The latest talent survey suggests employer reputation is becoming a long-term competitive advantage, especially in the race for experienced specialists.
Bakery and confectionery brand Fazer has been named Finland’s most attractive employer for 2026, according to a new Taloustutkimus survey commissioned by Duunitori. Gaming company Supercell, elevator manufacturer Kone, aerospace company Iceye, and defense behemoth Patria rounded out the top five in a ranking based on responses from 5,440 Finns aged 15 to 64.
The results reveal a pattern that extends beyond recruitment marketing. Finland’s strongest employer brands are increasingly built on familiarity, credibility, and employee advocacy rather than visibility alone, according to Duunitori’s report released today.
Several companies in the top 10 — including Fazer, Valio, Paulig, and Hartwall — are consumer brands deeply embedded in Finnish daily life. Others, such as Iceye and Patria, reflect growing interest in technologically advanced and strategically important sectors.
“Strong employers do not remain just well-known names. They create a feeling of what it would actually be like to work there,” Duunitori’s Principal Consultant Lauri Vaisto said.
That distinction matters in a labor market where experienced specialists remain difficult to attract. According to Duunitori’s recruitment study, nearly half of employers consider recruiting senior professionals challenging, even as the overall number of open positions has declined.
The survey also points to a broader shift in how employer reputation spreads. Ninety percent of respondents said positive employee conversations make an organization attractive as a workplace. In practice, that means employer branding is moving away from carefully managed campaigns toward something harder to manufacture: genuine employee experience.
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