Employer branding in practice - Performing employer branding in a consulting company

Abstract

Purpose: There are many studies regarding employer branding, however many focus on its effects or how it should be implemented for optimal results. With some exceptions, few focus on how employer branding is practised. The aim is to investigate how employees in a consulting company are performing the company employer branding through their daily HR activities. Theory: This study has a new way of perceiving employer branding by applying a performativity perspective and Ervin Goffman's (1959) theatre metaphor. The performativity perspective and Goffman's theatre metaphor is used to highlight how employer branding is practised, always and by everyone. Method: A qualitative case study based on a data collection strategy of 17 observations and 17 semi-structured interviews. The data were analysed through thematic analysis. Result: Doing specific employer branding activities is important, but employer branding is also inevitably practised and co-created all the time. Employer branding can neither be separated from material aspects thus when working with HR practices, this needs to be considered. Frontstage and backstage is not a physical place, it is situational and dependent on context. Performances are naturally continuously occurring and take energy and effort.