The Role of Management Communication Practices in Employee Engagement: A Case of Geothermal Development Company
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Date
2016
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
School of communication, Daystar University
Abstract
This study sought to examine the role of management communication practices in employee engagement at Geothermal Development Company (GDC). It used descriptive survey design, which targeted 984 respondents out of which a sample of 148 was selected using proportionate stratified and simple random sampling techniques. Responses from 115 questionnaires returned were analysed and interpreted using SPSS software. Data from seven (7) in-depth interviews were analysed thematically. The study looked at the management communication practices at GDC with regard to channel preferences, message content, sender attributes and feedback mechanism. Managers preferred face-to-face communication while employees preferred emails, with only a fifth of employees preferring face-to-face communication. About half of the messages from managers contained task-related information, yet employees need other types of information for them to remain engaged with their organization. With regard to sender attributes, the majority of managers gave feedback, although not in a timely manner. There was a negative correlation between management accessibility and job grade, with those in job grade four to seven having little access to their supervisors. More than half of the employees were engaged and there was positive correlation between management communication practices and employee engagement. The study recommends that managers’ channel preferences be harmonized with employees’ channel preferences; accessibility of managers to the different cadres of employees; and the active utilization of feedback from employees in decision making.
Description
Thesis
Keywords
Management Communication, Employee engagement, Geothermal Development Company
Citation
Rwenji, Nelly Wanjiru (2016) The Role of Management Communication Practices in Employee Engagement: A Case of Geothermal Development Company. School of communication, Daystar University: Thesis