Perceptions of Corporate Social Responsibility in a Post-Disaster Context: The Impact of CSR on Employee Trust and Identification

Abstract

Corporate social responsibility (CSR) has become increasingly recognized for being a source of positive organizational outcomes. More specifically, CSR has been positively associated with employees experiencing higher levels of organizational trust and organizational identification. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship among these variables in a post-disaster context – the aftermath of Hurricane Ida. In such conditions, employers’ CSR actions may be particularly salient to employees’ perceptions of and attitudes toward their organization. Based on a set of quantitative and qualitative survey data in a sample of South Louisiana employees, our study finds evidence that organizations’ CSR actions directed toward employees may be a stronger influence on employee trust and identification than actions taken to help the community. Implications for theory and practice and directions for future research are discussed.