In a static market, success is not about pulling in more candidates. It is about influencing people who already feel stuck, disengaged, and quietly open to alternatives.

If your employer brand metrics only track applications, you are measuring activity in a market that is not moving.

In this environment, ROI shows up in:

• Reduced early attrition
• Stronger internal mobility
• Higher offer acceptance when movement does happen
• Lower dependency on paid hiring channels

These are not abstract benefits. These are quantifiable - but it takes some modelling to get there.

If you want to prove ROI in this environment, start tracking leading indicators instead of waiting for hires.

1. Intent to move among priority audiences Track whether intent to leave or intent to consider your company changes after campaigns. This is one of the clearest early signals of employer brand impact in a low-mobility market.

2. Offer acceptance rates by role When movement is constrained, people are selective. Improving acceptance rates in hard-to-hire roles is a strong proxy for employer brand trust.

3. Early attrition (first 6–12 months) In static markets, regret hires are expensive. A strong employer brand reduces misalignment and lowers early exits.

4. Agency and paid media reliance If inbound quality improves, reliance on external spend should fall. That delta is measurable and financially legible to leadership.

5. Perception shift before behaviour changes Wisdom’s data shows perception moves before action. Tracking awareness and favourability among target groups gives you evidence before hiring volumes catch up.

The question is not “did employer brand drive more hires this quarter?”

The question is “are more of the right people choosing us, staying with us, and accepting us when movement is possible?”

In a static market, that is where employer brand earns its keep.

If you are not measuring those signals, you are not failing to prove ROI. You are failing to see it.