The Effect of Communication Apprehension on Service Worker Job Success and What Management Can Do To Help.

ABSTRACT To investigate the effect of communication apprehensioi on service worker job success, a study surveyed 536 service workers in five states during the summer of 1987. The survey sample consisted of individuals from a broad range of age groups with 35% aged 19-21, 24% aged 22-25, 19% between 26 and 35, and 20% over 35 years of age. The questionnaire was designed to survey a broad range of factors relevant to service jobs. The final version consisted of 94 questions, 25 of which were the original Personal Report of Communication Apprehension (PRCA) items, Analysis revealed that servi=ce workers chose their occupations in accordance with their level of communication apprehension, supporting the theory that high communication apprehensive individuals choose occupations they perceive as requiring little communication. Those in service and particularly management jobs reported much lower levels of communication apprehension, whereas those that desired or thought they would be working in a manufacturing job reported higher levels of communication apprehension. Management should provide a positive work climate where employees can solve problems on the spot and have a degree of freedom and ind,*endence, and also upgrade the service worker image in their training programs. (Thirteen tables of data are included, and 11 references are attached.) (MM)