Workplace Dynamics During Crisis Events
Summary
Workplace dynamics during crisis events encompass the adaptive processes, relationships and structures that emerge when organisations confront acute disruptions such as pandemics, natural disasters, economic shocks or security threats. These events intensify job demands, disrupt established communication channels and redefine leadership roles, compelling employees and managers to navigate uncertainty, heightened risk perception and rapidly evolving protocols. The shift to remote or hybrid models further challenges team cohesion, while operational resilience and psychosocial support become central to sustaining performance and well-being. Crises provoke both protective and detrimental behaviours: some actors restrict collaboration and focus narrowly on short-term objectives, whereas others cultivate collective efficacy, servant leadership and participatory decision-making that foster trust and innovation. Understanding these dynamics is vital for designing evidence-based interventions—ranging from safety systems and transparent communication to psychological capital development and self-affirmation techniques—that enhance organisational preparedness, support employee mental health and guide sustainable recovery on a global scale.
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Workplace Dynamics During Crisis Events publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in workplace dynamics during crisis events across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Mortality cues: Awareness of death-related triggers that influence leadership decision-making and behaviour.
Leader expediency: Utilisation of unethical or self-serving practices by leaders to achieve rapid outcomes under pressure.
Servant leadership: Leadership style prioritising the growth, well-being and development of followers.
Job demands: Aspects of work that require sustained physical or psychological effort, potentially leading to strain.
Workplace anxiety: Feelings of apprehension and tension experienced in relation to job tasks and environment.
Psychological capital: Positive state characterised by self-efficacy, optimism, hope and resilience.
Self-affirmation: Reflective intervention in which individuals affirm core values to buffer stress responses.
References
- Being Aware of Death: How and when Mortality Cues Incite Leader Expediency Versus Servant Leadership Behaviour. Journal of Management Studies (2024).
- Job demands, workplace anxiety and psychological capital: Moderation by gender and technology. SA Journal of Industrial Psychology (2024).
- Work engagement and burnout in anticipation of physically returning to work: The interactive effect of imminence of return and self-affirmation. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology (2024).
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