The influx of Gen Zs into the contemporary workforce and their differing perceptions and attitudes towards organizational values led this study to examine which employer values attract the best talent among younger individuals nearing the completion of their courses and actively seeking employment. Although Gen Z’s employer preference attributes and factors influencing their intent to join diverse industries have received considerable focus, the media sector has been curiously left out. Additionally, the media industry is experiencing a decline in employment opportunities, with a shortage of secure, well-paying jobs and fewer college placements. Hence, investigating which PBVs in media organizations attract Gen Zs became the study’s premise, carried out using the Employer Attractiveness (EmpAt) scale. Nineteen items relevant to the study’s aim were included in the survey instrument to collect responses from 312 media students from undergraduate colleges across India who had completed at least one industry internship and a project experience lasting 6 months. The multiple regression analysis revealed that, except for social value, the other four values significantly affect Gen Z’s PBV and employment intention within Indian media organisations. The results emphasize the importance of developing an employer branding strategy that focuses on attractiveness to attract culturally compatible Gen Z candidates to media organizations. The decoding outlines variation in employer attractiveness dimensions across cultural contexts (particularly in Asian and emerging economies) and generational backgrounds. The decoding also aims to show the effectiveness of the EmpAt scale, providing valuable insights for practitioners in the media sector and researchers.

The ongoing shortage of skilled workers and the increasing “war for talents” present companies with the challenge of positioning themselves as an attractive employer in order to attract qualified talent. External employer branding activities in social media are increasingly important, particularly with regard to addressing young target groups. The aim of this study is to investigate which external employer branding measures on Instagram and TikTok influence the perception of Generation Y and Z with regard to the attractiveness of a company as an employer. The study is based on a quantitative research design using an online survey as a research instrument. The results of the data analysis indicate that there are differences between Generations Y and Z in terms of content and preferred formats. Generation Y prefers an authentic and informative approach via Instagram that focuses on communicating symbolic attributes. Generation Z, on the other hand, values authentic and humorous insights and the experiential presentation of the employer through instrumental attributes, preferably via Instagram and additionally via TikTok. The implementation of specific activities can have a positive influence on the application intentions of both generations. The findings underline the relevance of a generation-specific approach in order to position oneself as an attractive employer brand on the labor market in the long term.

Egyptian organizations face growing challenges in attracting, retaining, and engaging talent, yet research has largely focused on individual HR practices rather than system-level effects. Evidence on the strength of HRM systems (HRMSS) and internal branding remains limited in the MENA region, particularly in Egypt, where the HRM infrastructure is still developing. Understanding how employees interpret HRM signals and internal branding presents a critical research gap. This study investigates the role of the employee internal branding process comprising Employee Brand Knowledge (EBK), Psychological Contract Fulfillment (PCF), and Employee Brand Fit (EBF) in linking HRMSS to affective commitment (AC). A questionnaire survey was administered in both online and paper-based forms across diverse Egyptian organizations, yielding 200 usable responses. Data were analyzed using SmartPLS to test direct and mediating effects. Results show that HRMSS positively influences AC and that EBK, PCF, and EBF partially mediate this relationship. Theoretically, the study integrates HRM and branding perspectives to explain how HRMSS shapes employee commitment, while practically, it highlights the importance of enhancing internal branding processes to strengthen the HRM-commitment relationship in developing economies.

Research on the factors influencing candidates' application intentions, aimed at helping businesses develop effective strategies for attracting and retaining talent, has become a topic of particular in- terest among researchers and human resource managers. This study examines the relationship between the level of employer brand attractiveness, brand value experience, and application inten- tion, while also assessing the moderating effect of social media. The hypotheses are developed based on the affect infusion model and empirical findings from previous related studies. Data were collected through a survey of 345 final-year students majoring in business and management at several major universities in Ho Chi Minh City, focusing on their evaluations of the organizationswhere they had completed internships. These participants were chosen because they represent a segment of future job applicants with direct, recent exposure to employer branding efforts through internship programs. The data analysis, using a structural equation modeling approach with the par- tial least squares method, confirms the reliability of the measurement scales, along with the convergent and discriminant validity of the measured variables. The results also show that the five components of employer brand attractiveness, namely interest value, social value, economic value, development value, and cooperation value, positively influence the employer brand value experience, which in turn has a positive impact on candidates' application intentions. In addition, social media not only directly affects application intention but also plays a positive moderating role in the relationship between brand value experience and application intention. Based on these findings, the study proposes key managerial implications to help businesses attract potential candidates, especially recent graduates, through employer branding strategies, enhancing the quality of students' internship experiences , and optimizing the effectiveness of social media channels.

From Likes to Loyalty: Building Employer Brand through Social Media

In today’s world, the evolving demographic structure, the acceleration of digitalization, and technological advancements have led to the gradual abandonment of traditional recruitment methods. As digital transformation deepens, organizations increasingly feel the need to engage in more strategic and holistic planning on digital communication platforms to secure a competitive advantage. This shift has rendered digital communication strategies critically important, particularly in employer branding and talent acquisition processes. Among professional social networking platforms, LinkedIn stands out as one of the most influential, offering a global professional communication space that brings the workforce together in a single digital environment. While job seekers actively use the platform to build new connections, enhance their professional visibility, and access career opportunities, LinkedIn serves as a strategic tool for organizations seeking to attract potential talent, sustain employee engagement, strengthen employer branding, and build sectoral reputation. Positioned centrally in career development within relational social structures, LinkedIn supports individuals’ professional identity construction, enables network expansion, and shapes the dynamics of the digital labor market. This study examines the role of digital communication strategies in professional networking practices and aims to analytically evaluate LinkedIn’s structure, operational mechanisms, advantages, and potential risks.

Research background: Currently, companies are facing a growing need not only to recruit but, above all, to retain qualified employees. In this context, employer branding has a significant role in building an attractive employer image. An important part of this strategy is the Employee Value Proposition, i.e., the elements and working conditions that serve as motivation for employees. As a result, more attention is being focused on the overall picture of the relationship between the Employee Value Proposition, motivation, and turnover. Purpose of the article: The research aimed to analyse which elements of the Employee Value Proposition are emphasised by companies in Slovakia in their communication with employees, which motivators are perceived as the most important, and what specific measures companies use to reduce staff turnover. The intention was also to compare the approaches of small and medium-sized enterprises with large companies and to identify their common features or differences. Methods: The secondary data obtained were analysed using qualitative analysis, specifically thematic analysis, which consisted of several steps: data collection, sorting, file creation, axial coding, and evaluation. Findings & Value added: Research has shown that small and medium-sized enterprises emphasise flexibility, freedom, and cultural engagement, while large enterprises prefer stability, innovation, and systematic benefits. In terms of motivators, small and medium-sized enterprises rely on non-financial values, while large companies rely on stability, benefits, and international opportunities. The key retention tools are work flexibility and employee development. The study contributes to the identification of different approaches of companies to EVP, motivation, and possible measures against employee turnover.

Purpose – This study assesses the effect of employer branding on talent attraction, exploring the Roles of employer trust and social media engagement. The aim is to understand how these dynamics shape the intentions of job seekers, particularly university graduates in Ghana, to engage with and ultimately join prospective employers. Methodology – A quantitative approach was employed, drawing on data collected from 320 final-year students across three leading public universities in Ghana. Using structured questionnaires, the study measured perceptions of employer branding, trust, social media engagement, and attraction. Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) was applied to test the hypothesized relationships among the variables. Findings – The results show that strong employer branding significantly enhances talent attraction. Notably, employer trust was found to partially mediates relationship between employer branding and talent attraction, Additionally, social media engagement served as a positive moderator between employer branding and employer trust, demonstrating that active, meaningful interactions on digital platforms can strengthen trust and, in turn, increase the attractiveness of the employer brand. Limitations of the study – This research is limited by its cross-sectional design and the use of self-reported data from university students, which may not capture broader employee sentiments or cultural differences. The Ghanaian context also suggests caution in generalizing the findings across regions or industries without further validation. Practical Implications - Organizations aiming to attract top talent, especially from younger, digitally savvy demographics, should invest in building credible and engaging employer brands. Leveraging social media for transparent communication, interactive content, and authentic storytelling can enhance trust and improve recruitment effectiveness. Originality/value – This study adds to the growing research on employer branding in emerging economies by uniquely incorporating trust as a mediator and social media engagement as a moderator. It offers practical, data-based guidance for HR professionals and brand strategists aiming to position their organizations as preferred employers in a competitive talent market.

The purpose of this study is to explore Generation Z's perspective on utilizing social media information to apply for jobs via company employer branding. This quantitative study uses Least Square-Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) with a second-order research model to examine the influence of social media, employer branding, and competitive advantage on the interest in job applications and corporate reputation. Data was collected through a self-administered questionnaire using a 5-point Likert scale, distributed to 211 Generation Z respondents using the Lemeshow approach. Seven hypotheses were tested: (1) social media significantly affects job application interest; (2) employer branding significantly affects job application interest; (3) competitive advantage significantly affects job application interest; (4) job application interest significantly affects corporate reputation; (5) social media significantly affects corporate reputation; (6) employer branding significantly affects corporate reputation; (7) competitive advantage significantly affects corporate reputation. The study’s results indicate that all hypotheses were accepted, except for hypothesis (4). The practical implications include offering companies valuable insights on effectively using social media in employer branding to boost applicant engagement.

This paper examines the growing importance of flexibility in shaping employer branding strategies. Employer branding refers to the image and reputation an organization builds to attract and retain talent. Traditionally, employer brand was shaped by internal messaging and workplace culture, but in today’s digital age external perceptions, especially through platforms like Glassdoor or social media, play a significant role. Flexibility, once seen as a benefit, has become a strategic necessity, particularly following the global shift to remote work during the COVID-19 pandemic.The study highlights how flexible work arrangements enhance employee satisfaction, wellbeing, and retention. Remote work enables access to a global talent pool, supports inclusivity, and aligns with the expectations of younger generations who prioritize work-life balance and autonomy. Surveys show that companies offering flexibility attract more applicants and experience lower turnover rates. Despite some resistance from traditional employers, flexibility is now a key factor in employer attractiveness. Organizations that fail to adapt risk losing top talent. Hence, flexibility is not just a trend but a core element of modern employer branding. To remain competitive, companies must integrate flexible work into their talent strategies and align their brand messaging with evolving workforce expectations.

This study investigates the impact of Artificial Intelligence (AI)-based recruitment processes on candidate experience and employer brand perception among 145 prospective employees in Tamil Nadu. The research focuses on the influence of AI tools such as automated screening, chatbots, and virtual interviews on perceptions of fairness, transparency, and engagement during hiring. The findings indicate that AI improves efficiency and consistency in recruitment while reducing processing time, yet candidates continue to value personal interaction and feedback. Positive experiences with AI-driven systems were associated with stronger employer brand perception, especially when transparency and communication were emphasized. The study underscores the importance of maintaining a balance between technological advancement and human connection in modern recruitment practices.

This paper explores how contemporary corporate strategies can create synergy and generate multidimensional impact by integrating employer branding, sustainability, and stakeholder engagement within a unified organizational and communication framework. It analyzes a qualitative case from the pharmaceutical industry—an experiential sustainability initiative known as STADA EXPO—designed to connect employees and external stakeholders through immersive, value-driven experiences. The study investigates whether sustainability communication, when co-created with employees, can simultaneously strengthen internal engagement, enhance external reputation, and raise public awareness of corporate responsibility. A qualitative case-study approach combines document analysis, company publications, and secondary literature on employer branding and stakeholder management. The results indicate that experiential sustainability projects can transform corporate communication into multidimensional platforms that build emotional connection, reinforce authenticity, and foster collaboration across functions and geographies. By engaging employees as ambassadors and hosts, organizations translate abstract environmental, social, and governance (ESG) commitments into tangible human experiences that inspire both the current and future workforce as well as the wider community. The paper concludes that employer branding must evolve beyond image management toward purpose-driven engagement as a strategic enabler of resilience and shared value, emphasizing the integration of sustainability storytelling and employee participation into HR and communication strategies to achieve measurable, long-term impact across social, cultural, and business dimensions.

The purpose of the study is to explore career intentions and motivations behind the aspirations of fourth-year students in the Public Administration bachelor program in Bulgaria for future careers in the public sector. The research, based on survey data, analyzed how academic satisfaction, perception of public sector career opportunities, and alignment with public service values shape student intentions and perceived preparedness for public service roles. Spearman's correlation and Mann-Whitney U tests were used to identify if there are relationships between academic satisfaction, perception of public sector job opportunities, commitment to public service values, and aspiration for careers in the public sector. No statistically significant differences were identified between students who chose Public Administration as their primary program and those who did not, indicating that motivation for public service can be shaped during the course of study. The findings provide insight for both universities and public sector organizations that wish to recruit and retain young professionals who will be committed to advancing the missions of these organizations through curricula, recruitment practices, and employer branding.

This study aims to develop a data-driven employer branding strategy to enhance the attractiveness of a state-owned infrastructure enterprise to Generation Z (Gen Z) talent in Indonesia. Despite the company’s national significance and stable reputation, recent declines in applicant interest—particularly within the national joint SOE recruitment program—indicate a misalignment between its employer value proposition and the expectations of emerging job seekers. Using a quantitative approach, this research surveyed 205 external Gen Z respondents and 62 internal Gen Z employees. Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) identified five key employer branding dimensions: Organizational Attributes, Job Attributes, Workplace Attributes, Compensation & Rewards, and Social & Altruistic Value. Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) revealed that external Gen Z candidates are primarily influenced by Compensation & Rewards. The Importance-Performance Matrix Analysis (IPMA) indicated underperformance on several critical indicators valued by Gen Z, including autonomy, inclusive culture, value alignment, and transparent evaluation. These findings suggest that the company’s current branding lacks differentiation and fails to resonate with Gen Z’s aspirations. The study contributes to the limited empirical research on employer branding within state-owned enterprises by combining external and internal perspectives and applying advanced analytical tools. Practical implications include reevaluating communication strategies, enhancing employee experience programs, and refining social value initiatives to attract and retain Gen Z talent. The proposed framework also serves as a reference for other public-sector organizations seeking to modernize their employer branding in an increasingly competitive labor market.

Purpose This study investigates the impact of AI-driven social media recruitment (AI-SMR) on talent acquisition effectiveness (TAE), employee engagement (EE) and bank performance (BP) in the Jordanian banking sector. It examines how AI-powered recruitment tools enhance hiring efficiency, mitigate biases and bolster employer branding, while also assessing the mediating roles of TAE and EE. Design/methodology/approach A quantitative approach was applied using partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) to analyze survey data from 283 HR professionals, recruiters and employees in commercial and investment banks. Stratified random sampling and Cochran’s formula determined the sample size. Reliability, validity and common method bias checks confirmed robustness. Findings Results indicate that AI-SMR is positively associated with enhanced TAE, faster hiring and improved candidate-job matching. EE mediates the AI-SMR–BP link, highlighting how AI-supported hiring fosters satisfaction, alignment and retention. For example, AI-SMR explained 42% of the variance in TAE (R2 = 0.42). Practical implications HR professionals should adopt AI-driven hiring tools, predictive analytics and chatbots to optimize recruitment and engagement while implementing governance mechanisms to ensure fairness, transparency and compliance. Originality/value This study contributes a dual-mediation model connecting AI recruitment, employee engagement and bank performance, offering context-specific insights for modernizing HRM in an emerging economy.

This study examines the role of employer branding, social media exposure, and institutional image in shaping young people’s career interest in the police service. The research population consisted of 7,995 final-year high school students in Palangka Raya City, with a purposive sample of 365 respondents. Data were collected through questionnaires and analyzed using Spearman’s Rho correlation, as the linearity test indicated that some variables did not meet the assumption of linearity. The findings show that all three variables are positively and significantly associated with career interest, with social media exposure emerging as the most dominant factor. This highlights the central role of digital platforms in shaping students’ perceptions and career aspirations, while employer branding and institutional image remain important in enhancing organizational attractiveness and fostering public trust. The study recommends that police institutions strengthen employer branding, optimize digital communication, and consistently build a positive institutional image to increase youth interest in pursuing careers in the police service.

Toxic leadership or showcasing leadership skills, which are destructive to team spirit and individuals in the workplace, have been noted to significantly influence employee turnover. The purpose of the SLR (systematic literature review) is to investigate the impact of perceived toxic leadership on employee turnover, with the primary focus on the retail industry in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Fifty journal articles were identified from a systematic analysis of the Science Direct database from 2018 to 2023 and have been included here to investigate toxic leadership, its influence on job satisfaction, organizational commitment, along with strategies that can be adopted to mitigate toxic leadership. This study finds that toxic leadership has a significant impact on turnover intention and organizational commitment of the employees. It affects both the mental and physical well-being of the employees, which leads to poor employee performance. Toxic leadership also negatively impacts the employer brand image and sustainability of the brand. The study outlines that to minimize the negative influence of toxic leadership, companies should provide sufficient consideration for the interests and goals of employees while also fostering emotional intelligence and ensuring that workers feel appreciated and an essential component of the company.

The article examines the organizational and managerial conditions that ensure the development and successful implementation of corporate employee wellness programs. Based on the analysis of international and Russian experience, key socio-economic and organizational factors determining the effectiveness of these initiatives in commercial companies have been identified. The authors classification of corporate healthy lifestyle programs by goals, forms of implementation, target groups of employees and levels of integration into the management system of the organization has been formed. The necessity of integrating wellness programs into the human resource management strategy and corporate social responsibility as a condition for productivity growth, staff retention and the formation of a sustainable employer brand is substantiated.

Purpose Organizations use a variety of channels to position their strategic content to external and internal stakeholders. Due to modern affordances, stakeholders have greater access to organizational information than ever, allowing them to compare multiple pieces of content from a single organization with ease. Design/methodology/approach This study examines two information subsidies through the lens of an organizational exemplar: annual reports and employer-branding via social media. The objective is to compare how strategic communication priorities are managed, aligned or vary between information subsidies. Utilizing thematic analysis, this study qualitatively examines one organization’s annual reports and employer-branding social media content then thematically compares their content and positioning. Findings Results of the study demonstrate how the exemplar varies in the positioning and salience of strategic communication between subsidies, depending on channel modality and norms of use. Originality/value The study concludes by discussing the risks of incongruent organizational communication for effective relationship management, transparency and trust, and proposes why different information subsidies may appeal to the unique needs of their assumed audiences.

Purpose: This study examines how Digital Recruitment and Employer Branding influence Employee Retention through Perceived Organizational Support (POS), addressing gaps in strategic HRM research regarding the integrated role of digital hiring and employer branding. Research Methodology: A cross-sectional survey involving 200 employees from digitally mature Indonesian organizations was analyzed using PLS-SEM with 5,000 bootstrapped subsamples. The measurement model showed strong reliability and validity (? > .86; CR > .88; AVE > .54), and structural testing evaluated five direct hypotheses and mediation effects. Results: Employer Branding significantly predicts POS and retention, whereas Digital Recruitment enhances POS but shows no direct effect on retention. POS strongly predicts retention and fully mediates the Digital Recruitment–Retention relationship while partially mediating the Employer Branding–Retention link. The structural model explains 43% of POS variance and 51% of retention, supported by medium–large effect sizes and positive Q² values. Conclusions: The findings confirm POS as the key psychological mechanism through which modern HR practices translate into retention outcomes. Employer Branding drives retention both directly and indirectly, while Digital Recruitment contributes indirectly via POS. Limitations: Cross-sectional data limit causal inference, and the digital-sector sample restricts generalizability. Contribution: The study integrates digital recruitment and employer branding within one strategic HRM framework and establishes Digital Recruitment as an empirical antecedent of POS, reinforcing POS’s centrality in digital-era retention strategies.