Perspectives | Opinions and Viewpoints

Too young to hire, too experienced to hire: Is the talent market developing an age problem?

Younger workers are struggling to get the experience employers want, while experienced candidates increasingly find that years in the workforce count against them. Is hiring becoming biased towards a narrowing middle?

By Mike Parsons Sep 17, 2026 15 min read

EBClub

Our first Talking Point: Martin Lehnert, GEO, and a room that turned up

The first Talking Point is done. Martin Lehnert of Riverty on GEO, proof points and getting your employee stories quoted by AI, plus thank yous all round and an open door to EBClub.

By Steve Ward Sep 15, 2026 10 min read

Perspective

The personal brand paradox: what happens when everyone becomes an influencer?

Workers are being told to build personal brands, employers want employee advocates, and AI has made professional content easier than ever to produce. What happens when everyone starts broadcasting?

By Mike Parsons Sep 10, 2026 14 min read

Perspective

Employer branding lost control of the narrative because it stopped helping people choose

Employer branding is supposed to help the right people choose an organisation. Too often, it offers polished claims that could belong to almost anyone, leaving candidates to look elsewhere for something more useful.

By Mike Parsons Sep 3, 2026 11 min read

Perspective

Nintendo Corrected Its Own Good News. BlackRock Normalized Its Bad News.

Two companies under zero financial pressure made opposite bets on their people this year. That difference is what actually earns or erodes trust.

By Mike Parsons Sep 1, 2026 7 min read

EBClub

Announcing The EBClub 50 Voices of Employer Brand

Fifty employer brand, TA and comms professionals recognised by EBClub founder Steve Ward for giving their time to the community's events across Europe. Alphabetical, not ranked.

By Steve Ward Aug 12, 2026 20 min read

Perspective

What Does the Authenticity Actually Look Like in Employer Branding?

Employer brand practitioners are constantly told to be honest, authentic and “real”. Fine. But how honest? About what? And how do you tell the truth without making the company sound like somewhere nobody in their right mind would want to work?

By Mike Parsons Aug 6, 2026 15 min read

Perspective

Employer Branding Has a Catfishing Problem

Your EVP promised abs. Reality delivered a dad bod in a lanyard. Here's why the gap between the profile and the person is quietly costing employers a fortune, and how to make the financial case for closing it.

By Mike Parsons Jul 30, 2026 11 min read

Perspective

The Fractional Headcount Fallacy: Why a 30% Productivity Gain Doesn't Buy You a 30% Smaller Team

Gartner surveyed 350 enterprises already cutting headcount for AI. The ones who cut deepest got no better returns than the ones who didn't.

By Mike Parsons Jul 23, 2026 9 min read

$A cracked rice bowl at a hawker centre, symbolising Singapore's fracturing "iron rice bowl" of guaranteed public sector jobs.$

Perspective

When Singapore’s “Iron Rice Bowl” Cracks: What the GovTech Layoffs Mean for Employer Brand

GovTech says its restructuring is not driven by AI, cost-cutting or downsizing. But with 93 employees retrenched and around 300 roles expected to be affected, does the move challenge Singapore’s public sector reputation for iron-clad job security?

By Mike Parsons Jul 17, 2026 10 min read

Perspective

The Sex Recession Is Coming for Your Talent Pipeline

Falling birth rates have an economic story and a cultural one. The cultural one is more interesting... and more troubling.

By Mike Parsons Jul 16, 2026 10 min read

Perspective

Now That The AI Bill Has Arrived, Employers Have a Choice to Make

The promise was simple: AI would lower labour costs. The reality looks messier. If the tools cost as much as the people they were meant to replace, employers now face three ugly options.

By Mike Parsons Jul 9, 2026 8 min read