Patricia M. Sias

From coworkers to friends: The development of peer friendships in the workplace

This paper reports the results of our analysis of interviews with 38 individuals (representing 19 peer friendships) in which we explored factors and communication changes associated with the development of workplace friendships. We found that peer friendships experienced three primary transitions: from coworker/acquaintance‐to‐friend, friend‐to‐close friend, and close friend‐to‐almost best friend. The co‐worker‐to‐friend transition was perceived to be caused primarily by working together in close proximity, sharing common ground, and extra‐organizational socializing. Communication at this transition became broader, yet remained relatively superficial. The friend‐to‐close friend transition was associated primarily with problems in ones personal and work experiences. Communication at this transition became broader, more intimate, and less cautious. The close friend‐to‐almost best friend transition was associated primarily with life events, work‐related problems, and the passage of time. Communication becam...

Workplace Relationship Quality and Employee Information Experiences

This study examined the extent to which the amount and quality of work‐related information employees received was associated with the quality of their relationships with peer co‐workers and their immediate supervisors. Results indicated that supervisor–subordinate relationship quality was positively related to both the amount and quality of information employees received from their immediate supervisor. In addition, employees’ proportions of information peer relationships were negatively related, and their proportions of collegial peer relationships were positively related, to the quality of information they received from their co‐workers. Regression analyses also indicated that the quality of information employees received from their supervisors and co‐workers was positively related to their job satisfaction and commitment to the organization.

Narratives of Workplace Friendship Deterioration

An exploratory examination of workplace friendship deterioration processes was conducted using employees’ narrative accounts of their experiences. Narratives revealed five primary causes of workplace friendship deterioration – personality, distracting life events, conflicting expectations, promotion, and betrayal. Narratives also indicated that individuals relied primarily on indirect communication tactics, including avoidance of nonwork topics in conversation, nonverbal cues, and avoidance of socializing away from the workplace to disengage from workplace friendships. Consequences of workplace friendship deterioration included emotional stress, reduced ability to perform tasks, turnover, and altered perceptions regarding the role of friendships in the workplace. Discussion and suggestions for future research are provided.

Personality and Information Seeking Understanding How Traits Influence Information-Seeking Behaviors

Organizational newcomers go through various socialization processes before becoming organizational veterans. Information seeking (a self-socialization process) involves newcomers’ proactively seeking new information, most times to reduce uncertainty. This study assessed how personality traits, specifically, Costa and McCrae’s Big Five, affect this process. Multiple regression analyses indicate that certain traits influence information seeking directly and via the mediation of social costs. Of particular note are the results surrounding extroversion. Specifically, the data suggest a direct relationship between extroversion and covert relational information seeking, whereas perceived relational social costs also mediate this relationship. Several important extensions to the literature are discussed herein.

A Comparison of the Communication Behaviors of Temporary Employees and New Hires

Most organizational research fails to examine the communication experiences of temporary employees. Based on uncertainty reduction theory and impression management, this study compares the information-seeking and information-giving behaviors of temporary employees and newly hired, regular employees. Results suggest that temporary employees are less concerned about impression management, seek appraisal information less frequently, and practice less information giving than newly hired, regular employees. The data indicate temporary employees are more communicatively isolated from organizational members than other newcomers. Results suggest organizations may improve organizational learning and innovation by increasing communication with temporary employees.

Sex and sex‐composition differences and similarities in peer workplace friendship development

Employees reported the history of their friendships with peer coworkers, rating the importance of several developmental influences and a variety of communication changes as their friendships experienced three transitions: acquaintance‐to friend, friend‐to‐close friend, and close friend‐to very close/almost best friend. Results indicate that in same‐sex friendships, the influence of workplace contextual factors (e.g., sharing tasks and proximity) decreased and the influence of extra organizational influences increased as the friendships became closer. In cross‐sex friendships, however, workplace contextual factors retained their importance over the development of the friendship, suggesting individuals in cross‐sex friendships try to maintain the boundary between work and personal spheres by keeping their friendships defined as a “workplace” relationship.

Peer communication relationships and psychological climate

This study examined the association between psychological climate and the types of communication relationships employees form with their peers. 194 teachers completed a questionnaire measuring psychological climate. They also reported their proportions of information, collegial and special peer relationships. Perceptions of the organizations climate were associated with the types of communication relationships employees form with their peers. These associations were moderated, in part, by gender, suggesting that men and women differ significantly in the ways they approach friendships at work. Implications of these findings are discussed.

Intercultural Friendship Development

This study examined intercultural friendship development through analysis of in-depth interviews. While extant literature on friendship development has examined friends from the same cultural background, interviewees in the current study (N = 30) described relationships with friends from cultures different than their own. Analysis revealed four factors that respondents felt influenced the development of their intercultural friendship; targeted socializing, cultural similarities, cultural differences, and prior intercultural experience. Results also indicate several ways in which communication both enables and hinders the development of intercultural friendships, providing evidence of the uniqueness and complexity of communication in these relationships.

The New Employee as a Source of Uncertainty: Veteran Employee Information Seeking about New Hires

Employee socialization research conceptualizes new hires as those who experience uncertainty and seek information to reduce uncertainty. Our study contributes to this research by introducing another aspect of employee uncertainty. While organizational newcomers experience uncertainty upon organizational entry, our focus shifts to uncertainty experienced by veteran employees when a newcomer joins the organization. We conceptualize organizational newcomers as a source of uncertainty and veteran employees as those who experience uncertainty and seek information to reduce uncertainty. Interviews revealed types of uncertainty veterans experience regarding new hires and tactics used to reduce uncertainty. This conceptual shift has substantial heuristic potential.

Communicating spirit in a collaborative alliance

Abstract This case study identified communicative practices that supported “collaborative spirit”; in a collaborative alliance. Two components of collaborative spirit previously identified in the literature were examined: shared mission and shared power. Communication practices associated with the shared mission principle included discussion of the mission, reaffirmation, testimony, and pride statements. Communication practices associated with the shared power principle included use of a consent process, barter and negotiating behavior, provision of equal opportunity, soliciting others’ input, and the rotating chairperson.