Employee Voice, Communication Formality, and Employee Engagement: Is There a “New Normal” for Internal Communication in China?

Abstract

Objectives: The purpose of this paper is (a) to examine the relationship between employee voice and management receptiveness with employee engagement; (b) to explore changes in internal vertical communication during the COVID-19 pandemic; and (c) to examine how less formal communication influences employee engagement. Methods: A survey of 344 Chinese professionals in the Shanghai region was conducted to measure employee voice; management receptiveness; internal vertical communication via DingTalk, WeChat, online meetings, and face-to-face (F2F) meetings; and use of informal communication (frequency of WeChat Moments between managers and employees). ANOVA analysis was used to compare changes across the three time periods, and hierarchical regression analysis was used to explore predictors of employee engagement. Results: Across the pandemic, managers increased their communication with employees via DingTalk and online meetings but decreased their communication with employees via F2F meetings. Employee voice and management receptiveness were the most significant predictors of employee engagement. Perceptions of employee voice grew significantly from the pre-COVID period until the present. The increased sharing and liking of WeChat Moments among managers and employees significantly predicted higher employee engagement. Conclusions: This is the first known study to explore the connection between employee voice and management receptiveness with employee engagement in the Chinese context. It also explores how two communication platforms, DingTalk and WeChat, with similar affordances are used with varying amounts of formality in the workplace. It highlights how the use of WeChat Moments, an informal form of communication, drives higher engagement.