The role of internal social media in enhancing happiness at work

Happiness at work is a significant concern for employees, as it contributes to their overall wellbeing. It is also a crucial priority for executives, given the importance of maintaining satisfied and engaged workers. Nevertheless, achieving this goal requires proper tools. Internal social media emerges as a channel that integrates traditional organizational communication functions with building social relationships in a horizontal space. This study analyzes the relationship between the use of internal social media and three work-related psychological outcomes: affective commitment, psychological safety, and happiness at work. The research evaluates the moderating effect of two different job positions. Questionnaire data were collected from 360 employees in two Spanish companies. The research hypotheses were assessed through PLS-SEM. The results showed that using internal social media positively contributed to all three variables. Its use by back-office employees had a greater effect on happiness at work than for front-line employees, while no difference was reported between supervisors and non-supervisors. Practical implications are suggested to maximize the benefits of internal social media to promote happiness at work.