What HR leaders get wrong about employer branding: evidence from cognitive mapping

Purpose This study aims to examine how human resource (HR) professionals conceptualize employer branding and explore how these perspectives can support more authentic and sustainable HR practices. Design/methodology/approach The study draws on a qualitative cognitive mapping study involving 144 HR professionals who completed a structured employer branding development program. Participants individually developed mind maps illustrating their understanding of employer branding. The maps were analyzed using visual deconstruction and thematic coding to identify recurring concepts and relationships. Findings The findings show that HR professionals view employer branding as an internally driven capability shaped by culture, leadership, employee experience, sustainability and the employee value proposition, rather than by communication or visibility alone. Originality/value This study contributes by using cognitive mapping to reveal how HR professionals conceptualize employer branding and offers practical insights for developing more authentic and strategically aligned practices.