Employer Branding Orientation and Firm Performance: The Role of Employee Experience

Abstract

Abstract

Facing with competitive labor market, firms are inclined towards increased usage of employer branding to build a talented and engaged workforce. This study is aimed at deepening our understanding on the link of employer branding orientation with firm performance. It further aims at empirically investigating the mediation mechanism through which employer branding orientation generates tangible human resource outcomes (in the form of enhanced intention-to-stay) that further contributes in positive firm performance. We address the existent gap in extant literature by developing a model to explain how employer branding orientation is linked with firm performance with moderated role of employee experience and mediation role of intention-to-stay. Empirical results of a multisource study from 4 top employers of Pakistan with sample size of 400 employees, has shown that there is positive link between employer branding orientation and firm performance. HR practitioners and top level management of firms can use findings of this study as an argument to support investment in employer branding initiatives to impact employees ‘attitudes such as intention-to-stay by taking into account the employee experience. Moreover, this study advises HR practitioners to see employer branding beyond the concrete brand attributes and focus on firm level mechanisms for better analysis of return-on-investment.

         Keywords: employer branding, firm performance, human resource management, intention-to-stay, employee experience