Unveiling the power of word-of-mouth in pre-recruitment employer branding strategy during COVID-19
| Date | 10 May 2024 |
| Pages | 833-849 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/ER-10-2023-0540 |
| Published date | 10 May 2024 |
| Subject Matter | HR & organizational behaviour,Industrial/labour relations,Employment law |
| Author | Sofia Panagiotidou,Dimitrios Mihail,Anastasia A. Katou |
Unveiling the power of word-of-
mouth in pre-recruitment employer
branding strategy
during COVID-19
Sofia Panagiotidou, Dimitrios Mihail and Anastasia A. Katou
Department of Business Administration, University of Macedonia,
Thessaloniki, Greece
Abstract
Purpose –This study, based on signaling theory, examines the pre-recruitment employer branding strategy
during the COVID-19 pandemic. It investigates the relationship between spontaneous word-of-mouth (WOM)
recommendations for companies and prospective candidates’job application intentions. Specifically, the study
explores serial mechanisms mediating the characteristics of company online career pages, including the
perceived informativeness of online job advertisements (ads), candidates’preferences for its web approach to
them and the company’s reputation.
Design/methodology/approach –Reflecting prospective candidates from students and young alumni of
universities, partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) was employed on a sample of 737
individuals representing various fields of study from Greek universities.
Findings –The findings highlight the effectiveness of positive WOM recommendations during the initial
stages of recruitment, particularly amidst COVID-19 challenges in the labor market, notably impacting young
candidates. The study suggests that spontaneous WOM, originating from trustful sources, motivates job
seekers to actively engage with the company’s web career channels, seeking information and favorable
indications of the company’s approach toward its candidates. Positive WOM, combined with informative
content and a friendly communication style, plays a critical role in shaping the company’s reputation.
Consequently, this encouragement motivates individuals to start their job search efforts and consider applying
for positions within the specific organization.
Practical implications –This research provides valuable empirical evidence in the pre-recruitment field,
particularly in unforeseen crisis circumstances such as the COVID-19 pandemic. It examines how spontaneous,
positive WOM from sources, like peers and alumni, significantly influences young job seekers’perceptions and
preferences regarding the company’s career web channels as sources of informationand signals about working
conditions. The combination of positive WOM with informative content and a friendly communicationstyle in
the web approach plays a crucial role in shaping a positive company reputation. Consequently, this encourages
candidates to consider applying for positions within the company.
Originality/value –This research contributes to pre-recruitment studies, especially amidst crises like
COVID-19. It examines how positive WOM from trusted sources like peers and alma mater alumni influences
young job seekers’views on the company’s career web channels. By emphasizing the importance of combining
positive WOM with informative web content and a friendly communication style, the study offers insights into
effective recruitment strategies. It highlights the significance of positive and spontaneous WOM in attracting
young talent and its impact on job seekers’decision-making, even in uncertain conditions. Overall, it advances
recruitment practices for attracting candidates.
Keywords Pre-recruitment activities, Word-of-Mouth, Employer reputation, Application intention, COVID-19
Paper type Research paper
1. Introduction
Human resource (HR) departments globally are intensifying their talent search amidst
heightened competition. Employer branding, crucial in HR and brand marketing, sets
companies apart, aiding in talent acquisition and retention (Theurer et al., 2018). Studies
confirm that a company’s reputation strongly influences the attraction of potential employees
by projecting its values, culture and identity (Eger et al., 2019). In company recruitment
strategy, signaling theory elucidates how specific human resource management (HRM)
Word-of-
mouth’s power
in employer
branding
833
The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available on Emerald Insight at:
https://www.emerald.com/insight/0142-5455.htm
Received 24 October 2023
Revised 18 January 2024
12 March 2024
31 March 2024
Accepted 6 April 2024
Employee Relations: The
International Journal
Vol. 46 No. 4, 2024
pp. 833-849
© Emerald Publishing Limited
0142-5455
DOI 10.1108/ER-10-2023-0540
activities enhance company appeal and stimulate job applications (Connelly et al., 2011). As
Spence (1973) outlines, signaling theory reduces information asymmetry between two
parties, namely potential employers and employees (Allen et al., 2007). It emphasizes sharing
positive employment information to attract job seekers seeking reliable, accurate
assessments (Yu et al., 2022). Job seekers decode signals, relying on credible sources like
current/former employees and peers (Van Hoye and Lievens, 2009;Meli
an-Gonz
alez and
Bulchand-Gidumal, 2016). Social identity theory suggests that graduates, sharing university
and internship experiences, can notably influence candidates’attitudes and career decisions
through word-of-mouth (WOM) recommendations (Celani and Singh, 2011). This influence
stems from shared experiences, fostering a sense of common identity and employability
traits, mainly during their initial period of entry into employment (Hornsey, 2008).
Corporate websites remain pivotal communication tools, despite concerns about their
credibility due to employer control (Rynes et al., 2006). Additionally, company career pages
convey positive signals internally and externally, emphasizing the unique employment value
proposition (Gunesh and Maheshwari, 2019). An active social media presence enhances job
seekers’understanding of the company’s culture, aiding in their evaluation as potential
employers (Carpentier et al., 2017). This alignment of traits and values with the company’s
characteristics empowers prospective employees to make informed decisions (Mi
c
ık and
Mi
cudov
a, 2018).
In our study, we explore the impact of spontaneous positive WOM on the intention of
young talent to apply for job positions during the COVID-19 pandemic. Previous research
has established a positive link between company reputation and job application intention
(Sharma and Prasad, 2018). Our specific focus is on examining whether a company’s
positive reputation mediates the relationship between positive WOM recommendations
and a job seeker’s intention to apply for a job (Van Hoye and Lievens, 2009). Furthermore,
we assess how candidates’perceptions and preferences regarding the company’sweb
career pages, which are positively related and interact with spontaneous positive WOM,
impact its reputation and contribute to a candidate’s decision to apply for a job. To shed
light on the mediating role of online company-candidate interaction, we analyze two
dimensions: the completeness of information (informativeness) in online job
advertisements and the social presence of a personalized and intimate company web
approach towards the candidate (Carpentier et al., 2019). We investigate how each
dimension is linked to positive WOM recommendations and the previously mentioned
positive outcomes.
Our ultimate goal is to present a comprehensive pre-recruitment system tailored for new
graduates, designed to be adaptable even in crisis conditions. Thus, our target audience
includes senior students and young alumni populations at Greek universities.
2. Theory and conceptual framework
2.1 Employer branding in the pre-recruitment stage
Ambler and Barrow introduced the significance of employer branding in 1996, utilizing
marketing and branding theories to shape a positive organizational image for attracting and
retaining talent. In the pre-recruitment phase, companies employ various practices at
universities to establish familiarity and awareness of their employer brand’s characteristics
(Lievens and Highhouse, 2003), crafting a unique employer value proposition (Sengupta et al.,
2015). These efforts are integrated into the employer branding strategy, primarily targeting
external audiences, including passive and active job seekers (Kashive and Khanna, 2017).
Barber (1998) defines this process as pre-recruitmen t activities aimed at attracting
candidates, particularly from a pool of highly skilled yet inexperienced senior students
and young alumni and persuading them to apply for a job (Collins and Han, 2004).
ER
46,4
834
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