This summary is provided by the IPR Organizational Communication Research Center.
Dr. Cen April Yue examined how employees’ perceptions of organizations’ use of bridging and buffering public relations strategies affected their positive responses to organizational change. Bridging strategies are relationship-focused and speak to an organization’s sincerity in narrowing the gaps between the positions of the organization and its stakeholders. Buffering strategies concern using strategic messaging to control public perception, with the goal of protecting an organization from criticism.
A survey of 439 full-time employees working across various industries in the United States was conducted in August 2018. A literature review was also conducted.
Key findings include:
1.) The more employees perceived the use of bridging strategies by their organizations, the more they believed that change had positive implications for themselves and their organizations, thus engaging in change-supportive behaviors.
— This finding was consistent with prior literature showing the value of bridging strategies in reducing misunderstandings, resolving discrepancies, and creating mutually beneficial solutions between an organization and its various stakeholder groups.
2.) A positive relationship was found between employees’ openness to change and three forms of behavioral support: employee compliance, cooperation, & championing.
3.) A positive relationship was found between perceived organizational use of bridging strategies and employees’ openness to change.
Find the original report here.
