Would you still work for us? The impact of crisis response strategy and tone of voice on employer attractiveness.
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2025-08-27
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en
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In the current digital era, communication during corporate crises can influence how job seekers evaluate employers during their job search. Prior research has predominantly focused on the effects of crisis communication on customers, while only few studies have explored its effects on potential employees. This experimental study examined how tone of voice and response strategy affected employer attractiveness, intention to apply for a job, and perceived prestige in a post-crisis, preventable, value-based fictitious scenario. Using a 2x2 between-subjects design, the study surveyed 226 participants aged 18 to 35. Results showed that response strategy influenced all three employer branding outcomes, with apologetic responses being more effective. Tone of voice did not yield any significant effects. Tone of voice and response strategy did not interact in any way. These findings suggested that crisis response content had greater influence than stylistic elements, which appeared to function as background cues. This study contributed to crisis communication, employer branding literature, and recruitment practices by showing how organizations and crisis managers can protect their appeal to potential talent during crisis situations.
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