Strengthening internal employer branding through sustainable business practices

Purpose Internal employer branding is considered beneficial for organizations, and consequently for retaining employees. However, it has been studied less intensively than external employer branding. Moreover, existing employer branding research primarily focuses on the company’s perspective. This study aims to address this issue by proposing a typology of employer images from the employee perspective. Design/methodology/approach Based on a data set of 180 employees, a typology is empirically conceptualized in various steps using cluster analysis. Findings The proposed typology describes four types of employer images, which are environmental bystanders, environmental contributors, environmental advocates and environmental champions. Originality/value The proposed taxonomy provides new insights into what a targeted, effective and focused internal employer branding could look like or how it could be strengthened. The typology is considered helpful for researchers and practitioners alike.