The influence of temporary time offs from work on employer attractive-ness – An experimental study

By offering temporary time off programs, companies aim at increasing their employer attractiveness. However, little is known about whether temporary time off programs increase the attractiveness of employers and to what extent this effect is shaped by how temporary time off programs are designed. Using signaling theory, we propose that potential employees receive signals from temporary time off programs that influ-ence the employer attractiveness and that this influence is moderated by risk aversion. Against this background, our article presents an experimental investigation of the in-fluence of temporary time off programs on employer attractiveness. It was shown that only paid temporary time off programs have a positive effect on employer attractive-ness, and that risk-averse individuals perceive companies that offer paid temporary time off programs as more attractive. The results indicate that the design of temporary time off programs and the level to which potential employees are risk-averse have a general effect on employer attractiveness.