When you’re struggling for budget, fighting to prove the ROI of your employer branding, or trying to make an impact during a downturn — you’ve got to be tough. And, as the first panel discussed, it’s a lot easier to be tough when you have internal champions, data, and a strong community around you to support your work. Grit in employer brand is as much a product of the people around you as it is of your personality.

In light of Trump’s new DEI policies, it’s becoming painfully obvious which companies embed purpose into their EVP and which merely use it as window dressing. Employer brand data from Wisdom shows that DEI still matters — especially to underrepresented groups. For example, young Black talent (ages 18-21) ranks diversity 10 places higher than the average UK worker. Companies deprioritising DEI now risk long-term damage to their employer brand perception and talent appeal.

Relatedly, diversity is more than quotas. Companies have got to create inclusive cultures that make people feel welcome - otherwise diversity is just a target to hit, rather than a culture where all employees feel they belong.

AI is here to stay in employer brand tracking and talent marketing. But it’s an accelerant, not a creator. Your processes have to be correct before AI is overlaid - otherwise AI’s biases become integrated into your employer brand. That said, AI brings exciting new ways to quantify the effectiveness of your employer brand — like Wisdom’s new AI-powered reporting feature...

Today, EVPs must be dynamic and responsive, not static PDFs - with the ability to dial them up and down when needed. To make them work, companies need to understand what different talent groups want from work, backed by robust employer brand data and market insights. Flexing your EVP effectively is key to staying relevant in a competitive talent market.