STRATEGIC HR COMMUNICATION AND INTERNAL MARKETING: UNLOCKING EMPLOYEE BUY-IN THROUGH PERCEIVED VALUE AND TRUST
Keywords:
Employee Buy-In, Internal Marketing, Leadership Communication, Perceived Value,, Trust in Management, HR Strategy, PLS-SEM 147Abstract
ABSTRACTThis study explores how internal marketing strategies and leadership communication influence employees’ perceived value of HR initiatives and their subsequent buy-in, with employee trust in management examined as a key moderating factor. Grounded in Social Exchange Theory, Leader-Member Exchange Theory, and Perceived Organizational Support Theory, the research develops and empirically tests a conceptual model using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) on data collected from employees in mid- to large-sized organizations. The findings reveal that employee trust significantly enhances employee buy-in and moderates the impact of leadership communication. Perceived value partially mediates the relationship between strategic communicationeffortsandbuy-in.Contrarytoexpectations, internal marketing strategies showed a negative effect on perceived value, suggesting a misalignment between messaging and employee expectations. The study underscores the critical importance of authentic communication, trust-building, and personalized internal marketing in enhancing employee engagement with HR initiatives. Practical implications and recommendations for improving strategic HR communication are discussed.
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