Purpose

The purpose of this study was to identify new challenges to organizational listening posed by a global pandemic and how organizations are overcoming those barriers.

Design/methodology/approach

The researchers conducted 30 in-depth interviews with US communication management professionals.

Findings

Communication management professionals value listening, but do not always make it the priority that it merits. They listed lack of desire of senior management, time, and trust of employees as barriers to effective organizational listening. The global COVID pandemic has made it more challenging to connect to employees working remotely and to observe nonverbal cues that are essential in communication. Organizations are adapting by using more frequent pulse surveys, video conferencing technology and mobile applications. Most importantly, this pandemic has enhanced moral sensitivity and empathy leading organizations to make decisions based on ethical considerations.

Research limitations/implications

The researchers examined organizational listening applying employee-organization relationships (EOR) theory and found that trust is essential. Trust can be enhanced through building relationships with employees, ethical listening and closing the feedback loop by communicating how employers are using the feedback received by employees to make a positive change.

Practical implications

Communication managers need to place a higher priority on listening to employees. Their listening efforts need to be authentic, morally autonomous or open-minded, and empathetic to respect the genuine concerns of employees and how organizational decisions will affect them. Listening is essential to serving as an ethical and effective strategic counselor.

Originality/value

The study examines organizational listening in the context of a global pandemic.

中文翻译：

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在大流行期间合乎道德地倾听员工的意见：新方法、障碍和教训

目的

本研究的目的是确定全球大流行对组织倾听提出的新挑战，以及组织如何克服这些障碍。

设计/方法/方法

研究人员对美国传播管理专业人士进行了 30 次深度访谈。

发现

沟通管理专业人士重视倾听，但并不总是将其视为值得的优先事项。他们将缺乏高级管理层的愿望、时间和员工的信任列为有效组织倾听的障碍。全球 COVID 大流行使与远程工作的员工建立联系并观察沟通中必不可少的非语言线索变得更具挑战性。组织正在通过使用更频繁的脉搏调查、视频会议技术和移动应用程序来适应。最重要的是，这种流行病增强了道德敏感性和同理心，领导组织基于道德考虑做出决策。

研究限制/影响

研究人员应用员工-组织关系 (EOR) 理论检查了组织倾听，发现信任是必不可少的。通过与员工建立关系、合乎道德的倾听和通过沟通雇主如何利用员工收到的反馈来做出积极的改变来关闭反馈循环，可以增强信任。

实际影响

沟通经理需要更加重视倾听员工的意见。他们的倾听工作需要真实、在道德上自主或思想开放，并尊重员工的真正关切以及组织决策将如何影响他们。倾听对于担任道德和有效的战略顾问至关重要。

原创性/价值

该研究考察了全球大流行背景下的组织倾听。