{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,4,25]],"date-time":"2026-04-25T04:14:25Z","timestamp":1777090465829,"version":"3.51.4"},"reference-count":74,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"12","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2020,12,9]],"date-time":"2020-12-09T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1607472000000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Information"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Most business enterprises are small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), and many of them are without a human resource and recruitment department. Thus, one of the challenges that organizations currently face is to find a strategy to retain and attract talent. To overcome this difficulty, enterprises must invest in employer branding policies and be aware of the factors that differentiate them from others when attracting employees. This study aims to develop an employer branding model applicable to SMEs, to increase and enhance the attraction and retention of talents. An exploratory approach based on a quantitative perspective was adopted to develop an employer branding model applied to SMEs, with two major reference employer branding models and frameworks used as the main support. The model of employer branding was applied to SMEs regarding four dimensions, whereby essential questions are asked, namely (1) organizational culture (e.g., do employees have a job description aligned with the corporate culture?), (2) company strategy (e.g., what is the strategy if business volume decreases?), (3) company reputation (e.g., how do you perceive and treat negative feedback?), and (4) reward systems (e.g., do you feel that your employees are motivated intrinsically or extrinsically or both?), ordered by layers based on a logical sequence. The new proposed model is expected to serve as a useful strategic tool and as a basis for attracting, retaining and managing talent, specifically in the SMEs context. This new model provides a set of strategic and competitiveness benefits for SMEs, while contributing to making enterprises more profitable. The model also contributes to SMEs having a better image and reputation, enabling them to stand out from others in the war for talent.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/info11120574","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2020,12,9]],"date-time":"2020-12-09T09:17:58Z","timestamp":1607505478000},"page":"574","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":52,"title":["Employer Branding Applied to SMEs: A Pioneering Model Proposal for Attracting and Retaining Talent"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"11","author":[{"given":"Beatriz","family":"Monteiro","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"ISLA Santar\u00e9m, Largo C\u00e2ndido Reis, 2000-24 Santar\u00e9m, Portugal"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-3535-9377","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Vasco","family":"Santos","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"ISLA Santar\u00e9m, Largo C\u00e2ndido Reis, 2000-24 Santar\u00e9m, Portugal"},{"name":"CiTUR, ESTM, Polytechnic of Leiria, Rua do Conhecimento, 2520-641 Peniche, Portugal"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-2008-9124","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Isabel","family":"Reis","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"ISLA Santar\u00e9m, Largo C\u00e2ndido Reis, 2000-24 Santar\u00e9m, Portugal"},{"name":"CEFAGE\u2014UE, Universidade de \u00c9vora, Pal\u00e1cio do Vimioso (Gab. 224), Largo Marqu\u00eas de Marialva 8, 7000-809 \u00c9vora, Portugal"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-0004-601X","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Marta Correia","family":"Sampaio","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"ISLA Santar\u00e9m, Largo C\u00e2ndido Reis, 2000-24 Santar\u00e9m, Portugal"},{"name":"CEFAGE\u2014UE, Universidade de \u00c9vora, Pal\u00e1cio do Vimioso (Gab. 224), Largo Marqu\u00eas de Marialva 8, 7000-809 \u00c9vora, Portugal"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-8588-2422","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Bruno","family":"Sousa","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"IPCA\u2014Polytechnic Institute of C\u00e1vado and Ave, Campus do IPCA\u2014Lugar do Ald\u00e3o, Vila Frescainha (S\u00e3o Martinho), CiTUR and UNIAG, 4750-810 Barcelos, Portugal"}]},{"given":"Filipa","family":"Martinho","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"ISLA Santar\u00e9m, Largo C\u00e2ndido Reis, 2000-24 Santar\u00e9m, Portugal"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-8633-4199","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Maria","family":"Jos\u00e9 Sousa","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Business Research Unit, Instituto Universit\u00e1rio de Lisboa, Av. das For\u00e7as Armadas, 1649-026 Lisbon, Portugal"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-2154-6171","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Manuel","family":"Au-Yong-Oliveira","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"INESC TEC, GOVCOPP (UA), Department of Economics, Management and Industrial Engineering and Tourism (DEGEIT), University of Aveiro, Campus Universit\u00e1rio de Santiago, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2020,12,9]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","unstructured":"Cheese, P., Thomas, R., and Craig, E. 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