2Europe conducted this global research for a leading industrial gases company, to help strengthen its employer brand and attract high-quality talent across international markets. The study demonstrates 2Europe’s expertise in applying marketing research principles to HR challenges, delivering detailed qualitative insights that informed brand communication, recruitment strategy, and internal alignment.
Project Overview
The client, a multinational organisation operating in more than 30 industries, sought to gain a clearer understanding of how potential employees perceived its employer brand. The objective was to identify the strengths, weaknesses, and opportunities in its global reputation as an employer, and to provide actionable insights to support the development of a unified, marketing-led HR strategy. 2Europe was selected to conduct the project due to its strong track record in international qualitative research and its ability to deliver actionable insights despite logistical and cultural complexities.
Project Objectives
The research aimed to support the client’s global HR marketing initiative by providing a clear understanding of external perceptions of the company as an employer. The specific objectives included:
- Understanding awareness, appeal, and barriers to consideration among potential employees.
- Identifying key talent personas across professional, technical, and graduate audiences.
- Exploring motivations, expectations, and attitudes towards career development, company culture, and innovation.
- Providing insights to inform recruitment communication, employer value propositions, and brand positioning.
- Establishing a qualitative foundation for ongoing global employer branding initiatives.
Methodology
2Europe employed a qualitative focus group approach to uncover rich, nuanced insights into perceptions of the client as an employer. The research design was structured to ensure balanced representation across markets, professional levels, and demographic groups.
- Research Design and Recruitment 2Europe developed discussion guides and coordinated participant recruitment to ensure diversity across target audiences. Participants included both experienced professionals and early-career candidates, representing a variety of backgrounds and global regions.
- Focus Group Execution Focus groups were conducted across multiple international markets. Sessions explored perceptions of the client’s reputation, values, innovation, and social responsibility. Participants discussed what they valued most in a potential employer, how they perceived the client relative to competitors, and how digital communication influenced their impressions.
- Data Analysis and Reporting Following completion of fieldwork, 2Europe produced a detailed analytical report supported by key themes, verbatim insights, and practical recommendations. The deliverables included a 300-slide analytical report and an executive summary presentation highlighting actionable insights for HR and marketing teams.
- Project Management and Collaboration 2Europe maintained close communication with the client’s operational marketing specialist throughout. Regular updates, virtual meetings, and iterative feedback ensured full alignment. Despite the logistical complexities of a global pandemic, the project was delivered on schedule and to a high standard.
Outcomes
The research delivered a clear understanding of how the client’s brand was perceived globally and identified practical steps for improving talent attraction. Key outcomes included:
- Comprehensive mapping of brand perception among target audiences – revealing awareness levels, associations, and reputation drivers.
- Identification of talent personas and motivations – helping the client tailor its messaging and recruitment strategies to key candidate groups.
- Strategic recommendations – providing evidence-based guidance on how to refine employer value propositions and digital communication.
- Enhanced collaboration between HR and Marketing – aligning both teams under a shared strategic framework for employer branding.
- Positive stakeholder feedback – with internal teams praising the clarity, depth, and usability of the insights delivered.
Benefits to the Client
The research delivered substantial value to the client, influencing both immediate communication strategies and long-term employer branding efforts.
- Data-driven HR marketing – providing a structured, evidence-based framework for recruitment communication.
- Enhanced employer branding – identifying attributes that resonated most with prospective employees.
- Improved recruitment effectiveness – enabling more targeted, authentic engagement with high-potential candidates.
- Strengthened internal collaboration – fostering closer cooperation between HR and marketing departments.
- Agility and adaptability – demonstrating how flexible project execution can overcome global research challenges.
- Trusted partnership – reinforcing confidence in 2Europe’s ability to deliver complex, multinational qualitative research with precision and professionalism.
Conclusion
This international qualitative research project illustrates how 2Europe applies marketing insight methodologies to employer branding challenges. Through expert facilitation, rigorous analysis, and collaborative project management, 2Europe delivered insights that shaped the client’s global HR marketing strategy. The study not only improved understanding of how the company is perceived by potential talent but also helped to align HR and marketing under a unified, evidence-based approach. The project reaffirmed 2Europe’s position as a trusted research partner capable of delivering deep insight and strategic clarity across complex global markets.
