Microsoft, followed by TCS & Amazon are India’s most attractive employer brands, reveals Randstad Employer Brand Research (REBR) 2024 

• Work-life balance remains the top priority for workers  

• Equal opportunity emerges as the next most important factor, surpassing even salary and benefits. It holds even greater importance for women 

• About half of the Indian workers identify themselves as part of a minority group, whether it be due to their gender, sexual orientation, ethnicity/nationality, religion, disability, or another defining characteristic. Gen Z does so more often than any other generation. 

• 34% leave an employer due to too low compensation compared to the rising cost of living. However, only 29% received inflation compensation that completely covered the rising costs of living, while 40% of talent received inflation compensation that partly covered the rising costs of living. 

Bengaluru, India, 7th August 2024: Microsoft has emerged as India’s most ‘attractive employer brand’, reveals the findings of Randstad Employer Brand Research (REBR) 2024 – the most comprehensive, independent, and in-depth employer brand research in the world conducted annually. Randstad India is a leading talent company in the country.  

Microsoft scored very high on financial health, good reputation, and career progression opportunities – the top 3 Employee Value Proposition (EVP) drivers for the organization as per the survey that helped the brand earn the winning spot. TCS climbed the rankings this year to emerge as the runner-up, followed by Amazon, which occupied the third spot.  

Appraised as the true benchmark for employer branding, Randstad’s Employer Brand Research Report 2024 has uncovered new trends in the country’s ever-changing employment landscape. The REBR report has been a blueprint to shape employer brands for organizations across the world for over 24 successful years and it is currently in the 14^th edition in India.  

Drawing insights from over 1.73 lakh respondents worldwide, covering 32 markets and more than 75% of the global economy, the report reveals that work-life balance, equity, and attractive salary & benefits, are the 3 most important EVP drivers for the Indian workforce when choosing an employer. The value attributed to work-life balance grew  

slightly in relative importance over the past years. Equal opportunities, newly measured this year, emerge as the next crucial factor, surpassing salary and benefits. Interestingly, Baby Boomers and individuals with higher education levels prioritize this more than others.  

Over three-quarters of the Indian workforce believe that their employer meets their expectations across all drivers, with consistent results across all demographics. However, the higher educated rated their employer significantly higher on multiple aspects, with over 80% satisfaction on all drivers except for giving back to society (77%). 

Top 10 most attractive employer brands in India for 2024: 

1. Microsoft 

2. Tata Consultancy Services 

3. Amazon 

4. Tata Power Company 

5. Tata Motors 

6. Samsung India 

7. Infosys 

8. Larsen & Toubro 

9. Reliance Industries 

10.  Mercedes-Benz 

Presenting the REBR 2024 survey insights, Viswanath PS, MD & CEO, Randstad India said, “The Randstad Employer Brand Research (REBR) report is a comprehensive guide for businesses to gauge the talent pool’s perception of an ideal employer. The insights from this year’s findings reflect the changing expectations of the workforce. As talent increasingly prioritizes work-life balance and equity, organizations need to rethink their talent acquisition and retention strategies. Talent today is not just looking for a job but a clear sense of purpose at work. As the talent community becomes increasingly aware of the brands they choose to work for, it is imperative to understand their preferences and perceptions. 

The findings of this year’s report suggest that job-switching intent has stabilized since last year. However, employers still need to offer a holistic benefits package with a healthy combination of work-life balance, adequate career progression opportunities, and a flexible and favorable work environment, to retain top talent. Additionally, it is heartwarming to witness that the majority of the workforce received some form of inflation compensation from their employers. The findings also indicate talent’s strong inclination towards leveraging AI in their work, which presents a strong case for employers to consider investing in upskilling their workforce in new-age technologies.  

Overall, the competition for niche talent is expected to continue into the future of work as the pool remains scarce. By aligning the employee value proposition with workforce preferences, employers  

will be poised to stay competitive in a tight labor market and I hope that the REBR report 2024 serves as a guiding light in that direction.” 

Importance of non-material benefits at work: 

While salary and benefits are particularly significant for the Baby Boomer generation and individuals with higher education levels, non-material benefits such as equity and work-life balance also hold notable importance within these groups. 

Job switching behavior in focus: 

After having been on the rise for the last two years, job-switching behavior is stabilizing in India, with the rates of both recent job changers and those inclined to switch remaining unchanged from last year. Millennials demonstrate the highest inclination, where 33% have changed employers in the last 6 months and 47% plan to change employers in the next 6 months. Improving work-life balance is the top reason for talent to leave and this could be the deciding factor for talent to switch employers in this job market. 

Impact of Artificial Intelligence: 

Approximately half of the survey respondents use AI daily or regularly, with this trend being most pronounced among Gen Z (60%). 88% of talent expect AI to affect their jobs in the next 5 years. Only 8% of talent view AI’s potential impact negatively. However, Gen Z stands out with a slightly higher level of concern, with 12% of them perceiving a negative impact. 

Equity in the Workplace: 

Nearly half of Indian workers identify as part of a minority group, with 73% reporting perceived obstacles in career progression due to their identity. Female talent already perceives their employers’ position on equity more positively than their male counterparts. This highlights the need for employers to address equity issues proactively. 

Trends in remote working: 

While levels are far from those of 2021 at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, remote work is still done by the majority. 61% of the surveyed talent work remotely in some capacity, with 40% working partly remotely, and 21% fully remotely. Full-time remote work is more common for women (23%) than men (18%), whereas hybrid working is more common for younger generations than Gen X. 

India’s most attractive sectors in 2024: 

The attractiveness of all sectors is increasing at similar rates. The automotive sector has claimed the top spot in 2024 as well (77%) followed by IT, Communication, Telecom & ITeS (76%), FMCG, Durables, Retail, and E-Commerce at 75% followed by BFSI, and Consulting at 74%.  

This highlights the intense competition faced by employers, who must compete not only within their own sector but also against various other sectors to attract talent. 

Other key findings from REBR 2024: 

The report also reveals that 38% of talent leave an employer due to a lack of career growth opportunities, 34% due to too low compensation compared to the rising cost of living, and 30% because of insufficient flexible work options. 

In addition, Indian talent highly value D&I support from their employer, and 25% of talent even mentioned that they would leave an employer if the organization does not align with their personal values when it comes to inclusion and diversity. 

******************************** 

about randstad india:  

Randstad India is a leading talent company providing services across four key specializations – operational talent solutions, professional talent solutions, digital talent solutions, and enterprise talent solutions. The organization is committed to providing equitable opportunities to people from all backgrounds and helping them remain relevant in the rapidly changing world of work. Randstad India has a deep understanding of the labour market to help clients create high-quality, diverse, and agile workforces they need to succeed. In the process, the organization helps talent secure meaningful roles, develop relevant skills, and find purpose and belonging in their workplace. 

Randstad India has been a leading player in the industry for more than 30 years and continues to deliver innovative and specialized talent solutions to clients across sectors. Randstad is a global talent leader with the vision to be the world’s most equitable and specialized talent company, active in 39 markets across the globe.  

For more information, see: www.randstad.in 

about randstad: 

Randstad is a global talent leader with the vision to be the world’s most equitable and specialized talent company. As a partner for talent and through our four specializations – Operational, Professional, Digital and Enterprise – we provide clients with the high-quality, diverse and agile workforces that they need to succeed in a talent scarce world. We help people secure meaningful roles, develop relevant skills and find purpose and belonging in their workplace. Through the value we create, we are committed to a better and more sustainable future for all.  

Headquartered in the Netherlands, Randstad operates in 39 markets and has approximately 40,000 talent. In 2023, we supported 2 million talent to find work and generated a revenue of €25.4 billion. Randstad N.V. is listed on the Euronext Amsterdam.  

For more information, see www.randstad.com 

Disclaimer: This study contains information in summary, from data based on primary research done in the country, and is intended for general guidance only. It is not intended to be a substitute for detailed research or exercise of professional judgment. Neither Randstad India Private Limited nor any other member of the global Randstad organization accepts any responsibility for any loss occasioned to any person acting or refraining from action as a result of any material in this publication.