War for talent or even enemy at the gate? Investigating the role of employer brand experience in talent retention

Employer Branding is a crucial strategy for attracting and retaining talent within an organization. This concept has garnered significant attention from scholars and practitioners, resulting in various conceptualizations of employer branding elements. Despite this interest, the field remains relatively underdeveloped, and aspects such as employer brand experience require further exploration. This study contributes to the growing body of employer branding research by clarifying the role of employer brand experience and its relationship with concepts such as employer brand personality, employer brand identification, and talent retention. Data were collected from the Special Forces officers of the Iranian National Army and analyzed using the partial least squares method. The results indicate that employer brand experience and employer brand personality have a direct, significant impact on talent retention. However, while employer brand identification's effect on talent retention is positive, it was not found to be significant. The findings provide practical implications for organizations, suggesting they can better position their employer brand by focusing on employer brand experience and aligning their employer brand personality with talent management strategies.