Catherine Y. Kingsley Westerman

The Role of Patient-Centeredness in Predicting Compliance with Mammogram Recommendations: An Analysis of the Health Information National Trends Survey

The Health Information National Trends Survey (HINTS), a nationally representative data set, was analyzed to investigate the influence of perceived patient-centeredness, physician recommendation of mammograms, and race on adherence to mammogram recommendations. Data from African American, European American, Hispanic, and other female ethnic/racial groups (N = 2179) revealed that a recommendation from a physician to obtain a mammogram was a significant predictor of mammogram behavior (OR = 6.67), while patient-centeredness was not predictive of adherence to mammogram recommendations. Additionally, Latinas reported higher perceptions of patient-centeredness than African Americans and European Americans. Implications are discussed, along with recommendations for future research.

Immediacy as an Influence on Supervisor-Subordinate Communication

This study explores the role of perceived immediacy in workplace communication. The study tested a model in which perceived immediacy mediated the relationships between supervisor immediate behaviors and subordinate job satisfaction, motivation, empowerment, and burnout. Statistically significant relationships were yielded among all variables, with negative relationships associated with burnout and positive relationships associated with all other variable combinations. The model as proposed failed, but a part of the model fit very well. The data are consistent with a simple causal string from supervisor immediate behaviors → perceived immediacy → subordinate burnout. Implications are discussed within.

What Makes Performance Feedback Seem Just? Synchronicity, Channel, and Valence Effects on Perceptions of Organizational Justice in Feedback Delivery

Because organizations may increasingly utilize a variety of different methods to communicate with employees both on- and off-site, performance feedback may not continue to be bound to traditional face-to-face interaction. Knowing how channel and synchronicity may affect perceptions of feedback may be very useful to organizations and supervisors as the use of alternative work arrangements increases. This study was conducted to learn more about the delivery of performance feedback to employees and what would cause them to feel justly versus unjustly treated by their supervisors. Synchronicity, channel, and valence effects on perceptions of justice in feedback delivery were examined through a fully crossed 2 × 2 × 2 design of 447 participants. Findings suggest that positive feedback and delivery via phone call rather than text message were associated with higher perceptions of organizational justice. Practical implications for organizations are also addressed.

What’s Fair? Public and Private Delivery of Project Feedback

Perceptions of justice are an important consideration for organizations as past research has shown that when employees feel they are treated fairly, positive outcomes result and negative outcomes can be avoided. The current study examined the effects of private and public delivery of positive and negative feedback on perceptions of procedural and interactional justice. Although past research found no differences for channel when comparing face-to-face to email, current results indicate that differences existed across channel characteristic such that private delivery was viewed as more procedurally and interactionally just than public delivery. Positive feedback was also viewed as more procedurally and interactionally just than negative feedback. This may indicate to practitioners that a private channel is more appropriate for feedback and that giving positive feedback may help engender perceptions of just treatment in employees.

How People Restore Equity at Work and Play: Forgiveness, Derogation, and Communication

Responses to inequity are examined in the context of blended friendship. Predictions of equity theory were supported for derogation; individuals in an overbenefit situation were the most likely to derogate their partners. However, individuals in an underbenefit situation were not most likely to forgive their partners, in contradiction to the equity theory prediction. Across equity level and relationship dimension, a direct communication approach to restoring equity was preferable to an indirect approach. The results provide some support for equity theory and extend the application of the theory into the communication realm. Future research should investigate the effects of emotions, specifically anger and guilt, on equity restoration efforts.Responses to inequity are examined in the context of blended friendship. Predictions of equity theory were supported for derogation; individuals in an overbenefit situation were the most likely to derogate their partners. However, individuals in an underbenefit situation were not most likely to forgive their partners, in contradiction to the equity theory prediction. Across equity level and relationship dimension, a direct communication approach to restoring equity was preferable to an indirect approach. The results provide some support for equity theory and extend the application of the theory into the communication realm. Future research should investigate the effects of emotions, specifically anger and guilt, on equity restoration efforts.

Employee communication, job engagement, and organizational commitment: A study of members of the Millennial Generation

ABSTRACT The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship between job engagement and two key components of employee-organization relationships (EOR). Findings from a survey of members of the Millennial Generation (N = 539) in the United States indicate that job engagement mediates the relationship between employee communication and organizational commitment. It is concluded that when employees are engaged in their work, their commitment to the organization is strengthened and the likelihood of them leaving the organization decreases. Furthermore, an argument is made in light of the study’s findings that engagement and commitment work in concert to strengthen EORs overall. To foster engagement, organizations should remove obstacles to internal information flow and provide ongoing feedback to employees about individual and organizational issues.

Opening a Performance Dialogue With Employees: Facework, Voice, and Silence

This study examines how a supervisor’s delivery of negative feedback affects employees’ tendency to respond by either voicing their ideas or remaining silent. The results show that approbation, or the use of praise to soften face threat, was the most effective facework message for the supervisor to use when providing negative feedback. When employees felt more threatened, they reported that they would be less likely to use voice to help others and more likely to use silence defensively as a response, but as their perceptions of threat decreased, they generally reported that they were more likely to use voice to help others. The article discusses implications of these results, limitations of the study, and future directions of this research.

Managing Blended Friendships: Using Empirical Data to Prepare Students and Employees for Relational Outcomes

The current study investigates how college students expect to react to inequity in blended friendships. Blended friendship is defined as a friendship that involves interaction at work and outside of work. Data from undergraduate students (N = 185) showed that liking and relational importance were found to be lower in underreward and overreward situations versus equitable situations. Whether the inequity was in the task versus the social dimension of the blended friendship had a small effect on liking but did not affect relational importance. The results of this study could contribute to a general realistic job preview (RJP) to be given to graduating seniors as they prepare to enter the workforce or to employees as they enter new organizations.The current study investigates how college students expect to react to inequity in blended friendships. Blended friendship is defined as a friendship that involves interaction at work and outside of work. Data from undergraduate students (N = 185) showed that liking and relational importance were found to be lower in underreward and overreward situations versus equitable situations. Whether the inequity was in the task versus the social dimension of the blended friendship had a small effect on liking but did not affect relational importance. The results of this study could contribute to a general realistic job preview (RJP) to be given to graduating seniors as they prepare to enter the workforce or to employees as they enter new organizations.

Delivering Feedback: Supervisors’ Source Credibility and Communication Competence

This study investigated how perceptions of supervisor communication competence and source credibility were affected by the valence and synchronicity of a feedback message and the channel used to deliver the feedback message. Results indicated that those receiving feedback preferred phone calls rather than text messages as a channel for managers to deliver feedback. Also, supervisors delivering positive feedback were identified as more positive in general than those delivering negative feedback. Further results and implications are discussed.

Strengthening the Tie: Creating Exchange Relationships That Encourage Employee Advocacy as an Organizational Citizenship Behavior

This study investigates the communication elements within organizations that enhance social exchanges and influence an individual’s willingness to spread positive information about their employer. Findings from a survey of employees in a United States–based health care organization (N = 223) indicate that organizational commitment mediates the relationship between employee-centered internal communication by organizations and employee advocacy. Employees with strong organizational commitment perceive that their organization values the exchange relationship, and employees, in turn, report they are likely to take extra steps to support their organization. To encourage organization-supportive employee advocacy behavior, organizations should engage in open and supportive communication with employees and cultivate lasting relationships with them.