Evaluating the Impact of Coronavirus Disease-2019 Pandemic on Employer Branding, Employee Engagement and Employee Performance: A Moderation Study of Indian Information Technology Firms

Abstract

Anchored in job demands–resources (JDR) theory and event system theory, this research investigates the impact of employer branding on employee engagement and employee performance in the backdrop of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. COVID-19 caused unprecedented changes in the workplace dynamics of the information technology (IT) firms in India, affecting employee engagement levels. Therefore, the moderating role of COVID-19 event strength is examined on the relationship between employer branding and employee engagement. The proposed hypotheses were examined by performing structural equation modelling on the data gathered from 791 employees of IT firms in India. Data were collected through a self-report survey using a questionnaire instrument consisting of measuring items adapted from the existing literature. The research findings suggest that significant affirmative relationships exist among employer branding, employee engagement and employee performance. Organizational commitment demonstrated a partial mediating effect on the relationship between employer branding and employee engagement. Further, the COVID-19 event strength positively moderated the relationship between employer branding and employee engagement, suggesting that employer branding practices are more crucial in organizations, which were heavily affected by the pandemic. This research offers significant insights for academic and human resource (HR) practitioners regarding the role of employer branding in enhancing employee engagement and employee performance during times of crisis.