Anticipating the future : Job seeker's evaluation of employer attractiveness during organizational change

Title data

Kriener, Franziska ; Streeb, Mirjam ; Fischer, Sebastian ; Baum, Matthias:
Anticipating the future : Job seeker's evaluation of employer attractiveness during organizational change.
In: European Management Journal. (10 September 2025) .
ISSN 0263-2373
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.emj.2025.09.002

Project information

Abstract in another language

Establishing strong person–environment fit is crucial for recruitment but becomes complex when changing organizations
seek employees aligned with a future state rather than current characteristics. Integrating the
organizational change, signaling, and person–environment fit literature, we extend the understanding of
attraction mechanisms during organizational change by conceptualizing person–environment fit as dynamic
evolving alongside organizational change, shaping job seekers’ perceptions of employer attractiveness based on
anticipated fit. Findings from a metric conjoint experiment involving 126 job seekers reveal that signaling
proactive change enhances employer attractiveness, particularly for individuals with high openness to change.
Anticipated fit plays a critical role, with organizational culture exerting the strongest influence, followed by
leadership style and career development opportunities. These findings underscore the importance of strategic
signaling in attracting talent during organizational change.