The Comical COVID-19 Crisis: Humor as Organizational Crisis Communication

Abstract

Unexpected organizational crises require organizations and their members to enact specific communicative strategies to deal with the crisis. In 2020, the COVID-19 crisis impacted many individuals and businesses, including nonprofit organizations; however, some of the new strategies they enacted have been left uncelebrated. Twenty-two interviews with nonprofit workers revealed that humor was often used effectively by organizations and their members in COVID-19. Yet, consistency in communication style before and during the crisis is crucial for determining how members view organizational humor. Humor should be considered another organizational crisis communication strategy that can be highly effective, if used carefully and consistently.