Greet Van Hoye

• Ph.D. in I/O Psychology
• Professor (Associate) at Ghent University

This study draws from brand positioning research to introduce the notions of points‐of‐relevance and points‐of‐difference to employer image research. Similar to prior research, this means that we start by investigating the relevant image attributes (points‐of‐relevance) that potential applicants use for judging organizations' attractiveness as an e...

Employees play a central role in organizational functioning and representation. HR managers thus strive to create an attractive employer image that stimulates employees' attachment and ambassadorship. However, presently, there is limited research about how employees perceive and react toward their organization's employer brand. More importantly, th...

Based on principles from positive psychology and broaden‐and‐build theory, we examined whether conducting a Three Good Job Search Things intervention can increase metacognitive activities among job seekers. We further theorize that positive affect (i.e., activating and deactivating) serves as a mediating mechanism for the effect of the reflection i...

Word-of-mouth (WOM) is a valued source of employment information for job seekers. Given mixed prior research findings, we do not yet understand when and why negative WOM affects applicant decision-making. Building on signaling theory and brand equity literature, we propose that the strength of the negative signal provided by negative WOM varies dep...

Online negative reviews about organisations as employers can have a negative impact on potential applicants’ organisational attractiveness. However, due to a lack of research, organisations do not know how to manage attitudes after a negative review. Based on attribution theory and signalling theory, we conducted two experimental studies investigat...

Increasingly, (potential) employees take their well-being into account when choosing or quitting jobs. However, we do not yet know whether and how organizations can influence applicant attraction by communicating their well-being policy within recruitment materials. Based on signaling theory, we hypothesize that a well-being policy functions as a s...

Employer branding has emerged as a strategic imperative in the quest for talent. However, existing research has predominantly explored stable periods, overlooking the possible transformative impact of crises and the crucial role that HR managers play in crafting internal employer branding strategies. As such, this research addresses this by scrutin...

This paper investigates how organizations' response to a crisis such as the COVID-19 pandemic affects their employer attractiveness. Based on signaling theory, we argue that a COVID-19 response can signal an organization's employer brand personality, positively affecting applicant attraction. We conducted two experimental studies with employed and...

Op 3 mei 2022 publiceerden we een Story @ UGent @ Work omtrent inactiviteit (i.e. personen die noch werken, noch werk zoeken) in België, op basis van de nieuwste Eurostat-cijfers. Dit kreeg toen brede aandacht in de media en in de communicatie van verschillende beleidsmensen, zoals parlementairen, partijvoorzitters en regeringsleden. Een vraag die...

Job search quality is important for unemployed individuals pursuing reemployment. To comprehensively measure job search quality, we develop and test a 20-item Job Search Quality Scale (JSQS), using four samples of unemployed individuals (pilot sample, N=218; exploration sample, N=3372; confirmation sample, N=3372; and replication sample, N=434). Re...

Over the past years, the school-to-work transition has become more volatile and complex, making it more important for graduates to take charge of their careers and to engage in self-regulatory activities. A central factor in successfully navigating this transition is job search. Integrating the social cognitive model of career self-management with...

De uitbraak van de Covid-19-pandemie in het begin van 2020 en de bijhorende coronacrisis heeft tot een bijzondere situatie op de arbeidsmarkt geleid. Eerder onderzoek toonde reeds aan dat een dergelijke crisis kan zorgen voor veranderingen in het werkzoekproces en psychisch welzijn van werkzoekenden. Of dit ook geldt voor de coronacrisis is voorlop...

This paper explores employees’ perceptions regarding the inconsistent images of luxury hotels. Based on individual interviews with 16 employees (front and backline staff), 4 managers, and 2 hospitality experts from Pakistan, the study found that five-star hotels’ employees experienced wide inconsistencies between their organizations’ external hotel...

Aims To investigate the impact of promising a referral bonus and an autonomous referral request on nurses’ referral likelihood and the quality of their referrals. Design We applied a 2 × 2 between‐participants factorial design with referral bonus and autonomous referral request as experimental variables. Methods In May 2019, 110 nurses working in...

Based on a self‐regulatory approach, we propose that students searching for an internship following a high‐quality process will show greater search success. In a sample of 191 Belgian final year students looking for an internship, the quality of students’ search process was positively related to both self‐reported and objective search outcomes, bey...

This study examines how social media pages can be used to influence potential applicants’ attraction. Based on the uses and gratifications theory, this study examines whether organizations can manipulate the communication characteristics informativeness and social presence on their social media page to positively affect organizational attractivenes...

The purpose of this study is to examine how potential applicants' exposure to an organization's social media page relates to their subsequent organizational attractiveness perceptions and word-of-mouth intentions. Based on signaling theory and the theory of symbolic attraction, we propose that potential applicants rely on perceived communication ch...

This two‐wave field study draws from social cognitive theory to investigate the specific job search self‐efficacy beliefs and behaviors of unemployed ethnic minority women in the Netherlands. We go beyond prior job search research that predominantly used white samples and conceptualized job search self‐efficacy and behavior as global, unidimensiona...

De meerderheid van de werkzoekenden is actief op sociale media. Deze platformen zijn daarom veelbelovende tools voor rekrutering en employer branding. Organisaties kunnen sociale media aanwenden om huidige vacatures in te vullen, maar ook om een aantrekkelijk employer brand te creëren met het oog op toekomstige aanwervingen. Ondanks dat meer en mee...

Recruitment research on person–organization fit has typically focused on organizations’ fit with potential applicants’ actual self, not considering other possible self-images. Based on image congruity theory, we investigate how actual and ideal self-congruity relate to application intentions and intentions to spread word-of-mouth. In a first study,...

Even though some organizations are trying to attract high-level applicants through offering superior compensation and benefits, reward statements in job advertisements are sometimes rather general and vague. On the basis of person-environment fit theories, we examine whether providing more specific information on attractive reward packages in job a...

The purpose of this study is to examine the effects of potential applicants' awareness of employees being rewarded for referrals on organizational attractiveness, based on credibility theory and the multiple inference model. In a first study (N=450), final-year students were less attracted to the organization when they knew employee referrals were...

Aim To investigate whether and how nurses’ exposure to a hospital’s profile on social media affects their perceptions of the hospital’s brand and attractiveness as an employer. Background Since in many places across the globe hospitals are struggling with nursing shortages, competition is rising to be perceived as an attractive employer by this tar...

Both theoretical models of job search and empirical research findings suggest that job search behavior is not a unidimensional construct. This chapter addresses the multidimensionality of job search behavior and provides a systematic review of the different job search behaviors and sources studied in the job search literature and their relationship...

We apply a policy-capturing design to examine the conditions under which word-of-mouth is most effective in recruitment. The effect of monetary incentives is compared to other key characteristics of word-of-mouth (the source, recipient, and message content) that might affect its impact on organizational attractiveness. In a first study, unemployed...

We extend prior research by examining whether, and how, applicant-employee fit in the personality traits of conscientiousness, agreeableness, and extraversion affect organizational attractiveness. We test hypotheses based on similarity-attraction theory and trait activation theory. Results from two studies indicate that applicants high in valued tr...

Research on job search and the theory of planned behavior (TPB) has identified job search attitude, subjective norm, and job search self-efficacy as the most proximal determinants of job seekers’ search intentions and subsequently job search behaviors. However, we do not yet know how more distal individual differences (e.g., personality) and situat...

As competition for funding and students intensifies, it becomes increasingly important for psychology programs to have an image that is attractive and makes them stand out from other programs. The current study uses the instrumental–symbolic framework from the marketing domain to determine the image of different master’s programs in psychology and...

Despite the ongoing worldwide economic recession, the “war for talent” continues as organizations struggle to strike a balance between keeping a lean workforce yet attracting the necessary talent to ensure organizational success and survival. Recent studies have moved the recruitment field forward by using marketing theories and constructs to furth...

Despite the social realities of job seeking, few studies have addressed how and why employment information received by other people affects organizational attraction. This chapter first discusses the characteristics of word-of-mouth as a recruitment source and then provides a systematic review of its determinants and outcomes studied in previous re...

Due to the worldwide economic recession many people lost their jobs whereas graduating students experience substantial difficulties landing their first job. Given that unemployment has detrimental effects on the well-being of individuals and their families, it is imperative to advance our understanding of the job search and (re)employment process....

As previous research focused on the outcomes of employee referrals, not much is known about its determinants. This study examined employees’ intrinsic, prosocial, and extrinsic motives for encouraging versus discouraging others to apply with their employer. In a sample of 232 employees from two organizations, job satisfaction, the desire to help jo...

Research on recruitment and employer branding has typically been situated in Western countries with predominantly individualistic cultures. The present study investigates the instrumental-symbolic framework for studying organizations’ image and attraction as an employer in a non-Western collectivistic culture. In a large nationwide sample of Turkis...

In a field experiment, we investigated the impact of a ‘strange’ recruitment medium on the quantity and quality of the applicant pool. Recruiting through an unusual medium (i.e., postcard) was associated with higher applicant pool quantity, as compared to a more frequently used medium (i.e., e‐mail). With respect to quality, applicants recruited th...

Time structure has been found to be an important coping mechanism for dealing with the negative effects of unemployment on psychological well-being. This study extends the literature by investigating personality (openness to experience, conscientiousness, extraversion, neuroticism, and proactivity) and role demands (marital status, being the only b...

Job seeking is an important aspect throughout people’s careers. Extant theory and research has focused on one particular dimension of job search, that is, intensity/effort (i.e., job search quantity), posing that intensity/effort importantly affects employment success. The present conceptual paper extends job search theory by arguing for the import...

Previous research on recruitment sources has mostly focused on post-hire instead of pre-hire outcomes and has typically applied a very rudimentary classification of sources on the basis of the formal-informal distinction. The present study relied on a theory-driven taxonomy to identify four major types of recruitment sources (recruitment advertisin...

Abstract This chapter reviews five key components,of the recruitment process with regard to an aging workforce. First, targeted recruitment entails that organizations understand the needs, preferences, and strengths of older workers. Second, the recruitment message should communicate job and organizational characteristics that are attractive to old...

Unemployed people report lower levels of psychological well-being than employed individuals. However, when unemployed individuals perceive their use of time to be structured and purposive, this negative effect of unemployment on psychological well-being is reduced. This study investigated whether personality – as measured by the Big Five framework...

Psychological well-being during unemployment: the role of personality and perception of time structure Psychological well-being during unemployment: the role of personality and perception of time structure Gedrag & Organisatie, volume 24, September 2011, nr. 3, pp. 207-232.Unemployed people report lower levels of psychological well-being than emplo...

This study investigates perceptions of organisational image and attractiveness among 200 potential applicants for the Belgian Defense and the person (e.g. friend, parent) accompanying them to a job fair. The instrumental-symbolic framework is applied to conceptualise the key dimensions of an organisation's image as an employer. The results indicate...

Although networking is typically recommended as a job search strategy in the popular press, research on networking as a job search behaviour is scarce. On the basis of social network theory, the present study investigated whether the structure and composition of job seekers' social network determined their networking behaviour and moderated its rel...

To advance knowledge of word-of-mouth as a company-independent recruitment source, this study draws on conceptualizations of word-of-mouth in the marketing literature. The sample consisted of 612 potential applicants targeted by the Belgian Defense. Consistent with the recipient-source framework, time spent receiving positive word-of-mouth was dete...

This study investigated the relationship between job search objectives (finding a new job/ turnover, staying aware of job alternatives, developing a professional network, and obtaining leverage against an employer) and job search methods (looking at job ads, visiting job sites, networking, contacting employment agencies, contacting employers, and s...

This paper is a report of a study to examine the relationship between nursing employees' perceptions of instrumental and symbolic dimensions of employer image on the one hand and their intentions to recommend their organization as an employer and their willingness to testify in their organization's recruitment materials on the other. Previous resea...

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Perspectives from 22 countries on aspects of the legal environment for selection are presented in this article. Issues addressed include (a) whether there are racial/ethnic/religious subgroups viewed as "disadvantaged," (b) whether research documents mean differences between groups on individual difference measures relevant to job performance, (c)...

Although the internet has dramatically changed recruitment practices, many web-based recruitment sources have not yet been investigated. The present study examines the effects of web-based employee testimonials and web-based word-of-mouth (i.e., ‘word-of-mouse’) on organizational attraction. The source credibility framework is used to compare these...

Previous recruitment studies have treated potential applicants as individual decision makers, neglecting informational social influences on organizational attractiveness. The present study investigated if and under what conditions word-of-mouth communication matters as a recruitment source. Results (N = 171) indicated that word of mouth had a stron...

This study aims to bridge two research streams that have evolved relatively apart from each other, namely the research streams on organizational identity and on employer branding (employer image). In particular, we posit that it is crucial to examine which factors company outsiders (applicants) as well as company insiders (employees) associate with...

This study uses Cable and Turban's (2001) employer knowledge framework as a conceptual model to formulate hypotheses about a broad range of possible factors affecting the attractiveness of an organization (i.e. armed forces) among potential applicants (576 high-school seniors). Results show that gender, familiarity with military organizations, perc...

The present study begins to fill a gap in the recruitment literature by investigating whether the effects of negative publicity on organizational attractiveness can be mitigated by recruitment advertising and positive word-of-mouth. The accessibility–diagnosticity model was used as a theoretical framework to formulate predictions about the effects...

This study investigated whether offering telework in recruitment advertisements can influence organizational attractiveness for potential applicants. From a person-organization fit perspective, we further examined whether the Big Five personality factors moderate the effect of telework on organizational attractiveness. To this end, 201 Belgian econ...

Research in industrial/organizational (I/O) psychology has generally focused on objective measures of employment discrimination and has virtually neglected individuals' subjective perceptions as to whether a selection or promotion process is discriminatory or not. This paper presents two theoretical models as organizing frameworks to explain candid...

Despite its rising importance, empirical research about sexual orientation in the workplace is still scarce. This experimental study examined if gay candidates, with the same work-related qualities as heterosexual candidates, would be judged less favorably in a personnel selection context. Written candidate profiles were varied in a 3 3 between-sub...

This paper examines perceptions of privacy and how they relate to reluctance to submit employment-related information over the Internet. In addition, possible cross-cultural differences between the US and Belgium regarding these constructs and the role of Internet knowledge are investigated. Based on theories of privacy and cross-cultural differenc...

Despite of the growing attention for sexual orientation as a source of diversity, there is a lack of relevant research literature. This experimental study examines the influence of sexual orientation on selection decisions. Specifically, it was expected that gay men – having exactly the same work-related qualities as heterosexual men – would be jud...

The Armed Forces are increasingly facing difficulties in attracting, enlisting, and retaining the required numbers of new recruits (Bachman, Segal, Freedman-Doan, & O'Malley, 2000; Hosek, Antel, & Peterson, 1989; Knowles et al., 2002; Mael & Ashforth, 1995). In many European countries, the importance of attracting new military personnel has been bo...