Strategies for Effective B2B Employer Branding: A Comparative Analysis Across Industries

Abstract

This thesis addresses the growing importance of employer branding (EB) in B2B industries, which is significantly influenced by the need for new talents and changing employee expectations. The research is motivated by the value of EB for talent acquisition and employee retention, especially when companies face difficulties to attract skilled employees in an uncertain economic environment. Due to volatile job market conditions, B2B companies have the need to create an attractive employer brand to acquire and retain talented employees. Employee expectations shift towards flexibility, meaningful work and identification with the employer brand. If companies fail to align the internal reality with external promises, they risk losing talent and damaging their reputation. While existing research focused on EB in cross-cultural terms and within specific industries, little comparative analysis has been conducted within the B2B sectors. This thesis investigates how EB strategies differ among the four different Backhaus industry types: Supplier, Investment, Product and System Businesses. The following research questions will be answered: 1. Which employer branding strategies are universally successful across industries? 2. How do employer branding strategies vary between industries? 3. How can a successful employer branding strategy be developed according to specific industry requirements? 4. How can such employer branding strategies be implemented? The thesis consists of a literature review, followed by qualitative primary research. LinkedIn job postings were analysed for external EB indicators, whereas employee reviews published in kununu were analysed for internal EB metrics. 40 companies within the DACH region were classified according to the Backhaus model and compared to identify attractive EB strategies. Key insights show that similar elements can be successful across the industry types, however, they differ in priority. Universally successful elements include internal communication, compensation and benefits, work atmosphere and colleague cohesion, as well as work-life balance. Results also show that to be an employer of choice and compete with other companies within the respective industry, it is necessary to opt for an industry-specific strategy. Key aspects include leadership support and communication in the Supplier Business, collaboration and growth opportunities in the Investment Business, highlighting flexibility and inclusion in the Product Business, while System Businesses can emphasize on strong worklife balance and career development opportunities Limitations of this research include the publicly available data from LinkedIn and kununu, as well as the categorization by industry type and the variability of reviews by location. Future research may expand the sample size, explore country-specific differences within the DACH region, and incorporate additional kununu data such as company culture to gain deeper insights into employer attractiveness.

Date of Award	2025
Original language	English
Supervisor	Christopher Korntner-Kanitz (Supervisor)