Skip to Main Content
HBS Home
  • About
  • Academic Programs
  • Alumni
  • Faculty & Research
  • Baker Library
  • Giving
  • Harvard Business Review
  • Initiatives
  • News
  • Recruit
  • Map / Directions
Faculty & Research
  • Faculty
  • Research
  • Featured Topics
  • Academic Units
  • …→
  • Harvard Business School→
  • Faculty & Research→
Publications
Publications
  • 2022
  • Working Paper

Communicating Corporate Culture in Labor Markets: Evidence from Job Postings

By: Joseph Pacelli, Tianshuo Shi and Yuan Zou
  • Format:Electronic
  • | Language:English
  • | Pages:73
ShareBar

Abstract

A company’s culture represents one of the most important factors that job seekers consider. In this study, we examine how firms craft their job postings to convey their cultures and whether doing so helps attract employees. We utilize state-of-the art machine learning methods to develop a comprehensive dictionary of corporate values across the near-universe of job postings. Our descriptive analysis reveals that firms are more likely to advertise corporate culture in their postings when their culture is strong, as evidenced from strong external ratings and infrequent employment violations. In addition, culture information is more prevalent among job postings for positions in which the labor pool is tighter. Our main analyses demonstrate that culture information in job postings does attract job seekers, as it is associated with higher worker inflows. Culture information has a more pronounced effect on worker inflows following the Black Lives Matter movement, which increased the importance of culture to job seekers. In addition, job seekers respond more to culture information in job postings when alternative sources of information about firm culture are less readily available. Overall our findings suggest that job postings are an important mechanism for communicating cultural values to prospective employees and attracting talent.

Keywords

Corporate Culture Significance; Labor Markets; Disclosure; Organizational Culture; Recruitment; Talent and Talent Management

Citation

Pacelli, Joseph, Tianshuo Shi, and Yuan Zou. "Communicating Corporate Culture in Labor Markets: Evidence from Job Postings." Working Paper, October 2022.
  • SSRN

About The Authors

Joseph Pacelli

Accounting and Management
→More Publications

Yuan Zou

Accounting and Management
→More Publications

More from the Authors

    • March 20, 2023
    • Promarket

    Can Twitter Be a Force for Good? Social Media Helps Curb Corporate Misconduct

    By: Jonas Heese and Joseph Pacelli
    • February 2023
    • Faculty Research

    Bear to Bull? An Analyst’s Journey with Netflix

    By: Aiyesha Dey and Joseph Pacelli
    • 2023
    • Faculty Research

    Understanding The Value of DEI Programs: Perspectives from Corporate Leadership

    By: Aiyesha Dey, Kristina M. Rennekamp and Joseph Pacelli
More from the Authors
  • Can Twitter Be a Force for Good? Social Media Helps Curb Corporate Misconduct By: Jonas Heese and Joseph Pacelli
  • Bear to Bull? An Analyst’s Journey with Netflix By: Aiyesha Dey and Joseph Pacelli
  • Understanding The Value of DEI Programs: Perspectives from Corporate Leadership By: Aiyesha Dey, Kristina M. Rennekamp and Joseph Pacelli
ǁ
Campus Map
Harvard Business School
Soldiers Field
Boston, MA 02163
→Map & Directions
→More Contact Information
  • Make a Gift
  • Site Map
  • Jobs
  • Harvard University
  • Trademarks
  • Policies
  • Accessibility
  • Digital Accessibility
Copyright © President & Fellows of Harvard College