Social Media and the Role of Internal Communication for Crisis Prevention and Management

Abstract

This chapter aims to advance research on internal crisis communication, focusing in particular on the role and impact of social media within this area of theory and practice. It draws on literature and empirical insights from field studies carried out by the same authors and encompasses two relevant areas in which internal communication and social media become intertwined in times of crisis: crisis prevention and crisis management. The chapter discusses: (a) the role and uses of internal communication to prevent crises deriving from inappropriate behaviors of employees on social media, the drivers and factors behind employee communication behaviors in such online contexts, and the use of social media policies for crisis prevention; (b) the role and uses of internal communication to manage crises by leveraging both internal and external social media, e.g., crisis information sharing, sensemaking, and employee-generated storytelling. It concludes by offering final reflections and practical implications.