Impact of Managerial Communication Style on Employee productiv-ity in Sri Lankan Apparel Sector

Abstract

This paper examines how managerial communication styles affect the productivity of employees in the apparel industry of Sri Lanka, which is a labour-intensive industry with diverse workforces. Quantitative data was gathered among 384 employees working in the chosen apparel factories with the help of mixed-method design, and a qualitative analysis based on twelve semi-structured interviews. Four dimensions of communication, including clear communication, feedback and support, friendly and understanding communication and communication methods were investigated. The quantitative results showed that there were positive and significant correlations between all the communication variables and employee productivity, feedback, and support were found to be the most robust predictor. The regression analysis depicted that 64.1% of the variance in productivity was attributed to the communication dimensions. Thematic analysis also upheld these findings and indicated that clarity, supportive feedback, empathy, and digital channels had a significant impact on improving performance. As a conclusion, the research finds that the apparel sector in Sri Lanka heavily depends on relational and operational communication processes of efficiency and offers recommendations on how to advance the communication processes.