Employee Activism for Social Change: A Challenge or an Opportunity for Strategic Communication?

Silvia Ravazzani, Yan Jin, Sara Conti, Anna Rachwalski (undergraduate student), Sonny Glenn Robinson (undergraduate student), Alessandra Mazzei, and Bryan Reber. “Employee Activism for Social Change: A Challenge or an Opportunity for Strategic Communication?”. Accepted for presentation at the ICA Preconference 'Impacts of Strategic Communication in an Interconnected World', June 16-17, 2024 at University of Technology Sydney.

Abstract: This study aims to delve deeper into the complex topic of employee activism for social change by looking at the organizational perspective. Based on qualitative interviews with 20 corporate communications directors and senior internal communications executives from multinational corporations and consulting firms with business in Europe and North America, this study offers important implications for organizations and their strategic communication management in different forms and shapes of employee activism and varied levels of pressures, concerning three key areas: (1) risk management and communication to deal with dysfunctional forms of employee activism while supporting organic activism that drives positive change for both the organizations and broader society; (2) internal communication and voice climate to support employees to constructively raise their voices and contribute to the well-being of society; and (3) the potential of corporate activism and CEO activism that work with employee voices to realize a truly purpose-driven organization.