Enhancing Employee Engagement via Leaders’ Motivational Language in times of crisis: Perspectives from the COVID-19 outbreak

•Examine how leader communication promotes employee engagement during crises.•Leaders’ motivational language enhances employees’ needs satisfaction during crises.•Employees’ needs satisfaction further promotes their control coping with the crisis.•Employees’ active control coping directly enhances their organizational engagement.•Shed timely insights on effective internal crisis communication during the pandemic.