Looking into the black box of employer recommendations: the role of organizational identification and pride

Jasmin Afrahi, Anna Mutter and Thomas Armbrüster

International Studies of Management & Organization, 2025, vol. 55, issue 3, 327-343

Abstract: The importance of word-of-mouth for employers (WOME) for the recruitment process, that is, employees recommending their company as an employer, is undisputed. Prior studies have ascertained the determinants and outcomes of WOME. However, little attention has been given to employees who engage in WOME. Which inner thought processes and emotions cause an individual to speak positively about an employer? We developed a model with internal corporate social responsibility (ICSR) as the strongest WOME trigger. ICSR reflects activities to enhance employees’ psychological and physiological well-being. So far, research on ICSR and its interaction with employee behavior is incomplete. Based on social identity theory, we hypothesize that organizational identification (OI) and organizational pride (OP) mediate the relationship between ICSR and WOME. We test our hypothesis using data from 136,478 participants and 13 German industries. Results reveal a sequential mediation of ICSR-OI-OP-WOME and a direct effect from ICSR to WOME, highlighting the formation and importance of employees’ bond with their organization. It adds to the employer branding literature, showing how ICSR fosters social identity and makes people talk positively about their employer. We demonstrate that practitioners develop positive employee attitudes by valuing their most important assets: their employees.

Date: 2025
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DOI: 10.1080/00208825.2024.2435763

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