This thesis investigated the impact of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) measures on employer attractiveness from the perspective of Austrian university students belonging to Generation Z and enrolled in IT and digitalization majors. The motivation behind the research stemmed from reported talent shortages and corresponding recruiting problems in the field of IT. Another motivational factor was that CSR reporting is arguably becoming more important for businesses due to changing legal regulations. Therefore, understanding whether the communication of CSR efforts has the potential to influence job application decisions of Gen Z students is of great relevance. To derive the research questions and methodological framework, the author first conducted a literature review. After the research questions had been formulated, the author compiled a list of degree programs to be contacted in the empirical part of the thesis, which focused on the distribution of an online questionnaire to students enrolled in IT and digitalization programs. The questionnaire was designed to capture students' perceptions of CSR and its impact on their evaluation of potential employers. The study put an emphasis on two specific CSR measures: ‘gender equality’ and ‘affordable and clean energy’ – Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) which were chosen based on their priority according to literature. The survey also asked participants to rank a list of job parameters, such as salary, alongside CSR to assess its comparative importance. Similarly, participants were asked to rank the SDGs based on their perceived generational importance and recruiting relevance. The research not only allowed the author to bridge a gap in the literature, but it also proved to be of high relevance for Austrian IT companies. The findings reveal that overall CSR measures have a positive impact on the perceived attractiveness of employers among the target group. However, the research also showed that CSR communication is not able to outweigh a lack of competitiveness when it comes to other job parameters, such as salary, work culture and task attractiveness. In addition, the results highlighted gender-based differences in the prioritization of CSR and SDGs. Based on the research findings, the author suggests companies communicate their CSR measures transparently and honestly but urges companies to also invest in competitive salaries, attractive tasks, increased job security, a compelling work culture and advanced career opportunities. Aligning job characteristics and corporate practices with the values and expectations of the emerging workforce is essential to address the current challenges in talent acquisition and to foster long-term organizational success.
CSR and Employer Branding: Investigating the impact of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) measures on perceived employer attractiveness
Schallauer, K. (Author). 2024
Student thesis: Master's Thesis