Enterprise Social Media and Employee Engagement: A Qualitative Study on Content, Perception, and Sense of Belonging in Internal Public Relations

Workplace communication technologies such as Teams, Slack, and FirstUp continue to serve as vital tools for effective internal public relations in today’s postmodern organizational landscape. Gaining a deeper understanding of how these tools enhance employee engagement, influence employees’ perceptions of their organization, and foster a sense of belonging is essential for talent retention, sustained business operations, and long-term organizational success. Despite this importance, research remains limited on the types of content shared on workplace communication platforms and how such content shapes intra-organizational perceptions while nurturing a sense of belonging among employees.This qualitative study aimed to explore the intersection of enterprise social media (ESM), employee engagement, and internal communication practices in contributing to organizational success. Framed by Social Exchange Theory (SET), the study employed in-depth semi-structured interviews and conducted a thematic analysis of the data. The findings indicate that professional development content, interactive posts, and gamified elements significantly promote employee engagement. Employees viewed ESM content as not only a reflection of the organization’s culture, but also as a resource that supports their work performance. Furthermore, ESM platforms were found to enhance employees’ sense of belonging by facilitating social connections and creating systems of professional support.The study concludes that internal public relations (iPR) professionals should incorporate gamified and interactive content into their communication strategies to promote work-life balance and reduce employee stress. Beyond content strategy, organizations must also utilize workplace communication technologies more effectively to strengthen employee engagement and foster meaningful peer-to-peer connections.