Abstract

This study investigates the effects of supportive messages from immediate supervisors or CEO's on employees during crisis situations. Supportive messages are hypothesized to decrease the stress levels of employees. The extent to which supportive messages from managers or executives during crisis situations affect employee perceptions of support from their organization, their CEO, and their immediate supervisor is also explored. During the research process, 78 volunteer participants received one of three messages from a hypothetical organization following a hypothetical crisis situation. Spearman's ranked correlations comparing reported support with reported stress levels indicate that, for the group studied, there is a negative correlation between perceived organizational support and employee stress levels.

Library of Congress Subject Headings

Communication in organizations; Communication in management; Crisis management; Employees--Job stress; Stress management

Publication Date

2004

Document Type

Thesis

Student Type

Graduate

Degree Name

Communication and Media Technologies (MS)

Department, Program, or Center

Department of Communication (CLA)

Advisor

Bruce Austin

Advisor/Committee Member

Grant Cos

Advisor/Committee Member

Andrew DuBrin

Comments

Physical copy available from RIT's Wallace Library at HD30.3 .K67 2004

Campus

RIT – Main Campus

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