Engaging Employees in CEO Activism: The Role of Transparent Leadership Communication in Making a Social Impact

Abstract

With a survey of 600 U.S. employees, this study investigated the effect of transparent leadership communication on employee engagement, from the interpretivist approach, in the context of CEO activism. This study examined employees’ perceived psychological needs (i.e., autonomy, competence, and relatedness) as mediators. Results showed that transparent leadership communication is positively associated with employees’ psychological needs. In turn, employees’ psychological needs mediate the impact of transparent leadership communication on employees’ information sharing and activism participation intentions in a CEO activism campaign. Ultimately, this study discussed theoretical and managerial contributions.

The past, present, and future of internal communication in public relations: A computational review of the emerging literature

“…Encouragingly, some recent studies in internal communication have started exploring this critical area (e.g., Cho et al, 2023;Ji & Hong, 2023;Lee & Tao, 2021).…”

“…The need and significance of adopting an advocacy perspective in internal communication research are evident, particularly in the context of the modern workplace. Influenced by the values of millennials and Generation Z,today's workforce expects leaders to engage with socio-political issues actively(Ji & Hong, 2023).…”