Analyzing the mediating effect of organizational identification on the relationship between CSR employer branding and employee retention

Purpose: The study aims to explore the relationship between the employer branding (EB) dimension of corporate social responsibility (CSR) and employee retention (ER) while testing for organizational identification (OI) as a mediator, within a single framework. Design/methodology/approach: The study is cross-sectional, and the data were collected from 126 employees working in the Indian information technology (IT) companies. Regression technique and PROCESS macro were deployed to analyze the data. Findings: The findings asserted that, first, the EB dimension of CSR influences ER. Second, CSR significantly affected OI and was found to be a strong predictor of ER. Third, the relationship between CSR and ER is mediated by OI. Practical implications: Organizations should embed ethical stance in their policies, practices and procedures to retain a skilled workforce. Further, CSR as an EB dimension, while being imperative for improving employee-related outcomes, does not necessarily help to enhance retention of employees unless the employees build a strong identity with their work organization. Social implications: The study connotes that organizations should be more socially responsible for achieving better employer status among various stakeholders. A well-designed strategy pertaining to CSR may increase the reputation of an employer as an attractive place to work for current and prospective employees. Originality/value: The paper examined CSR as an important attribute of employer branding for retaining competent employees in the Indian setting; studies on CSR as an EB dimension are limited. The results focus on embracing socially responsible behavior of organizations and on examining the role of OI as a mediating variable.