Ajeng Purwati Ningtyas (1)
This study aims to examine the effect of employer brand associations on the employer attraction of Generation Z towards Indonesian state-owned enterprises (BUMN), and to test employer image as the mechanism mediating that relationship. The research applies a quantitative explanatory survey of a cross-sectional nature. Respondents are members of Generation Z, comprising final-year stud ents, fresh graduates, and early-career workers who have never been employed by a state-owned enterprise, selected through purposive sampling. Data were gathered through a closed-ended online questionnaire and analysed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling, with the type of mediation classified according to the typology of Zhao, Lynch, and Chen. The results show that employer brand associations strengthen employer image and employer attraction, and that employer image in turn strengthens employer attraction. The mediation is complementary most of the effect travels through employer image, so the effectiveness of employer branding depends on whether the communicated value proposition is converted into a coherent impression of what working for the organisation is actually like, rather than on the volume of recruitment publicity alone.
Ambler, T., & Barrow, S. (1996). The employer brand. Journal of Brand Management, 4(3), 185–206.
Backhaus, K., & Tikoo, S. (2004). Conceptualizing and researching employer branding. Career Development International, 9(5), 501–517. https://doi.org/10.1108/13620430410550754
Badan Pusat Statistik. (2025). Keadaan ketenagakerjaan Indonesia Februari 2025 (Berita Resmi Statistik). Jakarta: Badan Pusat Statistik.
Badan Pusat Statistik Provinsi Sulawesi Tenggara. (2025). Keadaan ketenagakerjaan Sulawesi Tenggara Februari 2025 (Berita Resmi Statistik). Kendari: BPS Provinsi Sulawesi Tenggara.
Berthon, P., Ewing, M., & Hah, L. L. (2005). Captivating company: Dimensions of attractiveness in employer branding. International Journal of Advertising, 24(2), 151–172. https://doi.org/10.1080/02650487.2005.11072912
Cable, D. M., & Turban, D. B. (2001). Establishing the dimensions, sources and value of job seekers' employer knowledge during recruitment. Research in Personnel and Human Resources Management, 20, 115–163.
Chapman, D. S., Uggerslev, K. L., Carroll, S. A., Piasentin, K. A., & Jones, D. A. (2005). Applicant attraction to organizations and job choice: A meta-analytic review of the correlates of recruiting outcomes. Journal of Applied Psychology, 90(5), 928–944. https://doi.org/10.1037/0021-9010.90.5.928
Cohen, J. (1988). Statistical power analysis for the behavioral sciences (2nd ed.). Hillsdale: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
Deloitte. (2025). 2025 Gen Z and Millennial Survey: Living and working with purpose in a transforming world. London: Deloitte Global.
Forum Human Capital Indonesia. (2025). Hasil akhir Rekrutmen Bersama BUMN 2025. Jakarta: Forum Human Capital Indonesia.
Hair, J. F., Hult, G. T. M., Ringle, C. M., & Sarstedt, M. (2022). A primer on partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) (3rd ed.). Thousand Oaks: SAGE Publications.
Henseler, J., Ringle, C. M., & Sarstedt, M. (2015). A new criterion for assessing discriminant validity in variance-based structural equation modeling. Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, 43(1), 115–135. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11747-014-0403-8
Highhouse, S., Lievens, F., & Sinar, E. F. (2003). Measuring attraction to organizations. Educational and Psychological Measurement, 63(6), 986–1001. https://doi.org/10.1177/0013164403258403
Kicheva, T. (2019). Enhancing organizational attractiveness for young talents through employer branding. International Conference on Creative Business for Smart and Sustainable Growth (CreBUS 2019).
Kock, N. (2015). Common method bias in PLS-SEM: A full collinearity assessment approach. International Journal of e-Collaboration, 11(4), 1–10. https://doi.org/10.4018/ijec.2015100101
Kock, N., & Hadaya, P. (2018). Minimum sample size estimation in PLS-SEM: The inverse square root and gamma-exponential methods. Information Systems Journal, 28(1), 227–261. https://doi.org/10.1111/isj.12131
Lievens, F., & Highhouse, S. (2003). The relation of instrumental and symbolic attributes to a company's attractiveness as an employer. Personnel Psychology, 56(1), 75–102. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1744-6570.2003.tb00144.x
Podsakoff, P. M., MacKenzie, S. B., Lee, J.-Y., & Podsakoff, N. P. (2003). Common method biases in behavioral research: A critical review of the literature and recommended remedies. Journal of Applied Psychology, 88(5), 879–903. https://doi.org/10.1037/0021-9010.88.5.879
Preacher, K. J., & Hayes, A. F. (2008). Asymptotic and resampling strategies for assessing and comparing indirect effects in multiple mediator models. Behavior Research Methods, 40(3), 879–891. https://doi.org/10.3758/BRM.40.3.879
Rampl, L. V., & Kenning, P. (2014). Employer brand trust and affect: Linking brand personality to employer brand attractiveness. European Journal of Marketing, 48(1/2), 218–236. https://doi.org/10.1108/EJM-02-2012-0113
Sathish, A. S., & Indradevi, R. (2026). Attracting value driven talent through sustainable recruitment practices. Discover Sustainability.
Siem, T. T., Nguyen, H. T. T., My, D. H., & Van, T. T. T. (2026). From branding to belonging: How employer image and social identity shape organizational attractiveness. Social Sciences and Humanities Open.
Sivertzen, A.-M., Nilsen, E. R., & Olafsen, A. H. (2013). Employer branding: Employer attractiveness and the use of social media. Journal of Product & Brand Management, 22(7), 473–483. https://doi.org/10.1108/JPBM-09-2013-0393
Spence, M. (1973). Job market signaling. The Quarterly Journal of Economics, 87(3), 355–374. https://doi.org/10.2307/1882010
Tajfel, H., & Turner, J. C. (1979). An integrative theory of intergroup conflict. In W. G. Austin & S. Worchel (Eds.), The social psychology of intergroup relations (pp. 33–47). Monterey: Brooks/Cole.
Theurer, C. P., Tumasjan, A., Welpe, I. M., & Lievens, F. (2018). Employer branding: A brand equity-based literature review and research agenda. International Journal of Management Reviews, 20(1), 155–179. https://doi.org/10.1111/ijmr.12121
Turban, D. B., & Greening, D. W. (1997). Corporate social performance and organizational attractiveness to prospective employees. Academy of Management Journal, 40(3), 658–672. https://doi.org/10.2307/257057
Zhao, X., Lynch, J. G., & Chen, Q. (2010). Reconsidering Baron and Kenny: Myths and truths about mediation analysis. Journal of Consumer Research, 37(2), 197–206. https://doi.org/10.1086/651257