Employer Branding – A Human Resource Strategy for Companies in a Turbulent Environment Based on the Example of Northern Austria

Human capital is a precondition for regional development and influences, to a great extent, the value or worth of a region. Especially in a turbulent environment, human capital is a key factor to keep a region competitive and innovative. This paper addresses employer branding as a sustainable strategy for companies, located in the border region of Northern Austria, to manage their human resources. The region is characterized by mostly small and medium sized enterprises which increasingly face labour shortage because numerous residents commute to more urban areas. Hence, employer branding contributes to regional development by attracting and retaining qualified people who not only live in the region but are also willing to work there and invest their talent into the development of new and innovative products or services. An empirical study was conducted to gain insight into how precious human capital can be secured in order to reinforce regional development and encounter the labour shortage problem. Interesting information about employers’ and employees’ values was discovered. Based on the results, companies in the target region require an enhanced human resource strategy in order to be visible for potential employees and to retain existing employees. That is to say, companies that are noticeable and attractive have better chances to entice qualified people which, in turn, positively influences regional development, as people not only live but also work in the region and invest their potential. Talented people not only spur the innovative strength of a company but also determine the success of an organisation. New approaches towards managing human capital and their impact on the target region are presented in this paper.