Digital Employer Branding: Theoretical Evolution, Mechanism Reconstruction, and Research Paradigm
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.54097/8y3h1k62Keywords:
Employer Branding, Digitalization, Employee Value Proposition (EVP), Literature Review.Abstract
Digital technologies have significantly changed how organizations build, communicate, and manage employer brands. While existing research has examined the use of digital technologies in recruitment and employer branding communication, a comprehensive understanding of how digitalization reshapes employer branding remains limited. This review synthesizes the existing literature to examine how digitalization transforms employer branding from three perspectives: brand formation, communication, and influence mechanisms. The review shows that digitalization shifts employer branding from an organization-controlled activity to a dynamic process involving multiple stakeholders, digital platforms, and employee-generated content. It also highlights the increasing importance of platform governance, algorithmic mediation, and digital trust in shaping employer brand outcomes. Based on these findings, the review identifies key research gaps and suggests future directions for theory development and methodological innovation. By integrating current evidence, this review provides a systematic understanding of how digitalization is changing employer branding and offers a foundation for future research on digital employer branding.
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