Empowering HER: Harnessing the Power of Ideological Value Fit and Leadership Diversity in Female Talent Acquisition

Drawing on brand activism and organizational identification, this research demonstrates the critical role value fit and leadership diversity play in connecting female employees with hospitality companies. Two studies explored the theoretical propositions that a company’s value statement, reflecting its ideological values (i.e., pro-life vs. pro-choice) and related strategies (i.e., brand activism, leadership diversity), can enhance female employees’ responses to the company via a value fit mechanism. Study results demonstrate that prospective female employees are more willing to work and promote positive word-of-mouth for companies endorsing the same ideological values because of value fit, and further reveal women’s general preference for highly diverse leadership across ideological stances. This research contributes to women’s issues in hospitality and tourism research and sheds new light on brand activism. Our findings highlight the influence of corporate ideological values and leadership diversity and the impact of such value expressions in attracting and retaining like-minded female employees.