A new study has found that diversity communication and cultural intelligence have a positive relationship with employee engagement directly and indirectly in an inclusive climate. The findings by Linjuan Rita Men, University of Florida College of Journalism and Communications  Public Relations professor and director of Internal Communication Research, Yufan Sunny Qin, M.A.M.C. 2018 and Ph.D. 2022, doctoral student Renee Mitson, and Patrick Thelen, Ph.D. 2019, were featured in “Engaging Employees Via an Inclusive Climate: The Role of Organizations Diversity Communication and Cultural Intelligence” published online in the Journal of Public Relations Research on June 22, 2023.

The authors examined internal communication and employee engagement by exploring the role of diversity communication. They tested a conceptual model of the relationships between organizational diversity communication, employee cultural intelligence, inclusive climate and employee engagement.

According to the authors, “Specifically, we investigated inclusive climate as the mediator underlying the process of how diversity communication and cultural intelligence influence the engagement outcome. Cultural intelligence at the cognitive, motivational and behavioral levels can satisfy employees’ needs for competence, autonomy and relatedness, which eventually leads to higher levels of employee engagement.”

They add, “When employees experience inclusiveness in the organization, they feel safe and empowered to get engaged in both work and organizational roles.”

Posted: June 29, 2023
Category: Alumni News, College News, Research News
Tagged as: Cultural Intelligence, Diversity Communication, Employee Engagement, Linjuan Rita Men, Patrick Thelen, Renee Mitson, Yufan Sunny Qin