The Value of Centre for Employee Relations and Communication (CERC) for Research and Professional Advancement: Insights From the Pandemic Crisis and Beyond

ABSTRACT The Centre for Employee Relations and Communication (CERC) operating at Università IULM in Italy represents an experience of academia‐industry collaboration through a multi‐company research group: the Working Group Employee Communication (WG_EC). The article depicts the efforts that the WG_EC has been putting into the specific research area of internal crisis communication over its 15 years of activity. Through a qualitative study involving 13 professionals that were partners of the WG_EC, it also sheds light on the value generated for company partners from the collaboration with the academic experts of CERC during the COVID‐19 pandemic. The study also reflects upon the professional and research advancement boosted by the CERC and its WG_EC beyond that specific critical event, and to focus on issues that WG_EC professionals consider particularly relevant for the future.