Rahul, an HR manager at a Chennai based IT firm, stares at his screen. His CEO just asked, our employer branding budget doubled last year, what did we gain ? Rahul scrambles to find answers beyond better LinkedIn engagement. Sound familiar ? 

In India’s competitive job market, companies pour crores into employer branding like fancy campus drives, viral social campaigns and perks like pizza Fridays. But how do you measure if these efforts actually attract top talent or boost productivity ? Let us decode the key performance indicators that turn vague branding efforts into hard numbers, proving that a strong employer brand is not just a feel good slogan, it is a business asset. 

What is employer branding:

Employer branding is often misunderstood. It is not about slapping best workplace badges on websites. It is the gut feeling a job seeker gets when they hear your company’s name. Do they think innovative or slow paced ? Inclusive or hierarchical ? 

In India, where word of mouth and regional loyalty heavily influence career choices, a strong employer brand can make or hiring. For instance, Tata Group’s reputation for stability attracts tier 2 city talent, while startups like Zomato lure millennials with flexibility. But without measuring ROI, even the shiniest brand can become a money pit. 

The metrics:

To measure employer branding ROI, think like a farmer, track both the seeds planted (efforts) and the harvest (results). Here is how: 

1. Quality of hire:

Did your new marketing lead from that glitzy campus drive outperform predecessors ? Track

time to productivity: How fast new hires contribute meaningfully. 

Retention rate: Do they stay beyond 12 months ? 

At Infosys, hires referred through their bring a buddy program had a 30% higher retention rate than portal applicants. 

2. Cost per hire:

Calculate the cost of each hire (ads, agency fees, internal HR hours). If your branding attracts more organic applicants, this number drops. A Mumbai fintech startup slashed cost per hire by 40% after employees started sharing job posts on WhatsApp groups. 

3. Employee advocacy:

When employees become brand ambassadors, magic happens. Measure: 

Referral rates: How many hires come from employee referrals ? 

Social shares: Do staff repost company content ? 

A Deloitte India study found companies with high advocacy saw 2x more qualified applicants. 

4. Candidate experience:

Track drop off rates in application processes. If 70% abandon your 10 page form, your brand’s efficiency claim rings hollow. Simplify and watch apply to join ratios climb.

Indian context: 

Regional sentiment: A prestigious brand in Kolkata might mean stuffy in Bengaluru. Use tools like Glassdoor reviews in local languages.

Campus connect impact: Tier 3 college grads might value stability over stock options. Survey interns to tailor branding. 

Festival campaigns: Diwali gratitude posts may boost morale but will not fix attrition. Tie festive engagement to retention rates. 

Take Wipro’s #SkillsOverDegrees campaign. By tracking applicants from non IIT colleges and their subsequent performance, they proved diversity drives innovation, not just PR. 

The hidden ROI:

Strong employer branding is not just about hiring, it is about saving. Consider: 

Lower training costs: Engaged employees need less hand holding. 

Crisis resilience: During the 2020 lockdown, companies like HDFC Bank retained talent despite pay cuts because their family culture brand built trust. 

Customer perception: A study linked positive employer branding to 18% higher customer loyalty in Indian retail sectors. 

Pitfalls to avoid:

Rahul’s mistake ? Tracking LinkedIn followers instead of qualified followers. Avoid:

Vanity metrics: 10,000 Instagram likes mean little if applicants do not recognize your company.

One size fits all: A KPI that works for IT may flop in manufacturing.

Ignoring alumni: Ex employers can be brand ambassadors or detractors. Track their post exit surveys. 

Conclusion:

Imagine Rahul six months later. He walks into the CEO’s office with a dashboard showing:

Cost per hire down by 25% 

Employee referrals up by 50% 

New hires from tier 2 cities performing 15% better

Suddenly, the CEO smiles. Let us expand the budget.

Measuring employer branding ROI is not about complex formulas, it is about asking, did this effort make people want to stay, strive or join ? In a country where 65% of the population is under 35, companies that quantify their workplace reputation will not just attract talent; they will future proof it. After all, in India’s talent marathon, the best brands do not just run, they track every step.