Enhancing employee communication behaviors for sensemaking and sensegiving in crisis situations

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126 citations0/0 files storedJournal of Communication Management

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Public Relations and Crisis Communication Organizational Change and Leadership Communication Studies and Media

Abstract

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore the organizational effectiveness of internal crisis communication within the strategic management approach, whether it enhanced voluntary and positive employee communication behaviors (ECBs) for sensemaking and sensegiving. By doing so, this study provides meaningful insight into: new crisis communication theory development that takes a strategic management approach, emphasizing employees’ valuable assets from an organization, and effective crisis communication practice that reduces misalignment with employees and that enhances voluntary and positive ECBs for the organization during a crisis. Design/methodology/approach This study conducted a nationwide survey in the USA among full-time employees ( n =544). After dimensionality check through confirmatory factor analysis, this study tested hypothesis and research question by conducting ordinary least squares multiple regression analyses using STATA 13. Findings This study found that strategic internal communication factors, including two-way symmetrical communication and transparent communication, were positive and strong antecedents of ECBs for sensemaking and sensegiving in crisis situations, when controlling for other effects. The post hoc analysis confirmed theses positive and strong associations across different industry areas. Originality/value This study suggests that voluntary and valuable ECBs can be enhanced by listening and responding to employee concerns and interests; encouraging employee participation in crisis communication; and organizational accountability through words, actions and decisions during the crisis. As a theoretical implication, the results of this study indicate the need for crisis communication theories that emphasize employees as valuable assets to an organization.

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References

1999Cutoff criteria for fit indexes in covariance structure analysis: Conventional criteria versus new alternatives 1969The social psychology of organizing 1993The Collapse of Sensemaking in Organizations: The Mann Gulch Disaster 1985Survey Research Methods.1991Sensemaking and sensegiving in strategic change initiation 1972Characteristics of Organizational Environments and Perceived Environmental Uncertainty 2007Leadership Behavior and Employee Voice: Is the Door Really Open?2018MANAGING PUBLIC RELATIONS

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2020Employee coping with organizational change in the face of a pandemic: The role of transparent internal communication 2020Examining the Effects of Internal Communication and Emotional Culture on Employees’ Organizational Identification 2021Enhancing Employee Engagement via Leaders’ Motivational Language in times of crisis: Perspectives from the COVID-19 outbreak 2021Achieving employee support during the COVID-19 pandemic – the role of relational and informational crisis communication in Austrian organizations 2020Status of internal communication research in public relations: An analysis of published articles in nine scholarly journals from 1970 to 2019

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