Let's Break It Down: A Qualitative Analysis of the Role of Communication Pauses in the Internal Corporate Communication of large German Companies

Abstract

The rising flood of emails, messages and meetings in the internal communication of large German companies is growing steadily. The growing number of daily messages as well as their frequency are causing employees to feel stressed. As a result, their productivity and job satisfaction decrease. This paper analyzes the role strategic communication pauses play in the internal corporate communication of large German companies. Using a qualitative research framework, based on semi-structured guided interviews with communication managers (n = 9), insights are gained into the use of communication pauses and reasons for implementing them in companies. The results show that the main reasons are the growing number of communication channels and the increasing quantity of communicated information. Both developments have been further driven by the digital transformation in particular. Furthermore, it is shown that communication pauses are defined and implemented very differently in companies, which is due to various factors, such as digital transformation, corporate culture and internal communication tools. Within the framework of the study, the term 'communication pause' is successfully defined for the first time. In addition, practical recommendations for the implementation of communication pauses in the internal communication of companies are provided.