What makes this shift particularly interesting is that intent hasn't disappeared. Employer brand data shows people still want to leave. At the start of 2025, 40% of workers said they planned to leave their job within the next 12 months.

In reality, only 7% actually changed roles. Less than 1 in 5 people who said they'd move actually made the leap. This gap is the Great Disconnect.

Across markets, employer brand data shows the number of people who want to move roles is between three and ten times higher than the number who actually do. Millions of employees feel ready to move. But something is stopping them.

The result is a workforce that is increasingly disengaged, frustrated, and less productive than it should be.

Employer brand data points to three core drivers behind this shift:

1. Economic uncertainty
War, climate change, ever-changing tariffs. When the economy becomes unpredictable, risk tolerance collapses. Employees who might normally move jobs start prioritising stability. Job security outweighs ambition.

2. AI disruption
Employer brand data suggests uncertainty has been amplified by artificial intelligence. No one knows exactly what AI's impact will be or where it will be felt.

3. Visible layoffs
The layoffs of the past two years have reshaped employee behaviour. Even workers who dislike their current role often choose the known discomfort of their existing job over the unknown risk of moving.

The result is a static workforce.

Most employer brand strategies are still built around one goal: attracting new talent.

But employer brand data shows that in a static market, attraction becomes harder and less effective. There simply aren't as many people moving. That means the strategic challenge changes.

Employer brand is no longer just about attracting talent. It’s about re-engaging the talent you already have.

Employer brand data suggests that if millions of employees feel stuck where they are, the organisations that win will be the ones that can reconnect them with their work. The companies that lose will assume disengaged employees are simply waiting for their next opportunity.

If the market is static, employer branding has to adapt. Employer brand data points to three practical shifts:

1. Shift from attraction to re-engagement: Most EB strategies focus outward. But the biggest audience right now is internal. Employees who feel disconnected from their work. Content that shows real career mobility, learning opportunities, and meaningful impact can reconnect people to their organisation.

Not every employer brand campaign needs to target external talent.

2. Understand what actually motivates your workforce: Employer brand data identifies four core drivers:

• Purpose
• Growth and learning
• Structure and progression
• Connection and belonging

The mistake many organisations make is trying to communicate all four at once. The better strategy is to identify the dominant motivator within your workforce and structure your employer brand messaging around that.

3. Make internal mobility visible: Employer brand data shows that when employees feel stuck, perception matters as much as reality.

Employer brand teams should be telling stories about:

• Career progression
• Lateral moves
• Learning journeys

This acts as visible proof that movement is possible inside the organisation.