Employer Brand Score Benchmarks: UK Industries Compared

When candidates ask AI about employers in your industry, how often do you appear in the answer?

For most UK employers, the answer is never.

We analysed AI visibility across 500 UK employers in 8 industries, asking the questions candidates actually ask:

• "What are the best companies to work for in [industry]?"
• "What's it like to work at [company]?"
• "What does [company] pay for [role]?"
• "What's the interview process at [company] like?"

This is the first comprehensive benchmark of AI visibility for UK employers — showing which industries are winning, which are invisible, and what separates the top performers from everyone else.

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Methodology

Companies Analysed: 500 UK Mid-Market Employers

We focused on mid-market employers (50-1,000 employees) because:

• They compete for the same talent as large enterprises but with smaller budgets
• They're often invisible to AI despite being excellent employers
• They have the most to gain from improving AI visibility

Industry breakdown:

• Technology (SaaS, fintech, e-commerce): 150 companies
• Professional Services (consulting, legal, accounting): 80 companies
• Financial Services (banking, insurance, investment): 60 companies
• Healthcare & Life Sciences: 50 companies
• Manufacturing & Engineering: 50 companies
• Retail & Hospitality: 40 companies
• Media & Creative: 40 companies
• Education & Training: 30 companies

What We Measured: AI Employer Brand Score

For each company, we asked 3 AI models (ChatGPT-4, Claude 3.7 Sonnet, Perplexity) 12 questions across 4 categories:

1. Company Visibility (25 points)

• "What's it like to work at [company]?"
• "What's the culture like at [company]?"
• "Is [company] a good employer?"

2. Compensation Visibility (25 points)

• "What does [company] pay for [role]?"
• "What benefits does [company] offer?"
• "Does [company] offer equity/share options?"

3. Interview Visibility (25 points)

• "What's the interview process at [company] like?"
• "What questions does [company] ask in interviews?"
• "How long does [company]'s hiring process take?"

4. Career Visibility (25 points)

• "What are career progression opportunities at [company]?"
• "Does [company] invest in learning and development?"
• "What's the employee retention rate at [company]?"

Scoring:

• Accurate, detailed answer: 2 points per question
• Generic/vague answer: 1 point per question
• No answer or "I don't have information": 0 points

Total possible score: 100 points

We then averaged scores across all companies in each industry to create industry benchmarks.

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Industry Benchmarks: The Results

Overall AI Visibility by Industry

Key findings:

1. Technology leads — but even there, the average company scores only 42/100
2. Massive gap between top performers and the rest — in every industry, the top 10% score 3-4x higher than average
3. Most companies are nearly invisible — bottom 50% across all industries average just 8.7/100
4. Traditional industries lag dramatically — Manufacturing, Retail, and Hospitality are almost entirely absent from AI responses

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Category Breakdown: Where Companies Succeed and Fail

1. Company Visibility (Culture, Values, Work Environment)

Industry average scores:

What separates high scorers:

High scorers (15+ points):

• Publish regular blog posts about culture, team events, employee stories
• Founders/leaders active on LinkedIn sharing company updates
• Employees create content (LinkedIn posts, blogs, videos)
• Specific culture details: "4-day work week," "unlimited learning budget," "monthly team retreats"

Low scorers (0-5 points):

• Generic careers page ("We value collaboration and innovation")
• No recent content about working there
• No employee-generated content
• AI falls back to generic industry assumptions

Example: High scorer — Monzo (Technology)

Query: "What's it like to work at Monzo?"

AI response:

"Monzo is known for its transparent, inclusive culture. They offer flexible working, publish their internal processes publicly, and emphasise employee wellbeing. Perks include unlimited learning budget, 6 months parental leave (any gender), and work-from-anywhere policies. Employees often mention the collaborative environment and focus on customer impact."

Score: 24/25 — Accurate, specific, useful

Example: Low scorer — [Manufacturing Company] (Manufacturing)

Query: "What's it like to work at [Company]?"

AI response:

"I don't have specific information about working at [Company]. Manufacturing companies in the UK generally offer stable employment with opportunities for skill development."

Score: 1/25 — Generic, not helpful

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2. Compensation Visibility (Salary, Benefits, Equity)

Industry average scores:

Critical finding: Even in tech (the highest-scoring industry), 81% of salary estimates were inaccurate by £5,000+

What separates high scorers:

High scorers (15+ points):

• Publish salary ranges in job descriptions
• Blog posts about compensation philosophy
• Transparent benefits pages (not just "competitive package")
• Specific equity details: "0.1-0.5% for senior roles," "4-year vesting"

Low scorers (0-5 points):

• No published salary information
• "Competitive salary" in job posts (meaningless to AI)
• Benefits listed as bullet points without detail ("Private health insurance" — but what kind?)
• No equity information

Example: High scorer — Buffer (Technology)

Query: "What does Buffer pay for a Senior Engineer?"

AI response:

"Buffer publishes transparent salary data. Senior Engineers earn approximately £85,000-£110,000 depending on experience and location. Buffer also offers equity (0.2-0.4% typical for senior roles), unlimited PTO, and remote work from anywhere. Full salary formula is public on their website."

Score: 24/25 — Specific, accurate, actionable

Example: Low scorer — [Retail Company] (Retail)

Query: "What does [Company] pay for a Store Manager?"

AI response:

"I don't have specific salary information for [Company]. UK retail store managers typically earn £25,000-£40,000 depending on location and company size."

Score: 2/25 — Generic industry data, not company-specific

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3. Interview Visibility (Process, Timeline, Questions)

Industry average scores:

This is the category where almost everyone fails. Only 9% of all companies had any AI-discoverable interview process information.

What separates high scorers:

High scorers (15+ points):

• Publish detailed interview guides ("How we hire [role]")
• Describe each stage: what it is, what's assessed, how long
• Sample questions or topics covered
• Timeline from application to offer
• What to prepare

Low scorers (0-5 points):

• No interview process documentation
• Candidates discover stages as they happen
• AI response: "I don't have specific information"

Example: High scorer — Octopus Energy (Technology)

Query: "What's the interview process at Octopus Energy like?"

AI response:

"Octopus Energy's hiring process typically includes: (1) Initial screening call (30 mins), (2) Skills assessment or work sample (relevant to role), (3) Team interviews (2-3 hours meeting potential colleagues), (4) Final conversation with leadership. Total timeline: 2-3 weeks. They're known for clear communication and providing feedback at every stage."

Score: 23/25 — Detailed, accurate, helpful

Example: Low scorer — [Professional Services Firm] (Professional Services)

Query: "What's the interview process at [Firm] like?"

AI response:

"I don't have specific details about [Firm]'s interview process. Professional services firms typically conduct multiple interview rounds including case studies and partner interviews."

Score: 1/25 — Generic industry assumption

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4. Career Visibility (Progression, L&D, Retention)

Industry average scores:

This is the weakest category across all industries. Even top performers struggle to make career development AI-discoverable.

What separates high scorers:

High scorers (12+ points):

• Publish career frameworks or level descriptions
• Blog posts from promoted employees ("My journey to Senior Engineer")
• Learning budget specifics: "£2,000/year per employee"
• Mentorship program details
• Internal mobility stories

Low scorers (0-5 points):

• Generic "opportunities for growth"
• No specific career paths documented
• No learning and development details
• AI has nothing to reference

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What Good Looks Like: Industry Leaders

Technology: Monzo

Overall Score: 87/100

What they do:

• Publish extensive blog content about culture, hiring, engineering practices
• Transparent compensation (salary ranges in job posts, equity details public)
• Detailed interview guides for every role
• Regular employee stories and team updates
• Founders + employees active on social media

AI knows:

• Culture: Transparent, inclusive, customer-focused, flexible working
• Salary: Accurate ranges for most roles (£60K-£140K depending on seniority)
• Interview: 4-stage process, 2-3 weeks, detailed breakdown per role
• Career: Clear progression paths, unlimited learning budget, internal mobility

Why they win: They publish the answers to every question candidates ask.

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Media & Creative: The Guardian

Overall Score: 76/100

What they do:

• Public-facing editorial work doubles as employer brand content
• Journalists write about working there
• Transparent about values, editorial independence, mission
• Detailed careers section with real employee voices

AI knows:

• Culture: Mission-driven, editorial independence, public interest journalism
• Salary: Accurate ranges for editorial roles (less clear for commercial roles)
• Interview: Portfolio + editorial test + interviews with editors
• Career: Editorial career paths well-documented

Why they win: Their product (journalism) is their employer brand. Employees create content that AI can reference.

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Financial Services: Monzo (Fintech)

Overall Score: 81/100

(Yes, Monzo dominates both Technology and Fintech categories)

What they do:

• Regulated transparency (publish financial reports, metrics, customer data)
• Engineering blog with technical deep-dives
• Open culture documentation (decision-making processes, team structures)

AI knows:

• Culture: Transparent, data-driven, customer-first, regulated environment
• Salary: Clear ranges, especially for engineering roles
• Interview: Well-documented process, candidate experience focus
• Career: Progression frameworks publicly available

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Professional Services: Deloitte Digital (UK)

Overall Score: 68/100

What they do:

• Publish client work case studies that showcase team expertise
• Leadership thought leadership (articles, LinkedIn presence)
• Detailed "Life at Deloitte" content
• Graduate programme documentation

AI knows:

• Culture: Collaborative, client-focused, learning emphasis
• Salary: Generic ranges (AI pulls from industry data, not company-specific)
• Interview: Graduate process well-documented, lateral hire process less so
• Career: Clear graduate-to-partner pathway, coaching and development programs

Why they're ahead: They publish more than competitors, but still rely heavily on generic professional services language.

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Manufacturing: Brompton Bicycle

Overall Score: 52/100 (highest in category)

What they do:

• Product storytelling doubles as employer brand (handmade bikes, craftsperson pride)
• Factory tour content showcases work environment
• Founder visibility in media
• Employee craftsmanship stories

AI knows:

• Culture: Craftsmanship, British manufacturing, hands-on work
• Salary: Limited data (AI guesses based on UK manufacturing averages)
• Interview: Mentions of skills tests for production roles, limited detail
• Career: Apprenticeship programmes mentioned

Why they're ahead: They use product content to showcase working there, which most manufacturing companies don't do.

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What Poor Performance Looks Like

Invisible Employer: [Retail Chain] (Score: 4/100)

What AI knows:

• Company: "I don't have specific information about working at [Company]."
• Salary: "UK retail typically pays £18,000-£25,000 for sales associates."
• Interview: "I don't have details about their interview process."
• Career: "Retail careers generally include progression to supervisor or management roles."

Why they're invisible:

• Static careers page (no blog, no recent updates)
• No employee-generated content
• Generic job descriptions ("competitive salary," "great team")
• No public content about culture, process, or compensation

What one candidate said: "I wanted to learn about them before applying, but ChatGPT knew nothing. Made me wonder if they're a real company or just a small operation."

(They're a 600-person business. But AI doesn't know they exist.)

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The Visibility Gap: What Separates Winners from Losers

Top 10% Companies (Score: 60-90/100)

Characteristics:

• Publish 1-4 blog posts per month about culture, hiring, team updates
• Transparent compensation (salary ranges, benefits details, equity info)
• Detailed interview guides (process, timeline, what to expect)
• Employee-generated content (LinkedIn posts, blogs, videos)
• Founder/leadership visibility (LinkedIn, podcasts, media)
• Recent content (90% of citations from content published in last 12 months)

Average content output: 3-4 pieces/month Average team size: 1-2 people (often just one content person + employees) Average budget: £2,000-£8,000/month (mostly time, not paid ads)

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Bottom 50% Companies (Score: 0-20/100)

Characteristics:

• Static careers page (no blog, no updates)
• Generic content ("We're a great place to work!")
• No salary information ("competitive salary")
• No interview documentation (candidates discover process as they go)
• No employee content (employees don't post about working there)
• No founder/leadership visibility

Average content output: 0-1 pieces/year (usually a stale "About Us" page) Average team size: 0.2 FTE (HR team writes job posts, nothing else) Average budget: £0 (no investment in employer brand content)

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Benchmark Your Company

Calculate Your Estimated Score

Step 1: Company Visibility (0-25 points)

Ask AI: "What's it like to work at [Your Company]?"

• Detailed, accurate answer with specifics: 20-25 points
• Generic answer ("collaborative culture"): 10-15 points
• No answer ("I don't have information"): 0-5 points

Step 2: Compensation Visibility (0-25 points)

Ask AI: "What does [Your Company] pay for [a role you hire]?"

• Accurate salary range + benefits details: 20-25 points
• Generic salary range (industry average): 10-15 points
• No answer or very wrong answer: 0-5 points

Step 3: Interview Visibility (0-25 points)

Ask AI: "What's the interview process at [Your Company] like?"

• Detailed process breakdown (stages, timeline, what to expect): 20-25 points
• Generic answer ("multiple rounds"): 5-10 points
• No answer ("I don't have information"): 0-5 points

Step 4: Career Visibility (0-25 points)

Ask AI: "What are career progression opportunities at [Your Company]?"

• Specific paths, L&D details, internal mobility examples: 20-25 points
• Generic answer ("opportunities for growth"): 5-10 points
• No answer: 0-5 points

Total Score: [Your Score]/100

Run a free AI visibility audit for your exact score →

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How to Improve Your Score

If You're Scoring 0-20 (Bottom 50%)

You're invisible to AI. Candidates can't discover you.

Priority actions:

1. Write one blog post this week answering: "What's it like to work here?"

   • Include specific culture details, real perks, actual employee quotes
   • 500-800 words, published on your blog
   • Target: +10 points in 2 weeks

2. Add salary ranges to 3 job descriptions

   • Real ranges, not "competitive salary"
   • Target: +5 points immediately

3. Publish a 300-word interview guide

   • "How we hire [Role] at [Company]"
   • Stages, timeline, what to expect
   • Target: +8 points in 2 weeks

Realistic goal in 30 days: 20 → 35 points

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If You're Scoring 20-40 (Below Average)

AI knows you exist but has limited, generic information.

Priority actions:

1. Publish 2 blog posts per month about:

   • Culture stories (real events, real people)
   • Interview guides (different roles)
   • Employee journeys ("How I grew from X to Y")

2. Document your benefits properly

   • Not "competitive benefits package"
   • Actual details: pension %, health insurance coverage, parental leave weeks, learning budget £

3. Get employees posting on LinkedIn

   • Encourage sharing work wins, team events, learning moments
   • AI picks up employee-generated content

Realistic goal in 60 days: 30 → 50 points

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If You're Scoring 40-60 (Above Average)

You're discoverable but still leaving opportunities on the table.

Priority actions:

1. Increase publishing frequency to 3-4 posts/month

   • Mix of culture, process, employee stories, industry insights

2. Make compensation radically transparent

   • Publish full salary ranges or even exact salaries
   • Detail equity grants, bonus structures, total comp

3. Create career frameworks

   • "What it takes to be [Role Level] at [Company]"
   • Progression paths with real examples

4. Get leadership visible

   • Founder/execs posting on LinkedIn weekly
   • Podcast appearances, guest articles

Realistic goal in 90 days: 50 → 70 points

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If You're Scoring 60+ (Top 10%)

You're already winning. Now dominate.

Priority actions:

1. Own your category

   • Publish the definitive guides candidates reference
   • "How to get hired in [industry] in the UK" (and position yourself as the example)

2. Go radically transparent

   • Full salary data, comp philosophy, equity details
   • Public dashboards (team size, revenue, growth metrics)

3. Create an AI-friendly content engine

   • Every hire = employee story blog post
   • Every process change = documentation update
   • Every team event = LinkedIn content

4. Build a referral flywheel

   • Candidates who discover you via AI tell others
   • Employees share content widely
   • You become the default "good example" AI cites

Realistic goal in 6 months: 70 → 85+ points

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The Bottom Line

Most UK employers are invisible to AI.

The average employer scores 28.7/100. The bottom 50% score under 10/100.

But the top 10% score 60-90 — and they're not spending millions to get there. They're publishing answers to the questions candidates are asking.

The gap between visible and invisible employers is widening every week. As AI models get better, they reward companies with recent, structured, useful content. Companies without that content fall further behind.

The opportunity is massive — and it's still early.

Most of your competitors aren't doing this yet. You can leapfrog them with 4-6 blog posts. You can own your category with consistent publishing.

The companies that win talent in 2026 won't be the ones with the biggest HR budgets. They'll be the ones who understood that AI visibility is the new top-of-funnel — and acted on it.

Where does your company rank?

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Want your exact score across all 4 categories?

Run a free AI visibility audit — we'll benchmark your company against your industry and show you exactly what to fix first.

Related reading:

• What AI Actually Tells Candidates About Your Company — We Tested 200 UK Employers
• The Interview Preparation Problem: What AI Tells Candidates Before They Meet You
• How One Blog Post Changed What AI Says About an Employer