Changing perceptions of employer image through employee experience: A longitudinal perspective[Évolution de la perception de l'image employeur à l'aune de l'expérience collaborateur : une perspective longitudinale]

This article examines the employer brand (EB) perceptions of young army recruits during their first year of contract, in order to understand the influence of employee experience (EMX) on the perception of the internal facet of EB over time. This diachronic study is based on 65 interviews, 40 carried out on joining the organization and 25 at the end of the first year. The qualitative analysis of the data aims to qualify the evolution of EB over time and to identify explanatory factors through EMX. The results show an evolution in the EB content over the first year of contract. Notably, the perceived image becomes more complex: certain attributes initially present fade away, while others emerge. From a psychological contract lens, this means that understanding initial expectations at recruitment is insufficient to explain future commitment and loyalty. The perceptual evolution observed seems to be rooted in a relational and comparative process. In addition, we observe a personification of EB through proximity managers.