Achieving employee support during the Covid-19 pandemic – the role of relational and informational crisis communication in Austrian organizations
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 21695992 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Sabine Einwiller (0000-0002-3898-846X, University of Vienna), Christopher Ruppel (0000-0002-1837-4575, University of Vienna), Julia Stranzl (0000-0002-6149-4185, University of Vienna) |
| Year | 2021 |
| Volume | 25 |
| Issue | 3 |
| Pages | 233-255 |
| Publication date | 2021-07-20 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Journal of Communication Management (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 1363-254X • E-ISSN: 1478-0852 |
| Publisher | Emerald (PUBLISHER) |
| DOI | 10.1108/jcom-10-2020-0107 |
| OpenAlex | W3162556695 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 21 |
| References cited | 66 |
Purpose Based on social exchange theory, the study examines the influence of informational and relational internal communication on cognitive and affective responses and job engagement during organizational crises caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Design/methodology/approach Data were collected by means of an online survey among people working in organizations with a minimum of 10 employees ( N = 1,033) and analyzed using structural equation modeling. Findings Results show that informational and relational communication as organizational resources have a significant but distinct influence on how employees support their employer during the crisis. While informational communication influences employees' acceptance of managerial decisions, relational communication exerts most influence on affective commitment, which is the strongest driver of job engagement. Research limitations/implications The cross-sectional design, specific crisis situation and geographic location are limitations of the study. Practical implications Delivering relevant information to employees quickly and reliably is important. Yet, relationship-oriented communication that demonstrates appreciation and allows for participation has even stronger effects on job engagement, which is essential to mastering challenges arising from a crisis. Social implications During the COVID-19 pandemic, organizations demanded much from their employees. In exchange, organizations should provide the resources information, status and love (Foa and Foa, 1980) by means of internal crisis communication. Originality/value The study demonstrates the role of different types of internal communication during organizational crises used to convey organizational resources, and it highlights the mediating role of acceptance and commitment to enhance employees' engagement at work
Business · Crisis communication · Internal communications · Organizational commitment · Originality · Pandemic · Perceived organizational support · Political science · Public relations · Social exchange theory · Structural equation modeling · Survey data collection · Communication in Education and Healthcare · Job Satisfaction and Organizational Behavior · Psychology · Public Relations and Crisis Communication · Social Psychology · Marketing
Common methods and outcomes of employee engagement
Physician challenges and supports during the first wave of the Covid-19 pandemic
Instructional Risk and Crisis Communication at Higher Education Institutions during Covid-19
Managing the unknown or the art of preventing Sars-CoV-2 infection in workplaces in a context of evolving science, precarious employment, and communication barriers. A qualitative situational analysis in Quebec and Ontario
Connecting Internal Communication and Employee Engagement in Organisation
Staying emotionally connected while being physically apart – exploring what teleworkers need to stay committed and how internal communication can contribute
Work in transition
Co-creating an appreciative working climate
Effective communication management in a public health crisis
Communicating appreciation in the workplace
Internal crisis communication practices and job performance during the Covid-19 pandemic
Covid-19 Research in Communication Journals
The Impact of Internal Communication on Individual Empowerment
Exploring the Relationship Between Internal Crisis Communication and Organizational Crisis Preparedness
Cross-cultural examination of effects of ethical leadership of independent hotels based on Social Exchange Theory
Influence of Transparent Communication on Job Performance Through Employee–Organization Relationship
Blau (1964)
Digital dialogue and creative outcomes
Exploring the Role of Internal Communication in Facilitating Employee Ethical and Unethical Endorsements in an Organisational Crisis
Decentralization of Internal Crisis Management and Communication
Linguistic Features of Public Service Encounters
Work Engagement
Discriminant validity testing in marketing
Leadership competencies and the essential role of human resource development in times of crisis
Social Exchange Theory
The psychological conditions of meaningfulness, safety and availability and the engagement of the human spirit at work
How symmetrical employee communication leads to employee engagement and positive employee communication behaviors
Job Engagement
Give the Emperor a Mirror
The Protective Powers of Crisis Response Strategies
Employee commitment and well-being
Affective commitment to the organization
Antecedents and consequences of employee engagement
What Do We Really Know About Employee Engagement?
Predictors and outcomes of openness to changes in a reorganizing workplace.
Cutoff criteria for fit indexes in covariance structure analysis
Common methods variance detection in business research
A three-component conceptualization of organizational commitment
A new criterion for assessing discriminant validity in variance-based structural equation modeling
Evaluating Structural Equation Models with Unobservable Variables and Measurement Error
Affective, Continuance, and Normative Commitment to the Organization
The Measurement of Engagement and Burnout
Social Exchange Theory
Psychological Conditions of Personal Engagement and Disengagement at Work.
Resource Theory
Enriching or Depleting? The Dynamics of Engagement in Work and Family Roles
Water alternatives—who and what influences public acceptance
Employee engagement practices during Covid‐19 lockdown
The role of fairness in implementing large‐scale change
The measurement and antecedents of affective, continuance and normative commitment to the organization
Appraisals of emotion-eliciting events
| Unique citing works | 21 |
|---|---|
| Citations per year | 5,25 |
| Citation span | 2022 - 2026 (5) |
| Citation velocity | current |
| Highly cited | No |
| Citation types | Neutral: 20 |