Bushfield, Stacey

Martin, Graeme

Sinclair, Katie

English

This development paper looks at the employer branding process through an engagement perspective with a focus on the internal - existing employees, managers and processes/practices. It addresses this issue by building a conceptual framework, which involved looking inside the organisation to build more effective employer brands. Thus, it aims to provide a basis to better understand definitions and operationalizing of employer branding in practice.<br/

University of Dundee Online Publications

Internal Perceptions of Employer Branding:A Review and Conceptual Framework

                                                                    University of DundeeInternal Perceptions of Employer BrandingSinclair, Katie; Martin, Graeme; Bushfield, StaceyPublished in:The Conference Proceedings from the 2019 British Academy of Management ConferencePublication date:2019Document VersionPublisher's PDF, also known as Version of recordLink to publication in Discovery Research PortalCitation for published version (APA):Sinclair, K., Martin, G., & Bushfield, S. (2019). Internal Perceptions of Employer Branding: A Review andConceptual Framework. In The Conference Proceedings from the 2019 British Academy of ManagementConference [1058] British Academy of Management.General rightsCopyright and moral rights for the publications made accessible in Discovery Research Portal are retained by the authors and/or othercopyright owners and it is a condition of accessing publications that users recognise and abide by the legal requirements associated withthese rights. • Users may download and print one copy of any publication from Discovery Research Portal for the purpose of private study or research. • You may not further distribute the material or use it for any profit-making activity or commercial gain. • You may freely distribute the URL identifying the publication in the public portal.Take down policyIf you believe that this document breaches copyright please contact us providing details, and we will remove access to the work immediatelyand investigate your claim.Download date: 21. May. 2020  This paper is from the BAM2019 Conference Proceedings    About BAM The British Academy of Management (BAM) is the leading authority on the academic field of management in the UK, supporting and representing the community of scholars and engaging with international peers.  http://www.bam.ac.uk/   1  INTERNAL PERCEPTIONS OF EMPLOYER BRANDING: A REVIEW AND CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK  Katie Sinclair, University of Dundee Prof. Graeme Martin, University of Dundee Dr. Stacey Bushfield, Edinburgh Napier University  This development paper looks at the employer branding process through an engagement perspective with a focus on the internal - existing employees, managers and processes/practices. It addresses this issue by building a conceptual framework, which involved looking inside the organisation to build more effective employer brands. Thus, it aims to provide a basis to better understand definitions and operationalizing of employer branding in practice. Track: Human Resource Management Word Count (excluding references and tables): 1563 2  INTRODUCTION There is a broad range of literature from a recruitment perspective on what makes up the employer brand as an organisational process and as a symbol of an attractive place to work (Baum, Schafer, & Kabst, 2016; Lievens, Van Hoye, & Schreurs, 2005). While most of the early literature acknowledges existing employees (Backhaus & Tikoo, 2004; Lievens, 2007); the focus has shifted to the employer brand as a symbol to attract and entice potential applicants (Edwards & Edwards, 2013; Van Hoye, Bas, Cromheecke, & Lievens, 2013). This focus is not only a concern for practitioners, who seek to engage and motivate existing employees, but also for academics looking to better understand the employer brand. In addition, most of the empirical literature takes a variance theory perspective in identifying the antecedents and effects of employer branding. While variance theory of this nature is helpful, few scholars actually explain the process of how employer brands are built or emerge, the agents involved, or in what business function(s) these practices take place. This development paper provides a review summary of the current state of the employer branding literature building a conceptual framework for future research.   LITERATURE REVIEW Employer Branding Employer branding is a concept that is understood in the academic literature over the past thirty years as the intersection between human resource management and (brand) marketing creating a picture of ‘a firm’s efforts to promote, both inside and outside the firm, a clear view of what makes it different and desirable as an employer’ (Backhaus & Tikoo, 2004, p. 501). Employer brands have gained attention in becoming a central element in organisations talent management, reputation and engagement strategies with a view to attract, recruit and retain top quality employees (Cascio & Graham, 2016). However, as the employer branding concept has been analysed through the academic literature, it has been subject to a myriad of interpretations from different management related disciplines providing a mix of theoretical, conceptual and empirical approaches (Edwards, 2009; Theurer, Tumasjan, Welpe, & Lievens, 2018). These include contributions from scholarly fields such as HRM-orientated brand equity theory (Theurer et al., 2018), core HR competences (Sparrow & Otaye, 2015), employer image and employer image management (Lievens & Slaughter, 2016) and organisational behaviour (Edwards, 2009), communications theory (Van Riel & Fombrun, 2007). Whilst many of these studies provide a range of both original and relevant contributions, they are also problematic because of the difficulties in reviewing the literature and pinpointing specific employer branding studies, as well as providing construct clarity as other research disciplines have used employer branding for their own purposes. Employer branding: a HR perspective From a HR perspective and by drawing on brand equity theories, an instrumental symbolic framework can be used to explain how existing employees attribute symbolic meanings, such as subjective and intangible associations with their employers’ image, ‘to maintain their self- identity, to enhance their self-image or to express themselves’ (Lievens & Highhouse, 2003, p. 79). Furthermore, key texts such as Martin & Hetrick (2006) and Edwards (2009) conceptual analyses of how organisational behaviour theory underpins the employer branding concept both argue there needs to be more of a coherent integration of several underlying theories (engagement, organisational identity, social identity theory and, psychological contracts) to allow organisations to better understand the unique offerings their employees feel they receive 3  and identify with. Equally important is then how organisations ‘signal’ this understanding to potential applicants (Taj, 2016; Turban & Greening, 1996; Wayne & Casper, 2015), and how in turn this reinforces the brand internally. Several scholars have suggested that in order to promote an authentic, credible and ‘honest’ message of what it is like to work in an organisation (to potential recruits) organisations need to identify what it is that their own employees find most attractive (Maxwell & Knox, 2009) and how this can be replicated in their employer value proposition (EVP) to be signalled externally (Martin & Sinclair, 2018; Mosely, 2007). Much of the early employer branding research presupposed that the employer brand, once up and running, can be operationalized as a static, stable, organisational practice (Ambler & Barrow, 1996; Backhaus & Tikoo, 2004). Researchers have explored the impact of having a distinctive, recognisable employer brand as synonymous with good HRM practice (Edwards, 2010; Barrow & Mosely, 2005; Martin & Hetrick, 2006). To address some of these issues, HRM literature discusses employer branding specifically as a tool for human resource practice (Barrow & Mosely, 2005; Edwards, 2009; Martin, Gollan, & Grigg, 2011) which is able to ‘engage employee loyalty and build organizational commitment’ (Martin et al. 2005: 78). Furthermore, this call has seen a wave of authors take note, and look deeper into the organisation, analysing the myriad of organisational, contextual and individual-level complexities (Martin & Sinclair, 2018) that overlap the corporate, employer and even product brands proving really to be a ‘social phenomenon’ in nature (Banerjee, Saini, & Kalyanaram, in press; Foster, Punjaisri, & Cheng, 2011; Molk & Auer, in press). Employer branding: an internal employee perspective From a practice-based perspective, key characteristics of these developments in the literature have raised questions over definitions of employer branding, which has been reconceptualised as a form of internal process. Martin et al. (2011) discuss the value of an employer brand that is recognised among key stakeholders ‘(...) for providing a high-quality employment experience, and a distinctive organisational identity which employees value, engage with, and feel confident and happy to promote to others’ (p. 3619). In the same vein, others have described the process as a ‘[a] communicative, relationship building and cross disciplinary processes, which create, negotiate and enact sustainable employer employee relationships’ (Aggerholm, Andersen, & Thomsen, 2011, p. 106). These definitions provide a foundation for research looking at not only who is involved, but who decides what the organisations employer brand ‘means’ and to who it means something to (Edlinger, 2015; Golant, 2012) through engaging different types of employees across the organisation using segmentation practices (Davies, Mete, & Whelan, 2018; Edwards, 2017). This design of the employer brand signals build the picture of the package of functional and economic benefits on offer (Theurer et al., 2018) often created by senior managers in the organisation. However, as many authors have discussed, often the most ‘authentic’ signals about the employer brand are those voiced by existing employees to outsiders and new recruits (Dowling, 2016; Miles & Mangold, 2004). These signals are further influenced by what researchers have identified as ‘refracted identity’ (Dowling, 2002; Rynes, Bretz, & Gerhart, 1991) or construed perceptions explained as how current employees perceive external stakeholders views of their place of work. Examinations of this perceived organisational image has have been related to positive outcomes such as reduced absenteeism (De Stobbeleir et al., 2016) but also negative effects on well-being of employees who feel ‘burdened’ to live up to strong reputations of their place of work (Baer, Bundy, Garud, & Kim, 2018). 4  REVIEW STRATEGY A more systematic approach to the literature review was applied in order to examine existing literature and identify future research avenues (Tranfield, Denyer, & Smart, 2003) related to how we currently understand the employer brand building process internally, but also shortcomings in current research. Following guidance regarding multi-stage literature reviews (Theurer et al., 2018; Turner, Swart, & Maylor, 2013), the initial article search took place in late 2018 from September to December using the academic database Business Source Premier. Key criteria included academic articles that were published in peer review journals in the last thirty years, written in English and ranked 1-4* in the most recent CABS journal guide. Google scholar supplemented this search in order to identify key books/book chapters. This initial search resulted in a total of 275 articles/book chapters. This search was then subject to a second screening process, considering the aim of the review: to assess the current state of the employer branding literature, from an HR and (internal) engagement perspective. Generally, papers were then further whittled down for relation to the employer branding concept, or which had strong associations to the theory underlying the concepts associated with employer branding.   CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK The table below presents a summary of the literature review highlighting key concepts and a framework for better understanding employer branding from a HR/internal engagement perspective.   ----------------------------------------            Insert Figure 1 about here ----------------------------------------    CONCLUSION/DEVELOPMENT FOR CONFERENCE In these early stages of review, it is already evident that there remains a limited range of literature that looks at the employer brand building process from the perspective of existing employees. Although many articles mention ‘existing’ employees in part of general definitions, in terms of empirical analysis there remains further need for a contribution of the internal employer branding building process and existing employee involvement. If accepted, this review summary and conceptual framework will be supplemented by preliminary empirical qualitative data. 5  REFERENCE LIST Aggerholm, H. K., Andersen, S. E., & Thomsen, C. (2011). Conceptualising Employer Branding in Sustainable Organisations. Corporate Communications: An International Journal, 16(2), 105-123. Ambler, T., & Barrow, S. (1996). The employer brand. The Journal of Brand Management, 4(3), 185-206. Backhaus, K., & Tikoo, S. (2004). Conceptualizing and Researching Employer Branding. Career Development International, 9(4/5), 501-517. Baer, M. D., Bundy, J., Garud, N., & Kim, J. K. (2018). The Benefits and Burdens of Organizational Reputation for Employee Well-Being: A Conservation of Resources Approach. Personnel Psychology, 71, 571-595. Banerjee, P., Saini, G., & Kalyanaram, G. (in press). The role of brands in recruitment: mediating role of employer brand equity. Asia Pacific Journal of Human Resource Management. Barrow, S., & Mosely, R. (2005). The Employer Brand: Bringing the Best of Brand Management to People at Work. Chichester: John Wiley & Sons Ltd. . Baum, M., Schafer, M., & Kabst, R. (2016). Modelling the Impact of Advertisement-Image Congruity on Applicant Attraction Human resource management, 55(1), 7-24. Cascio, W. F., & Graham, B. Z. (2016). New strategic role for HR: leading the employer- branding process. Organization Management Journal, 13(4), 182-192. Davies, G., Mete, M., & Whelan, S. (2018). When employer brand image aids employee satisfaction and engagement Journal of Organizational Effectiveness: People and Performance, 5(1), 64-80. De Stobbeleir, K. E. M., De Clippeleer, I., Caniels, M. C. J., Goedertier, J. D., Vos, A. D., & Buyens, D. (2016). The inside effects of a strong external brand: how external perceptions can influence organizational absenteeism rates International Journal of Human Resource Management, 29(13), 2106-2136. Dowling, G. R. (2002). Customer Relationship in B2C Markets, Often Less is More California Management Review, 44(3), 86-104. Dowling, G. R. (2016). Defining and Measuring Corporate Reputations. European Management Review, 13(3), 207-223. Edlinger, G. (2015). Employer brand management as boundary-work: a grounded theory analysis of employer brand managers' narrative accounts. Human Resource Management Journal, 4, 443-457. Edwards, M. (2009). An integrative review of employer branding and OB theory. Personnel Review, 39(1), 5-23. Edwards, M. (2017). Employer Branding and Talent Management. In D. G. Collings, K. Mellahhi, & W. F. Cascio (Eds.), The Oxford Handbook of Talent Management. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Edwards, M., & Edwards, T. (2013). Employee responses to changing aspects of the employer brand following a multinational acquisition: a longitudinal study. Human resource management, 52(1), 27-54. Foster, C., Punjaisri, K., & Cheng, R. (2011). Exploring the relationship between corporate, internal, and employer branding. Journal of Product and Brand Management, 19(6), 401-409. Golant, B. D. (2012). Bring the corporate brand to life: The brand manager as the practical author Journal of Brand Management, 20(2), 115-127. Lievens, F. (2007). Employer branding in the Belgian Army: The importance of instrumental and symbolic beliefs 6  for potential applicants, actual applicants, and military employees. Human Resource Management, 46(1), 51-69. Lievens, F., & Highhouse, S. (2003). The Relation of Instrumental and Symbolic Attributes to a Company's Attractiveness as an Employer. Personnel Psychology, 56, 75-102. Lievens, F., & Slaughter, J. E. (2016). Employer Image and Employer Branding: What We Know and What We Need to Know. Annual Review of Organisation Psychology and Organisational Behaviour, 3, 407-440. Lievens, F., Van Hoye, G., & Schreurs, B. (2005). Examining the relationship between employer knowledge dimensions and organizational attractiveness: An application in a military context. Journal of Occupational and Organizational Psychology, 78(4), 553-572. Martin, G., Beaumont, B., Doig, R. & Pate, J. (2005) Branding: A New Performance Discourse for HR? European Management Journal, 23(1), 76-88. Martin, G. & Hetrick, S. (2006) Corporate Reputations, Branding and People Management: A Strategic Approach to HR. Routledge: Oxon. Martin, G., Gollan, P. J., & Grigg, K. (2011). Is there a bigger and better future for employer branding? Facing up to innovation, corporate reputations and wicked problems in SHRM. The International Journal of Human Resource Management, 22(17), 3618- 3637. Martin, G., & Sinclair, K. (2018). Employer Branding and Corporate Reputation Management in Global Companies: Theory and Practice In D. G. Collings, H. Scullion, & P. Caligiuri (Eds.), Global talent management (2 ed.). London: Routledge Maxwell, R., & Knox, S. (2009). Motivating Employees to "live the brand": a comparative case study of employer brand attractiveness within the firm. Journal of Marketing Management, 25(9-10), 893-907. Miles, S. J., & Mangold, G. (2004). A Conceptualization of the Employee Branding Process. Journal of Relationship Marketing, 3(2/3), 65-87. Molk, A., & Auer, M. (in press). Designing brands and managing organizational politics: A qualitative case study of employer brand creation. European Management Journal, 1- 12. Mosely, R. (2007). Customer experience, organisational culture and the employer brand Journal of Brand Management, 15, 123-134. Rynes, S. L., Bretz, R. D., & Gerhart, B. (1991). The Importance of Recruitment in Job Choice: A Different Way of Looking. Personnel Psychology, 44(3). Sparrow, P., & Otaye, L. (2015). Employer Branding: From attraction to a core HR strategy Retrieved from https://www.lancaster.ac.uk/media/lancaster-university/content- assets/documents/lums/cphr/2015-07-27-15- 01EmployerBrandingFromattractiontoacoreHRStrategy.pdf Taj, S. A. (2016). Application of signalling theory in management research: Addressing major gaps in theory European Management Journal, 34, 339-348. Theurer, C. P., Tumasjan, A., Welpe, I. M., & Lievens, F. (2018). Employer Branding: A Brand Equity-based Literature Review and Research Agenda. International Journal of Management Reviews, 20, 155-179. Tranfield, D., Denyer, D., & Smart, P. (2003). Towards a Methodology for Developing Evidence-Informed Management Knowledge by Means of Systematic Review British Journal of Management, 14, 207-222. Turban, D. B., & Greening, D. (1996). Corporate Social Performance and Organizational Attractiveness to Prospective Employees. Academy of Management Journal, 40(3), 658-672. 7  Turner, N., Swart, J., & Maylor, H. (2013). Mechanisms for Managing Ambidexterity: A Review and Research Agenda. International Journal of Management Reviews, 15, 317-332. Van Hoye, G., Bas, T., Cromheecke, S., & Lievens, F. (2013). The instrumental and symbolic dimensions of organisations' image as an employer: A large‐scale field study on employer branding in Turkey. Applied Psychology, 62(4), 543-557. Van Riel, C.B. & Fombrun, C.J. (2007) Essentials of Corporate Communication: Implementing Practices for Effective Reputation Management. Routledge: Oxon. Wayne, J. H., & Casper, W. J. (2015). Why does firm reputation in human resource policies influence college students? The mechanisms underlying job pursuit intentions. Human Resource Management, 51(1), 121-142.      Figure 1: An internal engagement framework       

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Internal Perceptions of Employer Branding:A Review and Conceptual Framework

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