Supervisor Communication and Employee Job Satisfaction Gretchen Sullwold

Why Is Better Supervisor Communication Important? Better supervisor communication More informed and satisfied employees Greater productivity and customer hospitality More satisfied, loyal customers Increased sales and customer retention

Research Question “Are there common communication-based behaviors of supervisors that consistently influence employee job satisfaction?”

Collecting the Data Sample  Sample size: 300 employees  Sample population: Multiple sectors and industries Survey  Paper survey: 24 questions  Dissemination: Hand-delivered with cover letter Response  Response rate: 58%

Analyzing the Data

Eleven Preferred Supervisor Communication Behaviors In order of impact on job satisfaction: 1. Concern for personal well-being 2. Open to input / new ideas 3. Clear job expectations 4. Timely communication of company news 5. Immediate constructive feedback

Eleven Preferred Supervisor Communication Behaviors 6. Consistent, positive attitude 7. At least weekly interaction 8. Inclusion in job-related decisions 9. One-on-one communication medium 10. Comfortable disagreeing with supervisor 11. Verbal aggression and energy level

Additional Findings Employees also prefer their supervisors to be: Available to staff Assertive toward conflict Honest and fair Calm under pressure Well-organized

Recommendations Provide employee communication training for supervisors Perform internal communication audit and respond accordingly Further research significant behaviors in more detail

Conclusions Overall, yes, there are common communication-related behaviors of supervisors that consistently influence job satisfaction. Most significant behaviors include: –Concern for personal well-being –Openness to input and new ideas –Clear communication of job expectations –Timely communication of company news

Questions?