Green HRM Practices and Employer Branding

Examining Signaling Effects on Job Attraction and Application Intentions Across Generations

Abstract

This study examines the impact of Green Human Resource Management (Green HRM) practices on employer branding and investigates how sustainability-oriented HR signals influence job seekers’ perceptions and application intentions. Grounded in Signaling Theory developed by Michael Spence and Employer Branding Theory proposed by Timothy Backhaus and Surinder Tikoo, the research explores how environmental responsibility functions as an organizational signal in labor markets. Using a quantitative experimental design, data were collected from 100 job seekers who evaluated organizations varying in Green HRM visibility. Measures assessed employer attractiveness, organizational reputation, and application intentions across generational cohorts. Statistical analyses, including correlation and multiple regression, were conducted to examine relationships among variables. Findings revealed that Green HRM practices increased employer attractiveness by 34% overall and significantly enhanced application intentions by 38% among environmentally conscious candidates. Regression analysis indicated that green recruitment practices (β = .32), corporate social responsibility signaling (β = .26), and sustainable workplace design (β = .22) collectively explained 40% of variance in employer branding effectiveness. Generational analysis showed the strongest effects among Gen Z participants (β = .42), compared to weaker effects among Gen X participants (β = .18). The findings contribute to human resource management and organizational behavior literature while offering practical implications for sustainable employer branding, recruitment strategy, and talent acquisition in environmentally conscious labor markets.