Exploring Employee Perceptions of Technology Media Influence on
Supervisory Relationships
Abstract
Research has shown that the relationships employees have with their
supervisors or managers is one element that may influence employee
engagement and retention. As part of building a positive relationship,
communication may be a key factor of influence. In today’s workplace,
supervisors often use technology to communicate with direct reports.
With the increasing use of technology to communicate, there could be
influences on the perceived relationship employees have with their
managers, with various media having different levels of impact. The
purpose of this convergent mixed methods study was to determine which
technology media are perceived to be most and least effective in
fostering a positive relationship between direct reports and their
supervisors. The full range leadership model (Bass & Avolio, 1994)
provides a theoretical framework for this study and describes various
leadership styles and their effectiveness in motivating employees.
Specifically, within the full range leadership model, the
transformational leadership style may be an effective approach toward
engaging employees that could also be influenced by technology media.
Our findings indicate that technology media may be especially helpful in
bolstering the availability of supervisors, which may positively
influence other elements of the supervisory relationship. The results
further suggest that it may be important for all leaders to choose a
technology medium that is personalized and preferred by the employee
while also using the most effective medium for the type of message.
Finally, leaders should understand the concerns that employees may have
around privacy and the overuse of technology media.