The Moderating Role of Job Satisfaction and Core Self-Evaluation, Between Employer Branding Factors and Employee Retention

Abstract

Employee retention represents a strategic and integrated process that begins with an examination of the reasons employees choose to join an organisation. The human resource strategies implemented by a firm significantly impact an employee's decision to remain within that organisation. Grounded in social exchange theory, it is posited that when employees perceive their contributions as valuable, they are more likely to stay. However, there is a notable lack of studies that extend the model of employer branding factors influencing employee retention. This study argues that job satisfaction and intrinsic motivational elements, such as core self-evaluation, can either enhance or impede the relationship between employer branding factors and employee retention. The primary objective of this research is to investigate the relationship between employer branding factors and employee retention while considering the moderating effects of job satisfaction and core self-evaluation. Data were gathered through an online survey of 385 employees working in Iraqi banks. The findings indicate that employer branding factors—including supervisor support, job conditions, compensation, work-life balance, job advancement, and job security—exert a significant direct influence on employee retention. Moreover, job satisfaction was found to positively moderate these relationships, except for supervisor support. In contrast, core self-evaluation did not demonstrate a moderating effect on the relationships between compensation, work-life balance, and employee retention.