why Apple is Australia’s most attractive employer

As a global leader in HR and talent acquisition, we fully understand the importance of good employer branding, and in many ways, it sits at the core of our business.



In line with this, last year, we reset our employer branding globally to bring humanity back to the tech-driven human resources world. We call this approach Human Forward. 

what does it mean to be human forward? 

This new brand direction brings the promise to solve candidate and client frustrations by marrying high-tech processes with the emotional intelligence only humans can get, and everything we do as business anchors back to this.



Your organization's employer brand is the most powerful tool in attracting and retaining the people who can make your organization a success. It's not something you can dictate to the market. It is a conclusion the market draws based on the information you provide, the experience of your employees, and what the broader market says about you when interacting with your organization and staff. 



The challenge for most of us is that we have a view of the strength of our employer's brand, which doesn't always align with the market perception. 



Randstad's Employer Brand Research is the world's most comprehensive independent research on employer branding. It provides unique insights into the world of work alongside employee and job seekers' drivers and reveals the top employers and industries in Australia.

the picture in 2018

The 2018 Randstad Employer Brand Research reinforced Australia's devotion to all things tech. Apple was named the nation's top employer and technology, outshining the aviation sector for the first time in four years. 



Apple was recognized for its innovation focus, financial stability and strong reputation. This was followed by Virgin Australia and Qantas, which ranked second and third, respectively, which were also valued for their perceived robust financials, focus on innovation and public reputations.



Unsurprisingly, technology was named the most attractive industry in Australia, followed by early learning and engineering. The rankings reiterate the importance of organizations investing in innovation while maintaining their public image to engage employees and attract job seekers.

why are these sectors doing well? 

Technology is ingrained into our everyday lives. From ordering food on the fly to searching for the latest jobs, the world is just a few taps away from your fingertips. 

Apple has led the technology revolution, so it's no surprise that Aussies looking to ride the wave of innovation see the Californian tech giant and the technology sector as a great place to develop their careers.

It's also no surprise that the aviation industry continues to be named as one of the most attractive sectors year after year. In addition to joining iconic companies, Australians love to travel, and working for an airline offers the opportunity to travel the world, financial compensation, and real opportunities for career development.

While innovation is increasingly important to Australians, work-life balance is the most critical reason for more than half of employees to choose their employer, a consistent finding since 2016. Still, it tops the list of wishes from employees and job seekers for the first time. It is valued across the board by all workers, but interestingly, it is most highly valued by workers aged 25-44 (57 per cent) compared to their younger and older peers.



It demonstrates that workers aren't solely focused on salary and long-term job security; companies can deliver genuine, consistent and balanced experiences that will prove to be the big winners in a competitive job market. Isn't that one of the features showcased by many players in the winning Tech sector?

what does your company stand for?

In the current state of play, it's no surprise that aligning personal values with a company's culture are a crucial factor in an employee's satisfaction working there, with industry research indicating that 80 per cent of employees have left a company precisely because of its culture. 



One of the biggest disconnects we see is a misalignment between what a company says it values and what it values. If we don't deliver the company culture we promise, we risk experiencing higher staff turnover and lower engagement. 



Despite these known risks, it happens repeatedly, and I cannot emphasize enough the need to do a regular employer brand health check. This includes ensuring everyone in the business, from the C-suite, the frontline, new starters, and long-term employees, are aligned on corporate values. 

Do we believe in these values? Is there clear evidence that our employees are genuinely experiencing them daily? To make it authentic, we need to invest time and resources and ensure it is not only an HR or marketing exercise.



With Randstad's long and successful track record in delivering employer branding insights since 2000, I encourage you to utilize this research to help you understand what matters most to Australians, identify your organization's strengths and gaps, as well as provide you with strategies to turn your brand into a powerful attraction and retention tool.