Managing employer brand attributes to attract potential future leaders

TY - JOUR

T1 - Managing employer brand attributes to attract potential future leaders

AU - Bonaiuto, Marino

AU - De Dominicis, Stefano

AU - Illia, Laura

AU - Rodríguez-Cánovas, Belén

AU - Lizzani, Gabriele

PY - 2013/1/1

Y1 - 2013/1/1

N2 - Attracting and retaining professionals with the potential to become leaders is crucial for ensuring the success of companies. The purpose of this study is to contribute to the field of employer branding (EB) by identifying which employer brand attributes are perceived as particularly relevant for attracting talented people. Using three empirical studies, we identify brand attributes that have not been very widely diffused among real companies (versus ideal) but are relevant for attracting young professionals with the potential to become leaders. We also identify which brand attributes already present among real employees allow for attracting talented individuals versus the non-talented ones. The three studies are conducted with a sample of 493, 729 and 1605 recent graduates from Italian universities, respectively. The results indicate that the most idealized brand attributes are related to the future employers' ability to innovate, be committed to social responsibility, be open, be a corporation that values capabilities and knowledge and, finally, be a place offering different career paths. The last three factors in particular have become more important in recent years. The results are discussed with reference to how they contribute to our understanding of EB, brand management and the attraction of future leaders.

AB - Attracting and retaining professionals with the potential to become leaders is crucial for ensuring the success of companies. The purpose of this study is to contribute to the field of employer branding (EB) by identifying which employer brand attributes are perceived as particularly relevant for attracting talented people. Using three empirical studies, we identify brand attributes that have not been very widely diffused among real companies (versus ideal) but are relevant for attracting young professionals with the potential to become leaders. We also identify which brand attributes already present among real employees allow for attracting talented individuals versus the non-talented ones. The three studies are conducted with a sample of 493, 729 and 1605 recent graduates from Italian universities, respectively. The results indicate that the most idealized brand attributes are related to the future employers' ability to innovate, be committed to social responsibility, be open, be a corporation that values capabilities and knowledge and, finally, be a place offering different career paths. The last three factors in particular have become more important in recent years. The results are discussed with reference to how they contribute to our understanding of EB, brand management and the attraction of future leaders.

KW - Brand attribute

KW - Employer branding

KW - Ideal employer

KW - Potential leaders

KW - Real employer

KW - Talents

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84889016751&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1057/bm.2013.18

DO - 10.1057/bm.2013.18

M3 - Journal article

AN - SCOPUS:84889016751

SN - 1350-231X

VL - 20

SP - 779

EP - 792

JO - The Journal of Brand Management

JF - The Journal of Brand Management

IS - 9

ER -