Strengthening Employer Attractiveness at the University of Basel through Social Media, FHNW School of Business

How can the University of Basel attract skilled administrative, IT, and Third Space professionals? This project analyses employer perceptions and social media usage to develop practical recommendations for strengthening the University of Basel’s employer attractiveness.

As competition for qualified professionals intensifies, universities must actively position themselves as attractive employers beyond academic roles. While the University of Basel benefits from strong academic reputation, its employer positioning for non-academic roles remains less visible and clearly articulated. In particular, on social media. At the same time, expectations regarding transparency, work culture, and digital communication are rising among potential applicants. This makes targeted employer branding increasingly critical.

This project followed a mixed-methods research design, integrating insights from academic literature with empirical data collection. Quantitative surveys targeted both internal employees and students as potential future applicants to capture perceptions of employer attractiveness, communication channels, and social media behavior. Furthermore, a structured comparison of employer branding practices at comparable Swiss universities supported the interpretation of results and the development of actionable recommendations.

The findings indicate that the University of Basel is perceived as a credible and stable employer, particularly valued for work–life balance, job security, and meaningful work. However, awareness of administrative, IT, and Third Space career opportunities remains limited among potential applicants. Social media plays a central role in employer perception, with LinkedIn primarily used for professional information and visually oriented platforms such as Instagram supporting image formation and employer appeal. Based on these insights, the project develops targeted and actionable recommendations to strengthen employer attractiveness through social media. These include clearer communication of role-specific career paths, increased use of authentic employee perspectives, and platform-appropriate content strategies. The proposed measures support the University of Basel in improving visibility, aligning external communication with internal realities, and positioning itself as an attractive public-sector employer for non-academic professionals.