Managing relationships with potential employees: an empirical approach to employer brand

Each company has a brand image as an employer, irrespective of the existence of specific strategies aiming at the creation of a positive brand image as a “place to work”. Employer branding is an approach that uses brand management tools and techniques to support the Human Resources function in pursuing the corporate strategy. The main purpose of this study is to explore the ideal employer’s brand image according to a category of potential employees, i.e., university students. The employer brand image of a specific company with a high level of brand awareness - Calzedonia SpA – was investigated and compared to the ideal-place-to-work profile. Two surveys were conducted, one with a qualitative approach and the other with a quantitative approach. According to factor analysis, the ideal employer brand image seems focused on three basic dimensions: trust, autonomy and pride. Areas of improvement for Calzedonia were identified in order to enhance its employer brand image.