Employer Brand Pulse 2026: Latvia
The rules haven’t changed. Trust has. Latvian talent now expects proof, not promises.
Talent expectations are shifting from distant promises and company admiration to immediate value, tangible proof, and meaningful contribution. Candidate skepticism grows and employers can no longer rely solely on passive claims of stability or past company success.
The Latvian results of the Employer Brand Pulse study 2026 are in. Every year, Civitta tracks employer attraction across the Baltics. We go beyond asking what people say matters. By analyzing employer choices alongside image and culture associations among white-collar specialists, we identify which qualities truly drive attraction and how their importance is shifting.
What’s shifting?
In Latvia, the core foundations of employer branding remain strong: reputation, positive employee feedback, competitive compensation, meaningful work, and a supportive environment continue to matter. What’s changing is the test employers have to pass.
- Your success isn’t their story. Being a successful, growing company fell from #1 to #5, while interesting, meaningful products or services rose from #5 to #2. Growth used to promise opportunity and security – then growing companies cut jobs too. Don’t invite talent to admire. Invite them to build: show what you make, who it helps and where they’d fit in.
- “Later” is a hard sell. “Now” sells. Career growth opportunities slipped from #3 to #6 and secure, stable employment from #4 to #8. Meanwhile, flexible working climbed from #6 to #3 and competitive compensation from #7 to #4. People still care about the future – they just weigh what they can check today. Lead with what’s real now, then talk about tomorrow.
- Control reassures. It doesn’t attract. Among culture factors, control and stability dropped from #3 to #7, while a friendly, supportive working environment rose from #4 to #1, and promoting ideas, innovation and initiative from #5 to #2. A well-run company is expected. Room to contribute – with support when you try – is what attracts.
- Flexibility needs a frame. Flexible working climbed, but so did a structured workplace with established processes (#6 to #4). Less control doesn’t mean no rules. People want freedom in how they work, inside a system that makes it work: show me how things work, then trust me to do it.
Being known is one thing. Being considered is another.
Our 2026 Employer Attraction Pyramid groups Latvian employers by how well they turn awareness into consideration. Every company on it is a strong employer – many we measured didn’t make it simply because not enough people know them.
Different positions call for different next steps. “More to prove” employers need to give clearer reasons to join. “Polarizing” ones should look at who they attract, who they don’t, and why. “Private party” employers are loved by those who know them – the job is to take that story wider. “Crossing stars” already earn strong consideration and can build it further. And at the top, broad recognition meets broad appeal – the task is to stay relevant as expectations move.
Meet Latvia’s 2026 Top 10
Congratulations to the employers with the highest overall Employer Attraction Index among the companies measured in Latvia:
Different strengths deserve their moment, too
This year, we are introducing nominations to celebrate the different ways employers stand out:
- Strongest Pull Employer: Swedbank. Swedbank’s employer reputation works like a magnet: 73% of those familiar with the company as an employer would consider joining. Looks like interest compounds here, too.
- The Sector Bridge: TET. The publicly owned employer with the strongest overall attraction across both private- and public-sector professionals. Connecting people is the day job – connecting both sides of the labour market, apparently, too.
- Career Forge: Playtech. The employer most strongly associated with broad career opportunities. Talent sees more than one level of game here – and a career worth playing for.
- Talent Magnet: EY. Most strongly associated with attracting talented people who want to work there. And as we know, talent attracts talent. Even the auditors would sign off on that.
- People Development Leader: ATEA. Stems out most strongly for a culture associated with employee learning and professional development. ATEA stands out most strongly for a culture associated with employee development – likely, people grow here faster than the office plants.
- Enabling Wellbeing Culture: MikroTik. MikroTik earns the highest overall perceived workplace culture health score: more support, less chaos, bureaucracy and pressure – at least in talent’s eyes.
- Debut of the Year: Circle K Business Centre. The strongest result among employers measured in the study for the first time. Bold style, strong debut. Its employer profile is still under the radar, but 44% of those familiar with it as an employer would consider joining.
- The Smooth Operator: SEB. Most strongly linked with clear, established processes. Great work takes enough energy without having to guess how things get done. SEB stands out as the employer where there’s a clear way forward.
What’s next?
Found your company? Let’s find your next move.
Your position tells you where you stand. Understanding it helps you decide what to do next. We’ll show where your appeal builds, where it stalls, and what deserves attention in your 2027 strategy – from positioning to employee experience and communication.
Didn’t spot your logo? You don’t have to wait a year to start. Let’s explore what this year’s research can offer your business and discuss inclusion in the next study.
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Your business has plans. Let’s make sure the people you need can see their future in them.
