EXAMINATION OF THE ROLE OF PUBLIC RELATIONS IN ENHANCING POSITIVE EMPLOYEE RELATIONS AND ENGAGEMENT IN IKA NORTH EAST COUNCIL, DELTA STATE

The media play a significant part in shaping public opinion on internal organisational practices such as employee relations, with public relations strategies serving as a key mediator in aligning institutional communication with staff expectations. This study examined the role of Public Relations in fostering positive employee relationships and enhanced engagement in Delta State, focusing on Ika North East Council Secretariat. Using a survey questionnaire distributed to 175 respondents, the study employed descriptive statistics, frequencies and percentages to present the data. Findings revealed that a substantial majority (80.0%) agreed that public relations activities help build trust between employees and management, while 70.2% acknowledged that budget constraints hinder the implementation of effective public relations programmes. These results suggest that while public relations efforts are generally perceived as beneficial to employee engagement and internal communication, certain challenges such as financial limitations and inconsistent strategy execution remain. This study suggests that a formal internal PR policy should be developed to guide consistent communication practices across departments, including feedback loops, regular staff briefings, and employee recognition schemes