Employee Branding in Higher Education: A Study of Lecturers and Educational Staff
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.57218/jueb.v5i2.3096Keywords:
Appreciation, Employee branding, Private higher education, RecognitionAbstract
Higher education institutions play a crucial role in developing future generations through education, research, and community service. This study aims to examine the recognition and appreciation of employee branding within the campus environment, focusing on lecturers and administrative staff at STIE Yapan. The study employed a qualitative phenomenological approach, involving 12 informants selected through purposive sampling, consisting of 10 lecturers and 2 administrative staff. Data were collected through in-depth interviews, observation, and documentation, and then analyzed using thematic analysis. The results indicate that employee branding is well understood, but has not been systematically integrated into institutional policies. The appreciation given tends to be symbolic, and program implementation has not been optimally coordinated. The main obstacles include time constraints, lack of socialization, and a low understanding of the individual's role in institutional branding. Therefore, employee branding values need to be integrated into academic culture through strengthening the appreciation system and sustained internal communication. Practically, higher education institutions need to develop structured employee branding policies, implement transparent recognition and reward mechanisms, and organize ongoing training and communication programs to enhance the engagement of academic community members. These efforts are expected to strengthen institutional reputation, enhance employee commitment, and build a sustainable organizational culture. This study contributes to the limited literature on employee branding in small-to-medium private higher education institutions in Indonesia.
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