Today, employer branding rests on two pillars that need and complement each other: technology and humanity. We have been monitoring how AI is changing the work of EB teams for a long time—but at the same time, we remind ourselves that authenticity does not come from algorithms. We need a human approach that gives communication meaning and real content.
In the previous article, we opened up the strategic level. We wrote about how to incorporate AI into the individual phases of EB strategy creation using the HCEB model. Now comes what interests HR professionals the most: How to do it all in practice?
What Is the RACE Model and Why Does It Work for Employer Branding
The RACE model was created by Smart Insights as a simple and understandable framework for managing digital communication. Its strength lies in describing the four stages in which a person encounters a brand: Reach, Act, Convert, Engage.
For employer branding purposes, we have adapted the RACE model so that it describes not only the marketing funnel, but the entire relationship between the candidate and employee and the brand:
- Reach – how the company enters the awareness of people in the market.
- Act – how it leads them to interaction and active interest.
- Convert – how it creates a moment of trust that turns a candidate into a new colleague.
- Engage – how it builds a long-term relationship with employees and the community.
Thanks to this, we see employer branding not as a series of campaigns, but as a cycle, or rather an ecosystem, in which communication and people’s experiences are interconnected.
And this year, there is one more change: we are adding two lines to each phase — AI (what can be accelerated and made more efficient) and Humans (what must remain human).
Only their combination creates EB that is fast, consistent, and authentic at the same time.
In the image, the Engage phase appears to be the smallest, somewhere at the bottom. But in EB, it is actually the most important. Employees are the most trusted source of information about the company, and every day they determine whether the brand’s reputation is spreading in the right direction—or the opposite. You can have great campaigns, good content, and a functional recruitment process, but if what’s inside is crumbling, the entire EB ecosystem will begin to collapse. Engage is the foundation on which everything else stands—the place where people become brand ambassadors or its biggest critics.
1. R — REACH (Reach Your Audience and Introduce Your Brand)
Reach is the stage at which we make ourselves known to people in the job market. The aim is to show that we exist, that we have something to say, and that we are worth following.
The purpose of the activities in this part is to build initial awareness, arouse curiosity, and open the door to further contact.
What AI can do
AI is strong in everything that needs to be scaled, sorted, and generated:
- it creates text variants for different platforms and target groups,
- analyzes competitor activity and extracts elements that work,
- designs visuals/claims as mood boards,
- and can summarize long internal documents into short, usable posts.
What people must do
To ensure that communication is not “AI generic,” people remain crucial:
- they select stories and photos that truly represent the culture,
- check the tone to ensure that the text does not sound “soulless,”
- add context and real people’s voices,
- and determine which proposals will truly stand the test of time as the brand’s long-term image.
AI expands the possibilities. People determine the character.
2. A — ACT (Attracting Suitable Candidates and Interacting)
The Act phase (short for interact) is where a passive audience becomes an active community. It encompasses all moments when people respond to, comment on, follow, or engage in dialogue with an employer’s brand.
The purpose of activities in this phase is to build a relationship based on interest and voluntary attention — not pressure or advertising.
What AI can do
AI facilitates day-to-day operations:
- it can suggest questions, polls, or microcontent,
- prepare short scripts for quick videos orWhat AI can do Reels,
- and recommend topics based on trends or current sentiment.
What people must do
Engagement is a human discipline:
- moderating discussions and responding to comments,
- responding with empathy and context,
- building dialogue, not broadcasting,
- bringing “humanity” to interactions.
AI can suggest communication. People must live it.
3. C — CONVERT (Winning Over Candidates)
The Convert phase is the moment of truth. At this point, it is no longer just about interest or interaction, but about a decision: will I enter into closer contact with this company?
The purpose of the activities in this part is to create a transition from interest to actual action — responding to an offer, entering the recruitment process, and taking the first step toward an onboarding experience that will determine whether the person stays with the company.
What AI can do
At the conversion level, AI significantly speeds up work:
- it transcribes complex information into understandable texts,
- prepares variants of job or event descriptions,
- and can personalize messages according to segments.
What people must do
Conversions in EB are not “clicks.” They are moments of trust:
- creating a strong first contact—human, not generated,
- being transparent about the values, expectations, and reality of the team,
- conveying the feeling: “these people could be my colleagues.”
AI can explain. People can convince.
4. E — ENGAGE (Involving Colleagues and Building Long-Term Relationships)
The Engage phase is a period when a one-time experience becomes a long-term relationship. It is work that began after joining the company and practically never ends. It is about how the company cares for people, supports them, listens to them, and creates an environment where they want to stay.
The purpose of activities in this phase is to turn employees and the wider community into brand ambassadors who believe in and stand behind the brand even outside of official communications.
What AI can do
In long-term communication, AI is an invaluable analyst:
- it evaluates feedback and trends topics,
- proposes communication cycles, seasonal lines, or content frameworks,
- and helps maintain rhythm and consistency.
What people must do
Engagement is at the core of EB—AI can help here, but it cannot replace it:
- building relationships within and around the company,
- listening—truly listening, not just measuring,
- leading rituals, supporting teams and culture,
- maintaining authenticity and emotional quality in communication.
AI monitors the process. People build relationships.
AI Won’t do EB for You – but It Will Give You a Head Start
Employer branding doesn’t happen overnight. AI is an accelerator, not a brand creator. And that’s why the RACE model works: it allows you to view employer brand development as a process and a journey, understand the purpose of each phase, and thoughtfully combine the possibilities of smart digital tools with the human touch that creates a real experience.
If EB teams adopt this “dual mode,” they will gain two things that are essential for success in today’s job market:
- Speed and efficiency in execution.
- Authenticity that cannot be copied.
Would you like to set up EB activities according to the RACE model for your EB team? So that AI works where it makes sense—and people where they are irreplaceable?
Build Your Employer Brandwith Quality Content
A strong employer brand does not happen by luck. It requires consistent, attractive, and strategically managed content.
That is exactly what we can help you with. As part of our content service, we will create articles, videos, social media posts, and internal communications for you.
Simply everything that will truly bring your brand to life.
I enjoy connecting people who belong together, supporting their cooperation and inspiring them to find new solutions. I help companies create an attractive employer brand. I am interested in design thinking, lean approaches and agile marketing. You can also meet me as a lecturer at our workshops.
