Hartlauer: Lion-Strong as an Employer

“Tigern Sie zum Löwen” is a slogan every child in Austria knows. Since the 1970s, Hartlauer has been a highly popular and successful retail brand. Around 1,900 people work across Austria in 160 stores. This makes the family-owned company an attractive regional employer: diverse and passionate about development. With its four pillars hearing acoustics, optics, photo, and mobile, and the opportunity to move between divisions through training and further education, careers can truly evolve.

Strong in sales. Now strong in jobs.

Culture workshops and interviews quickly led us to the right value track: employees and leaders alike are

Quality Thinkers
True Lions
Enablers

The claim “Make your way with the Lion” is not a recruiting slogan, but an invitation to take ownership. Those who work here help shape the company, assume responsibility, and continuously develop themselves and their area. Through our ongoing collaboration since 2023, we have gradually connected all the puzzle pieces of a strong employer brand.

From the employer value proposition to trade fair appearances, from digital screens to a lion-strong onboarding process – nothing was left untouched. Leaders and employees repeatedly engaged with the values, produced videos, put on running socks, and prepared welcome packages.

Numbers that roar.

A comparison of Q1 2023 to Q1 2024 shows clearly:

+30.9% more applications
+500% higher engagement rate
+350% longer dwell time
+177.8% more activated job alerts

Show your mane instead of wearing a muzzle.

A special lever followed at the end of 2025. A company traditionally known for very strict approval processes consciously chose greater trust. HR gave the green light to 12 social media job ambassadors – volunteers from all four divisions and different hierarchy levels.

The risk was real: posting content on Instagram without classic approval loops.
The ambition is just as real: bold and authentic.
The interim result: reach of up to 37,000 views per post and high engagement within a very short time.

What truly matters, however, is something else: the employer brand is no longer explained – it is demonstrated. A strong positioning has evolved into a culture carried outward. “Make your way with the Lion” can now be watched from the front row, feet up.