Organisational communication and supportive employees

TLDR

Organizational social dynamics are increasingly emphasized, with managers noting that aligning community spirit with strategic goals depends on task‑related communication fostering commitment and non‑task‑related communication building trust. The study investigates whether organizational communication can foster a positive attitude toward an organization’s strategic direction. Using survey data from 791 respondents across five organizations, the authors identify two mechanisms—enhancing commitment and building trust in management—that link internal communication to support. High‑quality internal communication is associated with a supportive attitude, but it does not directly generate support; instead, commitment and trust mechanisms mediate this relationship.

Abstract

The importance of the social dimension of organisations is currently a strong focus of emphasis in the literature. From a managerial perspective, however, it is important that the community spirit within an organisation falls in line with its strategic direction. The study discussed in this article shows that high quality internal communication may be important in encouraging such a supportive attitude. What is considered ‘good’ internal communication does not directly engender more support for the organisation's strategic direction. However, evidence from research in five organisations (with 791 respondents distributed across 19 work units) suggests that there are two ways to foster support. One is to create a sense of commitment within the organisation; the other is to establish trust in the management. Both approaches appear to have a positive relationship with good internal communication. The quality of task‐related communication is important in creating commitment. What is vital in creating trust, however, is the quality of non‐task‐related communication. The study at the focus of this article addresses the following question: does organisational communication help foster a positive attitude towards the strategic direction of an organisation?