Unlocking the nexus of internal brand knowledge, psychological contract, and employee brand identification: implications for customer-centric excellence

Purpose – Internal branding and psychological contract fulfilment generate similar benefits related to employee outcomes and customer-centric employee behaviours, but literature on these two streams has largely proliferated independently. This study aims to converge the research streams on internal branding and psychological contract. Also, the role of psychological contract fulfilment as a source of employee brand identification to explain employee outcomes and customer-centric employee behaviours is under-researched. This paper assesses the influence of internal brand knowledge and psychological contract fulfilment on employee outcomes (i.e. employee-based brand equity and employer–brand patronage) and customer-centric employee behaviours (i.e. customer-oriented behaviour and participation in brand development). Design/methodology/approach – The partial least squares structural equation modelling was applied to analyse the data collected from 235 service sector employees and test the hypotheses. Findings – The study found that internal brand knowledge and psychological contract fulfilment affect employee-based brand equity, employer–brand patronage and employee and customer-centric employee behaviours. Employee brand identification partially mediates the relationship between internal brand knowledge and psychological contract fulfilment and their outcomes. Originality/value – The study joins internal branding and psychological contract literature by advancing the understanding of internal brand knowledge, psychological contract and employee brand identification in explaining employee outcomes and customer-centric employee behaviours. This study demonstrates the role of psychological contract fulfilment in non-human resource outcomes such as employer brand patronage.