Digital employer branding in the social economy in Germany

Purpose This study aims to examine the digital employer branding maturity of organizations in the German social economy sector, identifying critical gaps in digital corporate identity (DCI) and employee retention practices. Design/methodology/approach Using unobtrusive measurement methodology, the authors analyzed 39 social economy organizations through a validated coding framework covering 11 digital channels with 182 criteria. A complementary online survey (N = 34) assessed internal employer branding and retention measures. Findings Organizations achieved only 43% of digital employer branding criteria on average, with significant variation (21%–74%). While career websites and job portals showed moderate implementation (57%–63%), emerging channels like TikTok and YouTube Shorts remained largely untapped (8%). Critical internal deficits emerged in systematic feedback mechanisms (12% implementation) and onboarding processes (57%). Practical implications Social economy organizations must transition from passive to proactive strategically driven recruitment, investing strategically in ICT infrastructure, improving leadership capabilities and implementing structured retention programs. The severe skills shortage in this sector makes digital professionalization not optional but essential for organizational survival. Originality/value To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first comprehensive digital employer branding assessment in the German social economy using objective, publicly available data combined with internal organizational self-assessment on retention management, providing actionable benchmarks for practitioners.