Publisher
University of Tennessee at Chattanooga
Place of Publication
Chattanooga (Tenn.)
Abstract
Proposal Organizations use websites to convey their identity and values through mission-vision-values language and positive emotions (Kostelić & Gonan Božac, 2026). During the job search process, prospective applicants utilize online sources as a primary tool to reduce uncertainty, conserve time, and elect positions to apply for (Smith et al., 2022). Using websites to uncover values and culture is referred to as organizational anticipatory socialization, specifically when individuals gather information that shapes their expectations and influences employment decisions (Dailey, 2016). The utility of organizational websites is predicated on both accurate portrayals of values and jobseekers’ perception of those values. Misalignment between depicted values and workplace reality can create dissatisfaction and misfit (Gunesh & Maheshwari, 2019; Human Resource Management International Digest, 2019). Although applicants utilize this information to guide decision-making, the authenticity of cultural values posted online is difficult to assess. (Carr, 2021). Since little is known about how website perceptions align with actual organizational culture, the present exploratory study aims to address this critical gap. Guiding Questions 1. Are viewers’ perceptions of an organization’s cultural values consistent with those reported by organization members? 2. How much variation exists in viewers’ assessment of an organization’s cultural values after viewing their website? Method To answer our questions, job-seeking college students at a mid-size university in the Southeastern U.S. will view one of three mock websites selected from an initial pool of 500 organizations appearing in the MIT Sloan Management Review, Culture 500|Glassdoor ratings of organizational culture. The logistics industry and organizations were selected because they were rated as “unfamiliar” in a pilot study using participants similar to the target population. Websites are utilized due to their established influence on applicant perceptions; mock versions assist in combating scenario-based studies’ lack of realism (Lee et al., 2020). After viewing the websites’ landing, “about us”, and job description pages, each participant will rate the organization’s cultural values using a survey designed by the study's authors; these ratings will be compared to actual employee-reported ratings from MIT Sloan|Glassdoor. As an exploratory study, expected results are broad, but the authors suggest that less observed variation would indicate an organization more successful at projecting its culture to viewers. From an employer perspective, a more faithful representation of the organization’s cultural values may improve recruitment and retention, as well as clarifying how much “noise” is introduced when a job seeker views a website compared to actual reported employee experiences. Keywords: Organizational culture, recruitment, career websites, organizational authenticity, jobseeker perceptions
Date
November 2026
Subject
Industrial and organizational psychology
Document Type
posters
Language
English
Rights
http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/
License
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Included in
Authenticity in Recruitment: Assessing Accuracy and Perceptions of Organizational Culture as Represented on Corporate Websites
Proposal Organizations use websites to convey their identity and values through mission-vision-values language and positive emotions (Kostelić & Gonan Božac, 2026). During the job search process, prospective applicants utilize online sources as a primary tool to reduce uncertainty, conserve time, and elect positions to apply for (Smith et al., 2022). Using websites to uncover values and culture is referred to as organizational anticipatory socialization, specifically when individuals gather information that shapes their expectations and influences employment decisions (Dailey, 2016). The utility of organizational websites is predicated on both accurate portrayals of values and jobseekers’ perception of those values. Misalignment between depicted values and workplace reality can create dissatisfaction and misfit (Gunesh & Maheshwari, 2019; Human Resource Management International Digest, 2019). Although applicants utilize this information to guide decision-making, the authenticity of cultural values posted online is difficult to assess. (Carr, 2021). Since little is known about how website perceptions align with actual organizational culture, the present exploratory study aims to address this critical gap. Guiding Questions 1. Are viewers’ perceptions of an organization’s cultural values consistent with those reported by organization members? 2. How much variation exists in viewers’ assessment of an organization’s cultural values after viewing their website? Method To answer our questions, job-seeking college students at a mid-size university in the Southeastern U.S. will view one of three mock websites selected from an initial pool of 500 organizations appearing in the MIT Sloan Management Review, Culture 500|Glassdoor ratings of organizational culture. The logistics industry and organizations were selected because they were rated as “unfamiliar” in a pilot study using participants similar to the target population. Websites are utilized due to their established influence on applicant perceptions; mock versions assist in combating scenario-based studies’ lack of realism (Lee et al., 2020). After viewing the websites’ landing, “about us”, and job description pages, each participant will rate the organization’s cultural values using a survey designed by the study's authors; these ratings will be compared to actual employee-reported ratings from MIT Sloan|Glassdoor. As an exploratory study, expected results are broad, but the authors suggest that less observed variation would indicate an organization more successful at projecting its culture to viewers. From an employer perspective, a more faithful representation of the organization’s cultural values may improve recruitment and retention, as well as clarifying how much “noise” is introduced when a job seeker views a website compared to actual reported employee experiences. Keywords: Organizational culture, recruitment, career websites, organizational authenticity, jobseeker perceptions
Department
University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. Dept. of Psychology