Employer Branding incongruence : A qualitative study of the relationship between identity formation and employer branding among Gen Z in Sweden

Abstract: Background:  Employees are the basis upon which a successful firm is built. Today, it is a talents market, and companies must prioritize their employer branding strategies and improve their employee value proposition to attract and retain the best talent. In addition, the pandemic’s disruption in everybody’s daily life caused "The Great Resignation," a phenomenon in which many people quit their employment owing to a lack of recognition and unpleasant working conditions. Consequently, businesses have an even greater challenge to identify and address the challenge to fulfill employees' values and needs. While traditional methods such as salary and other benefits are still necessary, they may not be sufficient for many potential employees who value a positive work environment and feeling connected to the company's goals. Therefore, a gap in literature was found regarding how personal values affect employees decision on choosing employers. Purpose: The objective of the thesis is to create a conceptual framework to explain and investigate the relationship between identity formation and employer branding - how personal values shape employees' decisions to stay or leave their jobs in the transition to a post-pandemic period.   Method: Semi-structured interviews from people in Generation Z and who operate in the white-collar sector, particularly in the "transition to post-pandemic period" was noted. A conceptual model was created from the theoretical background. The data from the interviews were analysed using a thematic analysis, which was carried out using a qualitative method with an abductive approach. Conclusion: The conceptual framework was used to investigate the relationship between identity formation and employer branding. Five contingent variables were identified; employer branding, identity formation, work-life balance, fresh-start mindset, and mobile technology with correlating hypothesises. The authors confirmed that four out of five hypotheses were accepted, except for the fresh-start mindset. The research highlights the importance of employers understanding the values and priorities of their employees to build a strong employer brand strategy. The study recommends that employers evaluate what employees value and form their strategy accordingly.