Date of Publication : September 2026

Abstract: Employer branding has emerged as a critical talent management strategy for technology start-ups operating in resource-constrained, competitive environments. This study examines how employer branding – operationalised through employer attractiveness – functions as a strategic talent management lever in emerging technology start-ups in Eastern India. Drawing on the Employer Attractiveness framework of Berthon et al. (2005) and using a quantitative, cross-sectional design with data collected from approximately 150 founders, HR managers, and senior executives across Odisha, West Bengal, Jharkhand, and Bihar, the study employs Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM) to test the relationship between employer attractiveness and two talent outcomes – talent acquisition and talent retention. Employer attractiveness emerged as the dominant predictor of talent acquisition (t = 7.201, p < 0.001) and significantly predicted talent retention (t = 2.215, p < 0.05), together explaining 95.5% and 84.0% of the respective outcome variances. The findings confirm that employer branding is not merely a communication exercise but the central strategic driver of talent outcomes for Eastern Indian technology start-ups. Practical implications are offered for founders, HR practitioners, and policymakers seeking to build sustainable talent pipelines in India’s growing start-up ecosystem.

Keyword : Employer branding, employer attractiveness, talent management, talent acquisition, talent retention, technology start-ups, Eastern India.

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