Is my employee still attracted to me? Understanding the impact of integrated communication and choice of communication channels on employee attraction

Abstract

Purpose

The study attempts to extend the current scholarship in the field of employer branding. Integrated communication is about consistent communication that is synergistic through multiple communication channels. Employer branding activities that involve multiple internal communication channels aim to attract employees. The study proposes that the perceived impact of effective integrated communication in employer branding shapes employee attitude and hence employee attraction. Employee perception of the choice of communication channels is also proposed to have an impact on employee attraction.

Design/methodology/approach

An exploratory qualitative study in the form of interviews and a preliminary survey was conducted in the first phase. The main study involved a questionnaire survey to empirically test the proposed hypotheses. The respondents were information technology–business process management (IT-BPM) employees (n = 520) in India.

Findings

The direct and interaction effects of integrated communication and usefulness of communication channels on employee attraction within the organization were empirically validated to suggest a positive impact on employee attraction.

Originality/value

The study extends the current body of knowledge on talent attraction to include present employees. Similarly, the study on integrated communication and its impact on employee attraction is an important addition to the literature on employer branding, internal communication and talent management, given the present coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) situation.

Citation

Deepa, R. and Baral, R. (2022), "Is my employee still attracted to me? Understanding the impact of integrated communication and choice of communication channels on employee attraction", Corporate Communications: An International Journal, Vol. 27 No. 1, pp. 110-126. https://doi.org/10.1108/CCIJ-09-2020-0136