Gitau, Julie GathoniChebii, Stella Jerop2021-11-292021-11-292020-06Gitau, J.G., Chebii, S.C. (2020). Prioritising employee-organisation relationships in non-profit organisations in Kenya: Antecedents, queries and contradictions. Journal of Development and Communication Studies, 7,1 , 110-123. https://doi.org/10.4314/jdcs.v7i1-2.72305-7432https://repository.daystar.ac.ke/handle/123456789/3767Journal ArticleAlthough employees are the most critical of organisation publics, it is unclear whether employee-organisation relationships (EORs) in non-profit organisations (NPOs) in Kenya are prioritised. To investigate this question further, the study explored relationship antecedents in two non-profit organisations. The study was informed by relationship management theory and the symmetrical communication framework. Semi-structured, in-depth interviews were carried out among 24 purposively sampled management and non-management employees. The data was manually analysed and requisite a priori and in vivo codes and themes identified. The study findings suggest a lack of understanding about the strategic role of public relations in the organisation. Further, technician oriented PR departments mediate the perceptions of and effort expended on internal relationships. Managing employee-organisation relationships was perceived more as a human resource rather than a PR function which precludes more robust forms of PR practice. The researchers recommend a clear demarcation between the public relations and human resource function and to build strategic PR departments that embrace internal relationship management.enRelationship managementEmployee-organisation relationshipsPublic relationsOrganisation-public relationshipsRelationship antecedentsArticle