like a living, breathing platform that connects one person to another. We often get caught up in word count, trying to prove expertise and worthiness by going on and on about ourselves. That’s not how conversations work. If someone only talks about themselves, we want to leave.
Your website should be the heart of your marketing strategy—like a heart pumps energy to limbs and brain, your site should pump energy into all other platforms and receive it back. When a company creates a “someone” experience for a potential employee, that person leans in and wants to learn more.
The homepage should communicate in a way that connects and cares. The second most viewed page is the About Us. I love About pages because we get to see faces. Unfortunately, some companies write paragraphs and paragraphs. There’s a time and place for history—we like a timeline for storytelling—but I want to see faces: founders, CEO, directors. Pair the faces with short bios and personality—favorite quotes, hobbies, even a playful hover image or GIF. A potential employee is asking, “Do I want to work with these people? Who would I report to?” They’ll go look.
Mindy East:
Absolutely. I teach people to do that—check the website and LinkedIn, look at interests. I once connected with an interviewer over the Chicago Cubs, which became a natural entry point beyond the job description. At a previous company, our careers page was called “Find Yourself Here.” People aren’t looking for just a paycheck; they want a culture they can see themselves in. One manufacturing client hosted a golf tournament with suppliers and families—I told them, “Share it on your website.” People work for culture, not just the products you make.
Leslee Owen:
Exactly. Another client invested in a videographer and drone for a large company picnic. The footage was vibrant; you could tell everyone wanted to be there. Video showcases culture beyond photos. I also recommend a direct-to-camera message from the CEO or founder—bonus points for one to customers and another to employees. One CEO we work with started as an intern 30 years ago and is now the CEO. That story helps an intern think, “That could be me.”
Mindy East:
Have you worked with a company where the employer brand was missing from the site? How did you turn it around?
Leslee Owen:
Yes. A large mental health group needed elevation across the board. Research showed they should market to millennial women, but their branding skewed to women 65+. The colors didn’t resonate. We encouraged investment in brand photography and did a logo and brand redesign with intentional photos. Their physical location—calming, with waterfalls and plants—had no parallel on the website. They had standard headshots and one group photo—no visual representation of the customer or employee experience.
Once we redesigned and added a Careers page under About Us, everything changed. Before, they constantly asked us to repost jobs because no one applied. After launch, they had a steady stream of LPCs wanting to join. We become used to our own environment and think, “What’s so great about us?” But to others, it’s new. Capture what it’s like to be in your space and showcase it.
Mindy East:
Yes—and ask employees what they love. Leaders don’t always know what resonates: flexible schedules, family-friendly events, sponsorships for kids’ activities. Another client had 73% of people promoted internally. I told them, “People need to know that.” Employees want development and growth—it’s the number-one thing. They also have low turnover. Sometimes what doesn’t feel like a big deal internally is a huge deal to the people you’re trying to attract.
I know your company specializes in websites but also has broad marketing experience. How does a business take its employer branding from the website and make it consistent across all touchpoints with potential employees?
Leslee Owen:
We’re seeing a shift: it’s no longer enough to post consistently as a company on LinkedIn or publish articles. Every CEO needs to recognize they’re also the “Chief Influential Officer”—the face of the company. Every employee can be a face of the company, too. Yes, maintain a strong company website and LinkedIn presence, but more responsibility than ever sits with owners and leaders.
We’re creating resource hubs on websites—videos, podcasts, and varied content featuring leadership offering expertise. If your company posts a new job, the CEO should be posting across platforms—not just “We’re hiring,” but representing what it’s like to work for them. Do you live the mission, vision, and values? Do you talk about them?
Many owners don’t realize that starting a company today means also starting a media company and stepping into influencer space. A friend resisted being on Instagram Stories; once she reframed it as necessary to lead her business into the next generation, she decided she couldn’t afford not to do it.
Leaders are multifaceted. People want more than one aspect of you. Many employees we attract at Movement Maker appreciate that I’m a high-achieving working mom of four. It’s relatable. Younger women often wonder, “Can I do both?” When they see my life beyond the office—travel with kids, a weekly alignment meeting with my husband, solo trips, celebrating business wins—they’re intrigued. You attract what you put out. If you want employees who fit your culture, send clear signals about what you’re looking for.
Mindy East:
I couldn’t agree more. I tell job seekers the same thing: people need to know you. Whether you want a job, more business, or to hire better people—people have to know you. It’s not just a paycheck anymore. We have the tools—websites, LinkedIn—better than ever; we just have to use them.
Companies that only post from the corporate account and not through leaders or employees are missing out. People work for people. Candidates want to know who they’ll interview with and report to. One client hears “Wow, this is so impressive” whenever customers tour their factory. I said, “They shouldn’t have to visit to see that. It should show up in your branding and marketing.” Talking about it in a people-oriented way helps attract both customers and employees. I hear, “I don’t like social media,” but it’s really not optional anymore.
Leslee Owen:
Completely agree.
Mindy East:
Things have to stay updated, relevant, and relatable. When you do that, people feel like they already know you. I’ve worked with women business owners on LinkedIn, and they say, “Everywhere I go, people say they saw me on LinkedIn.” You’re putting yourself out there, people know you, and they can’t buy from you, work with you, nominate you, or hire you if they don’t know you.
Leslee, what advice do you have for businesses that don’t think employer branding belongs on their website?
Leslee Owen:
If you believe employer branding doesn’t belong on your website, your business may last two to three more years, but you’ll be overlooked by the future workforce. Millennials are moving into leadership—director, VP, CEO. Gen Z is coming in behind us. If your website is outdated, disconnected from your other platforms, and an afterthought, you won’t be considered.
For Gen Z, social proof is everything. It’s not enough to have a fancy brand. They want testimonials from employees who love working there and who share how it’s impacted their lives. Reviews drive decisions in an Amazon generation. We don’t automatically trust employer brands; we look at what others say. If no one is talking about you because you have no digital presence—no updated website, no social—you’re invisible. Even my hairdresser, who thinks social media is the devil, is on social now because he’s opening a new location. He knows he needs to be the face.
I’d offer urgency and caution to owners relying on word-of-mouth and traditional marketing. It won’t be enough anymore.
Mindy East:
If we don’t have the employees, we can’t serve the customers. People first, profit follows. If we only lead with a customer focus in marketing, we miss the chance to attract the best people who will serve those customers. Great product with a poor employee experience creates a disconnect.
If an employer is listening and thinking, “I should pull up my website and see how we’re doing from an employer branding perspective,” what should they look at? And if they’re not happy with what they see, what steps should they take?
Leslee Owen:
At Movement Maker, we use the Human Approach Method—HEART—because your website should be the heart of your marketing strategy.
H is Human-Centered: Does your site feel like a living platform—one human speaking to another? You’ll see it in content and copy that uses empathetic, client- or employee-focused language, not just “I/we/us.”
E is Empathy: Understand what the employee is feeling—maybe a long, disappointing job search—and address it so they feel seen.
A is Accessibility: Ensure people of all abilities can navigate your site—visually or hearing impaired included.
R is Responsive: Many people design for desktop and forget mobile. Over 60% view your site on a phone. Links, images, and text need to work on mobile.
T is Trustworthy: Include testimonials, and ensure your site is secure. If a browser shows “Not secure” next to your URL, it signals that data may not be safe—especially if you take payments.
We also have a site audit tool at movementmaker.pro. You can audit your website in under two minutes and get suggestions and free downloads. Start with your homepage—the most visited page—so you don’t feel overwhelmed.
Mindy East:
I love that, and I’ll link it in the show notes. People often think about communicating with employees through job ads, but we communicate with current and future employees any time someone touches our website—even when they’re referring someone else. Every touch is a chance to elevate your employer brand.
Leslee Owen:
Absolutely.
Mindy East:
Leslee, thank you so much for sharing your expertise. This is a great topic for leaders to assess how they’re doing and to check how their company is showing up from an employer brand perspective.
Leslee Owen:
Thank you, Mindy, for having me. Around every corner, no matter what you’re doing, you’re representing your brand. One of the biggest platforms to do this well is your website. Especially as a leader, you represent the brand wherever you go—you get to live it.
Mindy East:
If this episode resonated with you, check the show notes for information about Movement Maker and the link to the self-assessment for your company website. Thank you for listening to this week’s episode of the People Success Circle. If you enjoyed it, please leave a review or share it with a co-worker or friend. We’ll see you next week.
