Predicting organizational commitment: role of employer branding and job satisfaction

Purpose Although the role of employer branding (EB) in creating positive employee outcomes keeps gaining more and more relevance, limited attention has been given to understanding how it translates into stronger organizational commitment (OC). Addressing this gap, this study examines the mediating role of job satisfaction (JS) of employees in EB and OC relationship. Design/methodology/approach This study adopted cross-sectional research design to collect data from 591 respondents in the Indian banking industry. Structural equation modeling was used to analyze data for testing the proposed relationships. Findings The results revealed that EB is an important contributor to the OC and JS. JS, in turn, is observed to increase OC. In addition, the results confirmed that JS acts as a mediator in the EB and OC relationship. Research limitations/implications This study suggests that organizations must design and execute the EB initiatives in a strategic way that can lead to the creation of higher JS for stronger OC. Through the harmonization of branding activities with the expectations and experiences of employees, organizations would be able to develop a more active and engaged workforce that would eventually lead to long-term organizational effectiveness. Originality/value This study advances the scarce literature on EB, JS and OC in the Indian context. It provides context-specific information by empirically proving the importance of EB and JS in enhancing OC, which has both theoretical and practical value.