This summary is provided by the IPR Organizational Communication Research Center.
Dr. Feifei Chen and Dr. Qiwei Luna Wu examined how leaders can safeguard employees against increased stress that can occur from different types of communication during crises.
A survey of 361 full-time, remote U.S. employees from multiple industries was conducted from March to June 2020.
Key findings include:
–The frequent usage of rich channels (face-to-face communication) created a sense of urgency that often led to increased employee stress.
–Leadership’s frequent use of moderate channels (e-mails, phones, voicemails, instant messengers, blogs) indirectly reduced employee stress.
–Excessive usage of lean-mediated communication channels (newsletters and posters) during prolonged crises may have inadvertently escalated employee stress rather than alleviated it.
—Moderate media channels should be used during crises, as they alleviate constant stress and allow leaders to reach everyone affected by the crisis, whether they be in-person, hybrid, or remote.
Read the original study here.
