The company is active in the pharmaceutical and life science sector and well known for its products and brands on the global market. Having undergone quite some growth in Switzerland, the pharmaceutical company would like to develop an understanding of how the company is being perceived in the country amongst Generation Y. The team would like to get ideas and suggestions on how it can use existing or new communication methods more effectively to convey the message as an attractive workplace for respective employee target groups and to position itself as employer of choice in Switzerland and especially for the Generation Y. Bearing in mind limited resources available with regards to headcount. The challenge lies in understanding the employer brand for the company as a whole as the legal entities in the country are very different from each other and as a consequence the respective employee target groups.

In order to get a complete and accurate insight on the main success factors of employer branding, the project team first conducted a broad literature review amongst primary and secondary sources. Information was obtained from specific literature about best practices in employer branding, the impact of talent management on the employer brand and best practices in employer branding communication to communicate the employer's strength to the target groups. In addition, a quantitative analysis has been conducted amongst a sample group, focusing on students and young professionals. A set of interviews were conducted in a semi-structured approach with HR and communication experts and students from different study backgrounds to develop a deeper understanding of the core research topics and answer the research questions.

The project work resulted to an in-depth discussion about development needs identified within the context of the perception of the company's employer brand, the awareness and attractiveness of the company as an employer and the effectiveness of the company's employer brand communication. The project work resulted to 5 specific and detailed recommendations, which were designed to target the Generation Y. It involves developing HR youth initiatives, such as a student talent pool, collaboration with targeted universities (e.g. ETH and University of Basel) and sponsoring regional events for students, graduates and young professionals. Moreover, the recommendations involve reconsidering a stronger alignment of the company's website to present the pharmaceutical company as an unified organization, further developing social media initiatives with incorporated storytelling content as well as initiating employee advocacy with rating platforms, such as Kununu and Glassdoor. Addressing these recommendations, the client will build the basis for a more strategic positioning in employer branding and have a greater chance to excel in a highly competitive environment within the region of Switzerland.