|
Research has found that about 52 percent of employee absences are discretionary. These avoidable absences are the result of factors such as stress and personal needs, and are inherently influenced by employees' motivational states and leader behavior.
This study, " The Role of Leader Motivating Language in Employee Absenteeism" found in the Organizational Communication section of the IPR web site, investigated the impact of leaders' spoken communication on employee attitudes toward absenteeism, and their actual absenteeism. Organizations might improve their employee attendance by enrolling leaders in motivating-language training programs. Leaders can increase their employees' motivational states by explaining the culture of the organization, sharing concerns with employees, praising them on their work, commiserating with them on their personal frustrations, reminding them of organizational policies and goals, and giving performance feedback.
Read more...
|
|
Dan Ariely of the Duke University Fuqua School posted a new video last week on "The Pain of Paying." There are lessons here about encouraging desired outcomes by adapting communication to the realities of how people think about paying for stuff.
Ariely calls the pain of paying a moral tax on consumption. That can be a good thing whenever careful use of resources seems wise. For example, if it's good to lower energy use at home, a thermostat that shows the cost of heat so far this month might be highly effective. When awareness of payment is positioned close to consumption, we are more careful about consumption.
Ariely talks about ways that individuals can raise or lower their thresholds for the pain of paying. Communicators can certainly help audiences learn to spend less by emphasizing immediate costs. We can also do the opposite - help them enjoy themselves by putting off the day of reckoning. But it surely helps us, as communicators and as individuals, to understand how our brains are wired in terms of the psychology of paying.
Read more... |
The Institute for Public Relations sponsors two paid internships during the summer of 2013. Winners of the awards will also receive grant funding of $2,500 for a research paper aimed at public relations practitioners.
The Grunig PRIME Research Fellowship supports and encourages graduate student interest in applied public relations research as a career opportunity. The winning applicant will work at PRIME Research's location in Ann Arbor, Michigan, for six-weeks during the summer of 2013. A stipend of $5,000 will be awarded. Housing in a walk-to-work location is also provided.
Graduate or doctoral students looking for a summer internship in research and analytics should consider applying for the opportunity to intern with Ketchum through the Ketchum Excellence in Public Relations Research Award. Winners receive a $7,500 stipend to work in the New York offices of Ketchum Global Research & Analytics for ten weeks.
|
