The Role of Internal Communication on Employee Outcomes: A Review and Direction

Abstract

Despite the importance of internal communication (IC) in organization and management studies, its role or impact on employee outcomes (specifically employee loyalty, commitment and citizenship behaviour) remains understudied. To address the preceding gap, this article systematically reviews the role of IC and its impact on employee outcomes. Our analysis reveals four critical themes, crisis events, culture/climate, organizational change and managers’ roles, where IC effectively influences the discussed employee outcomes. By summarizing the findings, we propose an integrated framework for researchers to move the conversation on the part of IC on employee outcomes forward.