As the competition for top talent intensifies, regional cooperative banks must fight to keep and expand their attractiveness as employers. Understanding what current employees value in the organization and how the bank compares to competitors is key to sustainable employer branding and employee retention.

This thesis applies a qualitative and quantitative design. It involves a comparative employer positioning analysis of four banks (two cooperative banks and two cantonal banks), theoretical foundations such as psychological contract theory, and an internal employee survey to examine perceived employer attractiveness and potential for improvement.

The survey revealed a general positive attitude towards the bank, high job pride, regional identification, and high flexibility and holiday satisfaction. Gaps appeared in areas like transparency regarding compensation, health support, and freedom for individual development. In cultural aspects, the bank performs better than its competitors but must improve in formal development planning and health benefits. Employees also expressed a strong desire for performance-based incentives. These findings underscore that while the regional cooperative bank is respected and highly valued as an employer, further investment in internal development systems, open communication, and contemporary benefits will be required to maintain and expand this position.