The dualism of CSR messaging: how CSR communication shapes employee engagement via a JD–R lens

Purpose Based on job demands–resources (JD–R) theory, this study examines how corporate social responsibility (CSR) communication influences employees’ CSR engagement through psychological mechanisms. Design/methodology/approach Using survey data from 409 Chinese employees and Hayes’ (2013) conditional process analysis, the paper conceptualize CSR communication as comprising communicative job resources (informativeness, personal relevance, consistency, transparency, factual tone) and a communicative job demand(promotional tone). Findings The paper finds that communicative job resources enhance employees’ CSR-specific competence satisfaction and affective commitment, thereby increasing CSR engagement, whereas communicative job demands hinder this process. The study reveals the psychological pathways linking CSR communication to employee engagement, extends the JD–R framework to the CSR domain and offers actionable insights for improving CSR communication strategies. Originality/value This paper advances CSR communication research by applying JD–R theory to categorize CSR communication. Furthermore, this paper uncovering the underlying psychological mechanisms linking CSR communication to employees’ CSR engagement.