Employer branding A no-nonsense approach - CIPD

if you’re planning on running focus groups in mainland main cost elements of research – and remember, these
Europe or other parts of the world, the cost of will almost certainly be the major cost elements of the
incentives rises dramatically. Having said that it’s
possible to give a reasonably detailed breakdown of the
whole brand development project.
Guide to research costs
The following guide is based on 2007 prices and is intended to illustrate the average costs you can expect
to incur when commissioning a reputable research or communications business to deliver the research
component of an employer brand programme.
External focus groups
A programme of focus groups made up of the kind of people that you want your employer brand to
reach and influence will be made up of a number of components:
Recruitment costs reflect how difficult it will be to find people who match your target profile and how
much persuading and project management will be involved in getting a group of them together to discuss
your issues. A relatively easy target profile, say people working in customer service jobs in the Leeds area,
might cost as little as £250 per group to recruit. A more complex profile, such as senior female managers
within major technology businesses, would present a much harder job for a recruiter and could take
several days’ work to populate even a single session. So recruitment fees in this case could be £750 or
more per group. It’s often the costs and practicality of group recruitment that dictate whether focus group
work is the right approach for your project.
Incentives are the rewards paid to the respondents themselves for turning up to your focus group. They
range from around £10 per session for students, through to perhaps £25–£40 for contact centre and
general staff, to £100 or more for professionals, managers and specialists. In some cases, respondents can
be motivated by a non-cash incentive such as a box of wine, store vouchers or a donation to charity.
Venue hire costs will depend on whether you use a community centre, a hotel conference room or a
purpose-built viewing suite. A neutral venue is often essential if people are to feel comfortable talking
about working for employers other than their own, so it’s worth the investment. Allow £150 for a
mid-range hotel venue and perhaps another £30–£50 per group for refreshments.
Moderation fees will usually be based on the day rate of the person who’s running the groups for you.
An experienced moderator will be able to run up to four groups in a single working day (but remember to
allow for travelling time, preparation, and so on), which can bring costs down, but in practice you should
allow for up to a half-day per group. Day rates might range from £400 to £1,000 and more, depending
on the moderator’s experience and speciality. Some groups (including those among people with
disabilities, or longer workshop sessions) may require more than one person to run them properly.
Analysis and reporting will often be done by the same person who moderated your focus groups and
will probably be based on the same day rates outlined above. You can expect to receive a report of what
respondents said at the groups (suitably anonymous to protect individual confidentiality), together with
some conclusions and recommendations. This takes time and thought to put together, and for a
programme of groups will usually take a few days to complete.
Employer branding