Staff perceptions of the effectiveness of managerial communication during the COVID-19 pandemic: A cross-sectional study

Abstract

Aims: This work aims to explore staff perceptions of (1) the effectiveness of organizational communication during the COVID-19 pandemic and (2) the impact of organizational communication on staff well-being and ability to progress their work and patient care. Background: Effective coordination and communication are essential in a pandemic management response. However, the effectiveness of communication strategies used during the COVID-19 pandemic is not well understood. Design: An exploratory cross-sectional research design was used. A 33-item survey tool was created for the study. Methods: The study was conducted at a tertiary teaching hospital in Western Australia. Convenience sampling was used to recruit participants from nursing, medical, allied health services, administrative and clerical, and personal support services (N = 325). Data were collected between December 2020 and May 2021. Results: Overall, all occupational groups found working during the COVID-19 pandemic stressful, and all groups wanted accessible and accurate communication from management and new policies, procedures, and protocols for future outbreaks. Conclusions: The use of occupational group-relevant strategies and COVID-19 protocols, as well as the on-going use of email, face-to-face meetings with debrief sessions, are needed to improve communication and support staff to fulfil their roles.