Board policy of humanitarian organizations towards creating and maintaining their employer brand during the COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic developed a new form of perceived organizational support called COVID 19-related organizational support (COVID-OS). This study investigates the role of COVID-OS in creating and maintaining an attractive employer brand. Although the COVID-19 pandemic has affected all types of organizations, both profit and nonprofit, the literature still lacks thorough research about the COVID-OS and employer brand in the context of nonprofit organizations (particularly the humanitarian ones). Based on in depth qualitative data drawn from 38 semi-structured interviews with humanitarian employees in Jordan during the COVID-19 pandemic, this study revealed that the board of humanitarian organizations can create and maintain their employer brand through providing different forms of organizational support to their employees. These forms of support are health and mental support, support from the working social environment, support of the work-life balance, providing online training and development programs, fair recognition and compensation programs, and leadership support. This study provides significant theoretical implications to the literature regarding the link between organizational support and employer brand. It also offers valuable practical implications for policymakers of humanitarian organizations.