Exploring the Mediating Role of Psychological Ownership in the Relationship Between Employer Branding and Organizational Citizenship Behavior: An Emperical Study

The IT industry today faces intense competition for talent which leads the organizations to focus on developing Employer Branding(EB) strategies in order to appeal to and retain top talent. However, the impact of EB on employees’ discretionary behaviors, such as Organisational Citizenship Behaviour(OCB), remains underexplored. This empirical study aims to fill that gap by examining how PO(Psychological Ownership)—employees’ sense of possessiveness and responsibility toward their organization—mediates the effect of EB on OCB. Data was collected from a sample of 410 IT professionals working in IT companies of Delhi NCR through a structured survey, and the relationships were analysed using structural equation modelling (SEM). The findings reveal that EB positively influences PO, which in turn significantly enhances OCB. Moreover, PO was found to partially mediate the association of EB and OCB. The study concludes with practical implications for IT companies to enhance employee engagement and OCB through effective EB strategies that nurture PO. These findings enhance the literature by providing a deeper understanding of the psychological mechanisms that link EB to employee behaviour, offering actionable insights for IT companies in their talent management and branding efforts.