Legitimacy work of employer brand managers: how to find approval for employer branding policies and measures within an organisation?

Abstract

Although organisations rely on employer brands, knowledge regarding management practices used to convince internal stakeholders from such engagements is limited. Consequently, this study examines employer brand manager’s legitimacy work. Building on structuration theory, it details the management actions taken to secure approval and structural reasons justifying an organisation’s engagement with employer brands. Using data from 69 organisations in Austria, this study evaluates how conviction regarding employer branding policies and measures emerged and identifies five key management practices: dramatising, radicalising, distributing, pragmatizing, demonstrating. These practices underscore “contextuality” in legitimacy work, illustrating how managers adapt their strategies to different phases in employer branding. This study contributes to existing literature by clarifying the legitimacy issues in intra-organisational management of employer brands, expanding our understanding of organisational politics and the role of structures in employer brand management. Additionally, it offers practical insights to help employer brand managers navigate the complexities of their roles more effectively and gain support for their initiatives by using pioneer, partner, and follower strategies.