Social media and personnel resilience: Insights from the 2020 refugee crisis in Greece

Abstract

The escalation of armed conflicts and economic instability has led to a significant surge in migration and refugee movements. Crisis communication via social media platforms and networking sites can significantly influence the perceptions of personnel directly involved in crisis management, such as security forces. Most research on crisis communication through social media focuses on the experiences of migrants and refugees, leaving the perspectives of security personnel relatively underexplored. The present study examines the impact of posts and messages received on security personnel’s social media accounts on their organizational behavior. Specifically, it investigates how online social support and organizational identification contribute to enhancing employee resilience during the 2020 refugee crisis that unfolded along the southeastern EU borders, particularly in the Evros region. A structured questionnaire was administered to 237 Greek security personnel directly involved in border patrol operations. By analyzing the effects of social media interactions, this research aims to shed light on the mechanisms that help security personnel maintain resilience under challenging conditions. The findings underscore the critical role of online social support and organizational identification in strengthening resilience. The study also outlines both theoretical and practical implications and offers recommendations for future research.