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Conceptualizing and researching employer branding

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Kristin Backhaus at SUNY New Paltz
Kristin Backhaus
Surinder Tikoo
Surinder Tikoo
Surinder Tikoo
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Employer branding represents a firm's efforts to promote, both within and outside the firm, a clear view of what makes it different and desirable as an employer. In recent years employer branding has gained popularity among practicing managers. Given this managerial interest, this article presents a framework to initiate the scholarly study of employer branding. Combining a resource-based view with brand equity theory, a framework is used to develop testable propositions. The article discusses the relationship between employer branding and organizational career management. Finally, it outlines research issues that need to be addressed to develop employer branding as a useful organizing framework for strategic human resource management.
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Conceptualizing and researching employer branding
Kristin Backhaus; Surinder Tikoo
Career Development International; 2004; 9, 4/5; ABI/INFORM Global
pg. 501
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... We expect that potential employers will value university students' involvement in these activities during recruitment as that would reflect certain competences and personality traits of interest to the business. On the other hand, in a labour context of highly selective human capital, from the perspective of employer branding-focused on differentiating a company's characteristics as a potential employer compared to competing organisations (Backhaus & Tikoo, 2004)-we analyse whether the corporate social dimension influences the demand for soft skills. More specifically, we examine whether variables related to Corporate Social Responsibility and Corporate Volunteering as well as employers' social engagement make a difference to the soft skills they expect of the graduates. ...
... 106). In short, as Backhaus and Tikoo (2004) stated, employer branding supports the differentiation of company characteristics and their employees from their competitors. This refers to the way an organisation presents itself to potential external employees, as well as to its own employees (Aboul-Ela, 2016). ...
... The purpose of employer branding is to differentiate employers in the job market and help them retain and attract the most talented candidates (Monteiro et al., 2020). It focuses on the image the company projects and its attractiveness, and how this affects candidates' decisions as a signalling effect to apply for jobs (Backhaus & Tikoo, 2004;Younis & Hammad, 2020). Therefore, companies promote various strategies, policies and practices aimed at optimising their reputation. ...
Soft skills and the corporate social dimension: the perspective of university graduate employers
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  • Jun 2025
  • Educ Res Pol Pract
Today’s job market is characterised by intense competition among young graduates with the same qualifications. Consequently, soft skills have become particularly important in the processes of attracting and recruiting talent because they allow improvements in productivity, innovation, and internationalisation within businesses. This study aims to determine the soft skills that Spanish employers demand most from university graduates within the Spanish context. More specifically, it seeks to provide evidence related to the demand for these skills according to variables such as Corporate Social Responsibility, employers’ social engagement, and candidates’ participation in non-formal education activities. To this end, a quantitative methodology was applied, using a sample of 83 employers from different businesses. The results show that the soft skills in most demand were related to interpersonal relationships, self-management, and entrepreneurship. Furthermore, there were differences in this assessment related to employers’ social engagement and graduate participation in non-formal education activities. The study has implications for higher education institutions’ strategies and for students’ academic and professional development, contributing to a better fit between education and business.
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... Employer branding is marketing, among the employers to make an attractive image in the minds of its potential associates and humanizing the image in the minds of potential associates (Aslamet al., 2015: 162). studied in accordance with the Study of Backhaus and Tikoo (2004) where is was discussed that the process of attraction begins with the value creation through employer branding attributes and targeted to potential employees as well retention also comply with employer branding aspects. Mismatch between expected and perceived employer brand aspects studied by the .The two sides of coin were not the same as reported in this study. ...
... The process of employer branding consists of three phases as mentioned by the Backhaus and Tikoo (2004). In first value proposition phase, where an organization finds a particular value it offers to existing or potential employees. ...
... Employer Branding Theory (Backhaus & Tikoo, 2004) posits that organizations must align external perceptions with internal realities to create a strong employer brand. Psychological Contract Theory (Rousseau, 1995) explains how employees develop expectations about their employers, which may differ from external applicants' perceptions. ...
Exploring Employer Branding for Talent Acquisition: Comparative Analysis of Employer Branding Attractiveness dimensions among inside Employees and Business Graduates
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This study examines employer branding as a long-term HR strategy to attract and retain talent. By comparing perceptions between business graduates and current bank employees, this research identifies key employer branding attractiveness dimensions. Data from 600 respondents, using Berthon et al.'s (2005) employer attractiveness scale, highlights the differences in perceived employer value. Theoretical contributions include integrating Employer Branding Theory and Psychological Contract Theory to explain variations in perception. Practical implications suggest organizations must balance internal and external employer branding strategies while leveraging digital platforms. Results showed that the current employees attributed higher importance to social, interest, salary in economic values, development values and application values. The least preferred factor was of economic values, which shows bank does not offer overall good economic values to its employees. The business graduates were more attracted by interest, social, economic and development values. They could not relate the application value factor being Employer attractiveness. Our results offer understanding for human resource managers to comprehend the theoretical foundations of employer brand and its potential implication on practice.
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... 2.2 Employer Branding: Employer branding, as defined by Backhaus and Tikoo (2004), significantly impacts candidate perception, engagement, and retention. A strong brand fosters emotional connection and differentiation in competitive labor markets. ...
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This research paper investigates how Artificial Intelligence (AI), employer branding, and remote hiring are reshaping modern talent management and acquisition strategies. Using a mixed-method approach—comprising literature review, survey analysis, and qualitative interviews—this study reveals how AI tools streamline recruitment, strong employer branding attracts top candidates, and remote hiring expands access to global talent. Key challenges such as culture alignment, bias in algorithms, and managing remote teams are discussed. The paper concludes with actionable recommendations for HR leaders to enhance competitive advantage through these emerging practices.
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... on the other hand, the employer brand is the set of work experiences that employees have with the company (Biswas & suar, 2016) and is useful for the strategic management of organizations (Backhaus & tikoo, 2004); it is the essence for the success of the organization because it impacts the attraction, retention and performance of employees (Azhar et al., 2024). likewise, a positive employer brand produces greater employee motivation and greater retention in the organization (Kumar et al., 2021). ...
Influence of corporate social responsibility on the elements of affective commitment to the employer brand in companies in the manufacturing sector
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Full-text available
  • Jun 2025
The purpose of this research is to develop a theoretical framework in which the components of the employer brand’s affective commitment—long-term orientation (LTO), enthusiasm for the employer brand (EEB), and emotional attachment (EA)—are influenced by corporate social responsibility (CSR). An online questionnaire was used to conduct the survey, which gathered data from 366 employees of Lima, Peru, businesses. Using SmartPLS software and the partial least squares path modeling method, the data were analyzed to test the hypotheses of the proposed research model. According to the findings, CSR significantly improved LTO, EEB, and EA. In conclusion, it can be stated that organizations that adopt sustainable practices and promote CSR within their business strategy not only benefit society and care for the environment but can also strengthen the emotional connection of employees with the company. With which they can improve morale, productivity, and talent retention, creating a more positive and sustainable work environment in the long term.
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Building strong employer brands: the role of gamification
Article
  • Jun 2025
Purpose In recent years, organizations have increasingly used gamification in their recruitment processes. Surprisingly little is known about how the application of gamification in this context can affect employer branding outcomes. The purpose of this study is to extend previous findings by investigating the influence of motivational affordances included in a gamified activity used during recruitment on individuals’ engagement and how this, in turn, affects employer familiarity, employer reputation and organizational attractiveness. Design/methodology/approach Data from participants in a gamified recruitment process based on an escape game were analysed using partial least squares structural equation modelling. Findings The results indicate that engagement is particularly fostered when individuals interact with achievement and progression affordances that provide them with clear tasks and structured challenges. Likewise, the interaction with social affordances in gamified recruitment is highly encouraged, either through cooperation with team members or competition among teams or participants, providing opportunities for social dynamics that enhance engagement. Once engagement is fostered, it positively relates to employer familiarity and employer reputation. Employer familiarity positively predicts employer reputation, which subsequently promotes organizational attractiveness. Originality/value To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this paper represents one of the first published attempts to empirically examine the relationship between gamification and employer branding.
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Full-text available
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