Adapting Internal Communication to Hybrid Work: Identifying Strategies for Government Institutions

Resumo

The emergence of hybrid work, accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic, prompted organizations to transform their internal communication processes and structures. Ministries, as policy-making institutions, faced various challenges in managing internal communication, including increased stress levels, a lack of feedback from managers, and difficulties in fostering strong interpersonal relationships and a sense of teamwork. This paper analyzes the internal communication challenges faced by public sector organizations in the era of hybrid work and examines how a particular Lithuanian ministry addressed these challenges. The study presents suggestions from semi-structured interviews with unit heads and internal communication specialists on improving internal communication management at both the organizational and unit levels within ministries, as hybrid work becomes part of the new normal. Based on the study’s findings and academic literature, recommendations are provided on how internal communication management in governmental institutions could be structured during these turbulent times.