Discourses of employees in the virtual workplace: An analysis of public relations trade publications

This study examines the discourse about employees and employee engagement in public relations trade publications amidst the rise of the virtual workplace. Through a critical discourse analysis of PR Week and Strategies & Tactics , this research uncovers a top-down, instrumental discourse on employee engagement. The analysis reveals a prevailing objectification of employees, where discourse centered on their productivity, efficiency, and utility to organizational goals, even when discussing well-being and inclusion. The voices of non-managerial employees are largely absent, and engagement is positioned as a leadership tool to extract value, often at the expense of employee autonomy. This paper contributes to public relations scholarship by interrogating the ethical and participatory shortcomings of engagement strategies, as evidenced in the industry discourse, and calls for a more inclusive, co-creational approach that centers employees’ humanity and lived experiences.