Effects of employer brand on employee retention in small startup high-tech companies: the moderation of agile value

Purpose Most small- and medium-sized high-tech companies lack resources compared to large corporations, making it challenging to fully develop an employer brand. Therefore, identifying the subdimensions of employer branding that are important to talent in startup tech companies is crucial. Additionally, startups have higher organisational agility. Integrating this agility into an employer’s brand can enhance the unique value of startups, which is vital for employee retention. Design/methodology/approach Taiwan has many high-technology companies, and the competition to acquire talent is fierce. Hierarchical linear modelling is used. Data are collected from 219 employees of 51 high-technology startup companies. Findings The subcomponents of employer brand, “healthy work atmosphere”, “training and development” and “compensation and benefits”, significantly influence employee retention in high-tech startups. Additionally, agile values positively influence employee retention and positively moderate the relationship between the employer brand’s “healthy working atmosphere” and “training and development” with employee retention. Originality/value This study expands the theoretical content of employer branding. In resource-constrained small startup tech companies, greater focus should be placed on developing the three sub-dimensions. Although employee growth needs can compensate for some of the shortcomings of employer brands, employees still expect high salaries and benefits. Additionally, this study discusses agile values through empirical research, filling the gap in past research on agile values, which primarily focused on qualitative studies. We use the organisational culture perspective to determine whether agile values can enhance employee retention in rapidly changing environments. Agile values positively affect work environments.