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Leveraging Strategic Communication for Organisational Cohesion in Hybrid Work Environments

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Abstract

The emergence of hybrid work environments following the COVID-19 pandemic has fundamentally transformed organisational communication, collaboration, and employee interaction. Although hybrid work offers benefits such as increased flexibility, improved worklife balance, and access to a broader talent pool, it also presents communication challenges that may undermine organisational cohesion. This study examines how hybrid work environments reshape communication processes and explores the role of strategic communication in fostering cohesion among geographically dispersed employees. Adopting a qualitative desk review methodology, the study synthesises contemporary literature on hybrid work, organisational communication, and workplace cohesion to identify key communication challenges and emerging best practices. The review reveals four major themes affecting organisational cohesion: communication fragmentation, coordination disparities between remote and in-office employees, reduced informal interactions, and weakened interpersonal relationships. These challenges limit opportunities for trust building, knowledge sharing, and the development of a shared organisational identity. Guided by the Constitutive Theory of Communication, Social Presence Theory, and Media Richness Theory, the study explains how changes in communication channels and interaction patterns influence employee engagement and organisational cohesion in hybrid workplaces. The findings demonstrate that effective strategic communication is essential for sustaining collaboration, strengthening relationships, and maintaining shared meaning across distributed teams. The study recommends implementing structured communication frameworks, hybrid-inclusive communication policies, leadership-driven engagement strategies, and the appropriate use of digital communication technologies to minimise communication gaps and reinforce organisational cohesion. By integrating existing scholarship, this study contributes to the growing body of knowledge on hybrid work and highlights the critical role of strategic communication in supporting organisational effectiveness.

Keywords & Additional Information

Keywords

Strategic communicationHybrid workOrganisational cohesionOrganisational communicationRemote work.

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Author Information

Fredrick Wilson

@fwilso

Bowling Green State University, Ohio
Nigeria
Contributors

Esther Aaron Nuhu

Nile University of Nigeria

Mike Daniel Okaba

Norwegian Church Aid, Nigeria Mission

Publication Details

Volume 2, Issue 2

Year 2026

Pages:55-67
Published:Sun Aug 30 2026
Last Updated:Thu Sep 03 2026