The CommUnity Lab
The CommUnity Lab
Podcast Description
Welcome to the CommUnity Lab Podcast!
Dive into the fascinating world of professional communication research and its application with host Danny, an enthusiastic communication and management scholar at HEC Montréal, Canada.
Through insightful and personal conversations with renowned (academic) experts, we explore varying topics in the realm of professional communication, such as internal and leadership communication, PR, CSR-, or DEI communication. Whether you're a practitioner, student, or curious mind, join us for thought-provoking "Lab Talks" that blend academic research with practical applications — served with a touch of humor and a passion for knowledge transfer and connection.
Podcast Insights
Content Themes
The podcast focuses on professional communication topics including internal and leadership communication, public relations, corporate social responsibility, and diversity, equity, and inclusion communication. Episode examples include discussions on employee appreciation's impact on retention, handling complaints effectively, and exploring communication key performance indicators, all presented with five curated scientific references per episode for deeper understanding.
Welcome to the CommUnity Lab Podcast!
Dive into the fascinating world of professional communication research and its application with host Danny, an enthusiastic communication and management scholar at HEC Montréal, Canada.
Through insightful and personal conversations with renowned academic experts, we explore varying topics in the realm of professional communication, such as organizational, internal, and leadership communication, PR, CSR, or DEI communication. Whether you’re a practitioner, student, or curious mind, join us for thought-provoking “Lab Talks” that blend academic communication research with practical applications — served with a touch of humor and a passion for knowledge transfer and connection.
Welcome to The CommUnity Lab! The knowledge transfer podcast, where we dive deep into the fascinating world of professional communication research and its application. Hosted by Danny (Daniel Wolfgruber), this podcast brings together leading scholars to explore how communication shapes workplaces, relationships, and society at large.
Today’s guest is Rita Men from the University of Florida. In this Lab Talk, we dive into the world of internal communication, with a particular focus on leadership communication and its impact on employees’ engagement, well‑being, and behavior at work. Together, we unpack what symmetrical internal communication is, why dialogue, listening, and authenticity matter so much in organizations, and how communication professionals contribute to shaping positive employee–organization relationships. Drawing on her extensive research, Rita discusses employee engagement and emotional culture and explains why internal communicators can be understood as emotion brokers. We also explore what effective leadership communication looks like in practice, why genuine listening to employees’ needs is crucial, and what communication professionals and leaders should keep in mind when they want to foster trust, commitment, and well‑being. In addition, we briefly touch on the opportunities and challenges of using generative AI in internal communication management.
Want to explore more? Here are five scientific publications related to today’s episode:
Men, L.R. (2015). The internal communication role of the chief executive officer: Communication channels, style, and effectiveness. Public Relations Review, 41(4), 461-471. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pubrev.2015.06.021
Men, L.R., Yue, C.A., & Liu, Y. (2020). “Vision, passion, and care:” The impact of charismatic executive leadership communication on employee trust and support for organizational change. Public Relations Review, 46(3). 101927. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pubrev.2020.101927
Schnackenberg, A.K., & Tomlinson, E.C. (2016). Organizational transparency: A new perspective on managing trust in organization-stakeholder relationships. Journal of Management, 42(7), 1784–1810. https://doi.org/10.1177/0149206314525202
Willemse, M.A., & Men, L.R. (2026). A smile is worth a thousand words: the role of internal communications in nurturing an emotional culture of joy at work. Corporate Communications: An International Journal, 31(1), 135-149. https://doi.org/10.1108/CCIJ-02-2025-0047
Yue, C.A., Men, L.R., Mitson, R., Davis, D.Z., & Zhou, A. (2024). Artificial intelligence for internal communication: Strategies, challenges, and implications. Public Relations Review, 50(5). 102515. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pubrev.2024.102515
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