Open AccessFostering Employee Trust via Effective Supervisory Communication during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Through the Lens of Motivating Language Theory
Author(s) -
Linjuan Rita Men,
Yufan Sunny Qin,
Jie Jin
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
international journal of business communication
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.392
H-Index - 53
eISSN - 2329-4892
pISSN - 2329-4884
DOI - 10.1177/23294884211020491
Subject(s) - competence (human resources) , psychology , pandemic , social psychology , through the lens metering , covid-19 , public relations , lens (geology) , political science , medicine , disease , pathology , infectious disease (medical specialty) , petroleum engineering , engineering
This study examines how supervisory leadership communication during the COVID-19 pandemic fostered employee trust through the lens of motivating language theory. Drawing insight from self-determination theory, this study also reveals the mediating effects of employees’ psychological need satisfaction for competence and relatedness in this process, which help explain how supervisory leadership communication influences employee trust. Through an online survey of 393 full-time employees from various organizations in the U.S., results showed that supervisory use of meaning-making (0.15), empathetic (0.60), and direction-giving language (0.27) during the pandemic all showed significant positive effects on employee trust toward leadership and the organization directly, and indirectly through satisfying employees’ psychological need for competence and relatedness. Theoretical and practical implications of the findings are discussed.