Communication Skills in The Workplace
An Investigation into Student Perceptions
Keywords:
business education, business communicationAbstract
The purpose of the study was to understand how college students perceive the importance of communication skills in the workplace and to gain a better understanding of how students perceive their own communication skills. Research questions were: 1) How confident are students in their communication skills? 2) How important do students perceive communication skills to their future careers? 3) Do students believe the basic business communication course helped improve their communication skills? Pre- and post-surveys were administered to a convenience sample of online and face-to-face students enrolled in a sophomore-level undergraduate business communication course. Findings showed students believe they have effective oral and written communication skills, they believe the course helped them improve their communication skills, they
believed those skills are important to their future careers, and their perceptions were that the course was beneficial. Communication skills are crucial skills employers seek in new hires and findings can inform instructors how students perceive their own communication ability.
Downloads
References
Adecco. (2018, May 6). Watch the skills gap. Retrieved from https://www.
adeccousa.com/employers/resources/skills-gap-in-the-american-workforce/
Bandura, A. (1997). Self-efficacy: The exercise of control. New York, NY: W. H.
Freeman.
Bauer-Wolf, J. (2018, February 23). Overconfident students, dubious employers.
Retrieved from https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2018/02/23/studystudents-believe-they-are-prepared-workplace-employers-disagree
Clokie, T. L., & Fourie, E. (2016). Graduate employability and communication
competence: Are undergraduates taught relevant skills? Business
and Professional Communication Quarterly, 79(4), 442-463. doi:
1177/2329490616657635
Dishman, L. (2016, May 17). These are the biggest skills that new graduates
lack. Retrieved from https://www.fastcompany.com/3059940/these-are-thebiggest-skills-that-new-graduates-lack
Hart Research Associates. (2015). Falling short? College learning and career
success. Retrieved from https://www.aacu.org/sites/default/files/files/
LEAP/2015employerstudentsurvey.pdf
Indeed. (2018). Soft skills: Definitions and examples. Retrieved from https://www.
indeed.com/career-advice/resumes-cover-letters/soft-skills
Mascle, D. D. (2013). Writing self-efficacy and written communication
skills. Business Communication Quarterly, 76(2), 216-225. doi:
1177/1080569913480234
Moshiri, F., & Cardon, P. (2014). The state of business communication classes: A
national survey. Business and Professional Communication Quarterly, 77(3),
329.
National Association of Colleges and Employers. (2017, November 30). The key
attributes employers seek on students’ resume. Retrieved from http://www.
naceweb.org/about-us/press/2017/the-key-attributes-employers-seek-onstudents-resumes/
Ortiz, L. A., Region-Sebest, M., & MacDermott, C. (2016). Employer perceptions
of oral communication competencies most valued in new hires as a factor
in company success. Business and Professional Communication Quarterly,
(3), 317-330. doi: 10.1177/2329490615624108
Robles, M. M. (2012). Executive perceptions of the top 10 soft skills needed in
today’s workplace. Business Communication Quarterly, 75(4), 453-465. doi:
1177/1080569912460400
Russ, T. L. (2009). The status of the business communication course at U.S.
colleges and universities. Business Communication Quarterly, 72(4), 395-
doi:10.1177/1080569909349524
Sharp, M. R., & Brumberger, E. R. (2013). Business communication curricula
today: Revisiting the top 50 undergraduate business schools. Business
Communication Quarterly, 76(1), 5-27. doi:10.1177/1080569912471187
Wardrope, W. J. (2001, June). A communication-based response to distance
learning in business communication. Business Communication Quarterly,
(2), 92-97.
Wright, C., & Bayless, M. L. (2016). Trends: A research update of business
communication face-to-face online courses. Federation of Business
Disciplines Journal, 4, 22-30.
