Non-metropolitan labour attractiveness: when place branding meets employer branding

This study highlights the role and importance of job-related factors—including the employers’ attractiveness—for the design of efficient Place branding strategies to attract and retain labour. By using data from a series of surveys, we examine factors that would convince university students to work in non-metropolitan regions. We consider both employer-related and regional attraction factors. Our results emphasise the key role of human resource management (HRM) practices and the Employer brand in attracting future young workers. If each organisation develops a strong Employer brand, then the entire region becomes more attractive. Thus, we argue that such Place branding strategies should primarily focus on highlighting the collective attractiveness of local employers, on job opportunities, and on interesting career paths available in a region.