Job stress is one of the common problems in workplaces. This problem is more severe in the petrochemical industry, because working conditions are difficult, stressful, and sometimes dangerous. In such an environment, the way employees and managers communicate can increase or decrease stress. The aim of this study was to investigate the role of workplace communication in the job stress of petrochemical employees. The PRECEDE-PROCEED model was used for this purpose. This research was conducted qualitatively. A total of 29 petrochemical employees participated in the study. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and group discussions, and individuals were selected purposefully. After data collection, participants' statements were first examined freely, and then the results were categorized based on different parts of the PRECEDE-PROCEED model. Data analysis showed that workplace communication affects job stress in different ways. Several themes and subthemes were identified: some related to individual factors and the quality of communication, some to workplace conditions and communication facilities, and others to feedback and the type of relationships in the organization. Most participants believed that poor and inappropriate communication was one of the main reasons for increased psychological stress in the workplace. The results indicate that communication plays an important role in the experience of job stress among petrochemical workers. The use of the PRECEDE-PROCEED model helped to better and more clearly understand this issue. These findings can be useful for designing programs that help reduce stress and improve employee health.

This research examines English pronunciation errors produced by Indonesian employees at Sunset Eyewear, Bali, during workplace communication. The aim of this research is to identify the types of pronunciation errors and to explain the factors influencing them. The analysis is grounded in Selinker’s Interlanguage Theory (1972), which emphasizes the role of first language influence in second language production. A descriptive qualitative method was employed. Data were collected through audio recordings of natural workplace interactions and were transcribed using the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA). The analysis was supported by the SpeechAce application (version 1.3.2) to ensure phonetic accuracy. In addition, semi-structured interviews were conducted to explore the factors underlying the errors. The findings indicate that the most frequent errors include sound substitution, voicing errors, and final consonant devoicing, such as /?/ ? /t/, /ð/ ? /d/, and /z/ ? /s/. These errors are influenced by interconnected factors, including first language interference, educational background, workplace communication demands, shifting communicative goals, and limited phonological awareness. It is concluded that targeted pronunciation practice and greater exposure to accurate spoken English are needed to improve clarity and effectiveness in workplace communication

Orientation: Burnout, psychological safety and contextual performance are essential to employee well-being and organisational success. Although workplace communication is often treated as secondary to leadership behaviour, its direct role in these outcomes remains underexplored, particularly in the high-pressure Indian information technology sector. Research purpose: This study examined whether workplace communication independently predicts burnout, psychological safety and contextual performance, and compared its influence with supervisor and coworker support. Motivation for the study: Prior research has largely treated communication as part of hierarchical support systems. This study instead models communication as a standalone variable in a demanding, innovation-driven work setting. Research approach/design and method: A cross-sectional quantitative survey was conducted among 344 full-time Indian information technology professionals using a 21-item Likert-scale questionnaire. Multiple linear regression assessed the predictive strength of workplace communication while controlling for supervisor and coworker support. Main findings: Workplace communication emerged as the strongest predictor across all three outcomes. It was negatively associated with burnout and positively associated with psychological safety and contextual performance. Coworker support was also significant across all three models, while supervisor support was positively associated with psychological safety and contextual performance, but not burnout. Practical/managerial implications: These findings identify communication as an important organisational resource linked to employee well-being and performance. Contribution/value-add: By modelling communication as an independent predictor, this study offers theoretical and practical insight into how everyday interactions shape workplace outcomes in high-demand sectors.

ABSTRACT As global manufacturing industries expand, intercultural competence has become a critical skill for technicians working in diverse environments. This study evaluates the effectiveness of virtual reality (VR) simulation training compared to traditional lecture-based methods for developing intercultural competence among manufacturing technician students. Participants in the virtual reality (VR) conditions (n=174) comleted immersive workplace simulations, whereas 26 participants underwent an eight-week lecture-based workplace communication course. The findings demonstrate that VR simulation training significantly enhanced participants’ behavioural openness and interpersonal communication skills. Furthermore, VR participants exhibited a recalibration of their self-assessment of intercultural awareness, reflecting a more nuanced and realistic understanding of their cultural competencies. In contrast, the lecture-based group showed no statistically significant changes across the measured dimensions, underscoring the limitations of passive learning methods. The findings suggest the potential of VR technology as a more innovative and effective tool for intercultural competence development. than pasive instructional approaches. The study contributes to emerging research on technology-enhanced workforce education by highlighting the advantages of VR as a scalable and cost-efficient solution for preparing technician workforce to navigate the global labour market and career development. These findings have significant implications for curriculum design and training strategies in higher education and professional development.

ABSTRACT As organizations adapt to evolving work practices, many are turning to activity-based work environments with the aim of enhancing employee interactions, particularly communication and collaboration. Despite the growing popularity of activity-based work environments, evidence on their actual impact remains limited and mixed. This study investigates how transitioning to activity-based work environments affects employee communication and collaboration, and how these effects depend on person-environment fit. Drawing on longitudinal survey data from three small organizations in Iceland, we analysed employee responses collected once before and three times after the activity-based work environment was implemented. Using hierarchical linear modelling, we find modest but statistically significant increases in communication and collaboration following the transition. Furthermore, the improvements were more pronounced among employees with a higher person-environment fit, suggesting that alignment between individual preferences and workspace design plays a key role in shaping outcomes. These findings contribute to a clearer understanding of how flexible workspace arrangements influence day-to-day employee interactions and highlight the importance of accounting for individual differences in evaluating such changes. MAD statement This study provides important insights into how activity-based work environments influence workplace communication and collaboration, offering scholars and practitioners evidence-based guidance on designing workspaces that support effective employee interaction. By using longitudinal data and examining the moderating role of person-environment fit, the research demonstrates both the overall benefits of activity-based work environments and the value of aligning workspace design with individual needs. These findings address a growing organizational challenge: fostering communication and collaboration in increasingly flexible and dynamic work settings. As such, this work is highly relevant for those seeking to improve employee interaction, teamwork, and performance through thoughtful workplace design.

This study examines the expanded use of the Korean subject honorific prefinal ending “-si-” in service workplace communication and explores its implications for university communication education from the perspective of open education. To achieve this aim, the study conducted a diachronic analysis of the use of “-si-” in service discourse by comparing television drama scripts from the late 1990s and the mid-2020s. In addition, naturally occurring service interactions were collected from service establishments in Seoul and Jeonju and analyzed synchronically. A survey was also administered to service employees and customers to investigate their perceptions of the expanded use of “–si-”. The results reveal three main findings. First, the frequency of “-si-” usage in service discourse has significantly increased in recent years. Second, both employees and customers perceive that “-si-” is frequently used in service situations and tend to interpret it as a polite form of expression. Third, perceptions of the expanded use of “-si-” differ across age groups, with younger generations more likely to regard such expressions as natural language use. These findings indicate that the use of honorific expressions in service discourse has been changing across time and generations. Based on these results, this study suggests that university communication education should address not only normative grammatical knowledge but also the analysis of language use in real-life discourse contexts. Such an approach is consistent with the principles of open education, which encourage learners to explore and understand language use in diverse communicative situations.

Despite growing interest in autistic adults' employment outcomes, little is known about how autistic individuals experience everyday workplace dynamics-particularly in relation to colleagues and social inclusion. This study aimed to explore how autistic employees in Israel perceive their work experiences, including challenges, sources of meaning, and interpersonal interactions. Ten autistic adults participated in semi-structured interviews, conducted in Hebrew and analyzed using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA). Participants were recruited via autism-related organizations and online platforms using a snowball sampling approach. Interviews focused on experiences of teamwork, communication, disclosure, and inclusion. Four key themes emerged: (1) Work as a source of meaning; (2) Disclosure as a relational dilemma; (3) Workplace communication as a "foreign language"; and (4) Coworkers as key actors in everyday inclusion. Participants described varied experiences shaped by everyday peer interactions. Findings underscore that inclusion is not solely determined by organizational policies but is co-constructed through everyday interactions between autistic and non-autistic employees. These dynamics present both barriers and opportunities for fostering social integration, authenticity, and workplace wellbeing. Implications are discussed for inclusive practices and future research on neurodiversity in the workplace.

When using a second language in problem-solving, “linguistic processing” and “thinking” occur simultaneously, consuming cognitive resources and reducing thinking ability compared to using a native language (i.e., foreign language side effect; FoLSE). In collaborative settings, cognitive load may increase due to the need to listen to others. This study examines the impact of collaboration on FoLSE. We employed a dual-task paradigm with a thinking task (calculation problems) to assess thinking ability and a language task (word chain games) to stimulate linguistic processing. Chinese international students (N = 82) participated in either a collaboration group (pairs or trios, alternating language tasks) or an individual group. The results, contrary to expectations, suggested that collaboration may reduce FoLSE. Specifically, when collaborating in a trio, the interference rate when using a foreign language was similar to using a native language. Thus, collaboration appears to mitigate the foreign language effect. The findings may inform the design of collaborative learning environments and multilingual workplace communication strategies aimed at reducing the FoLSE and enhancing cognitive efficiency.

English for Specific Purposes (ESP), defined by Hutchinson and Waters (1987) as a goal oriented approach that tailors language instruction to learners’ specific professional needs, occupies a central place in vocational education in Indonesia. Current policies such as the Merdeka Curriculum and Ministerial Decree No. 244/M/2024 emphasize that English instruction in vocational high schools must prepare students for the linguistic demands of their respective fields rather than for general communication alone. However, existing studies primarily investigate ESP within a single vocational major and focus on needs analysis or material development, leaving limited understanding of how teachers implement ESP simultaneously across different departments with distinct technical discourses under one curriculum framework. This study aims to examine how ESP materials are implemented in two majors, Software Engineering (RPL) and Electrical Installation Engineering (TITL), at SMK Teknologi Mandiri in Garut, West Java. A qualitative descriptive design was employed through four classroom observations and semi structured interviews with two experienced English teachers. The findings reveal four consistent implementation strategies: technical vocabulary introduction, genre contextualization of national curriculum text types, authentic material use, and vocational task simulation. The study also identifies three major challenges, namely limited instructional time, demands on teachers’ technical knowledge, and varied student proficiency levels. The findings suggest that effective ESP implementation in a multi major vocational context depends on interdisciplinary collaboration and adaptive material development to align curriculum requirements with workplace communication needs, thereby strengthening students’ readiness for Field Work Practice.

This study describes participants' views and insights into crafting effective communication aimed at smokeless tobacco and nicotine pouch prevention among fire academy trainees and new recruits. Firefighters have elevated rates of smokeless tobacco use compared with the general population. Nicotine pouches have also gained popularity among this occupational group. We launched a pilot project centered in rural Northern California counties to uncover factors that can be used to communicate smokeless tobacco and nicotine pouch prevention messages within the firefighter workplace. As a first step, we conducted semi-structured interviews with firefighter subject matter experts, including fire chiefs, fire academy instructors, wildlands firefighters, and recent fire academy graduates. This purposive sample (n = 13) was obtained through referrals from the project's Community Advisory Board, composed of fire service professionals. Interviews were audio recorded and transcribed. Next, the qualitative interviews were thematically analyzed. The results focus on two aspects of effective workplace communication in the service to delivery of smokeless tobacco and nicotine pouch prevention messages: content (core information conveyed in a message), and format (how the message is transmitted or displayed). Examples of the former are the importance of keeping oneself healthy so that one can do one's job; do not risk a future compensation claim due to smokeless tobacco or nicotine pouch use. Examples of the latter are the use of brevity; humor. Because firefighters often initiate use of these products after they join the fire service, communicating prevention messages in the workplace during the firefighter training and recruitment stage may help disrupt the uptake of nicotine products.

ABSTRACT Many federal agencies and nonprofit organizations support military service members transitioning back to civilian life. Yet, veterans still report that many of their transitioning needs are not being met. Studies aimed at assessing the needs of veterans during the transition process largely include homogenous samples that lack the diverse gender, racial, and ethnic identities found among current and future populations of veterans. The current study interviewed 50 post-9/11 veterans and oversampled for women and racial and ethnic minority veterans to examine potential gaps in transition supports and the challenges they faced while transitioning out of the military. Veterans described use of federal and nonprofit transition support, though also reported receipt of support from civilian organizations that do not necessarily focus on supplying transition resources, such as university career centers. Some veterans reported challenges following separation, such as with securing mental health care, stable housing, financial stability, and adjusting to civilian workplace communication styles. Drivers of transition challenges included being uninformed about available resources and the increased cost of living. Strengthening awareness among civilian organizations on their potential to support veterans during transition and delivering personalized resources that may streamline access to supports, such as for healthcare and housing, may improve transition support.

This study aims to examine the influence of Job Training, Job Appraisal, Compensation, and Workplace Communication on Employee Performance at the Regional Technical Implementation Unit of the Goods Quality Certification Testing Center (UPTD BPSMB), under the Aceh Department of Industry and Trade. A quantitative survey method was employed, with data collected through questionnaires distributed to 30 employees. Data analysis was conducted using multiple linear regression with the assistance of SPSS version 2.9. The results indicate that individually, Job Training, Job Appraisal, Compensation, and Workplace Communication each have a positive and significant effect on Employee Performance. Furthermore, these four variables simultaneously demonstrate a significant influence on Employee Performance, as reflected by the coefficient of determination, which shows that a substantial proportion of the variation in employee performance is explained by the independent variables. The findings highlight the importance of improving training programs, performance appraisal systems, compensation schemes, and effective workplace communication to enhance employee performance.

This study investigates the types of ESP availability, teachers’ preparedness, institutional capacity and learners’ perspectives in private language centers in Kosovo. A mixed-methods approach was employed, involving 25 administrators of private language centers, 50 English teachers and 75 learners. Quantitative data were collected through structured questionnaires and analyzed using descriptive statistics, while qualitative data from semi-structured interviews and open-ended responses were examined through thematic analysis. Findings indicate that most private language centers in Kosovo offer at least one ESP course, while Business English and English for Information Technology emerging as the most widely available and most-in demand fields, both showing a noticeable increase over the past five years, reflecting current labor market priorities. Although 78% of teachers reported limited formal ESP training methodology, they demonstrated strong professional autonomy by adapting internet-based and authentic materials to meet learners’ workplace needs. Institutional challenges were substantial: 84% of administrators reported outdated teaching materials, 75% identified insufficient funding for professional development, 60% noted learners’ weak general English proficiency, and 52% reported limited cooperation with employers. Learners’ responses confirmed that ESP is primarily pursued to improve workplace communication and career advancement, while many respondents reported initial difficulties in verbal communication in professional settings. The study highlights a widening gap between labor market expectations and instructional capacity in Kosovo’s private language sector. It offers practical implications of curriculum development, teacher training, and industry collaboration in a transitional educational context.

The rapid digital transformation in the Industry 4.0 era has reshaped vocational education, emphasizing the need for graduates who possess strong English communication skills aligned with global business demands. This study investigates students’ perceptions of using Free4Talk, an online language exchange platform, to enhance English for Business Communication among vocational students. Employing a mixed method design, the research collected quantitative data through a five point Likert scale questionnaire and qualitative data through semi-structured interviews with 20 Business Administration students at Kupang State Polytechnic. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze the questionnaire, while thematic analysis was applied to interpret interview responses. The findings revealed that students hold positive perceptions of Free4Talk across four key dimensions: usability and accessibility (M=3.73), motivation and engagement (M=3.59), language and business communication skills (M=3.45), and intercultural communication competence (M=3.43) all categorized as “high.” The results indicate that Free4Talk effectively fosters speaking fluency, confidence, and intercultural awareness through authentic, real time interaction with global users. Students valued its accessibility, user friendly design, and motivational features that encouraged frequent speaking practice beyond the classroom. In conclusion, integrating Free4Talk into vocational English instruction bridges academic and workplace communication needs, supporting the development of globally competent communicators. It is recommended that future research employ experimental or longitudinal approaches to examine measurable gains in fluency, accuracy, and pragmatic competence, as well as to explore the integration of teacher guidance and feedback mechanisms in technology-mediated language learning

Purpose This study aims to explore and compare the extent to which undergraduates’ perceived challenges in oral presentations align with the expectations of hiring managers in workplace communication settings. Design/methodology/approach A qualitative exploratory approach was used, combining semi-structured interviews with 4 hiring managers across banking and corporate sectors and open-ended responses from 112 final-year undergraduates from a Malaysian public university. Thematic analysis was applied to examine how oral presentation competence is experienced by students and evaluated by hiring managers. Findings Thematic analysis revealed a clear mismatch: while hiring managers prioritised clarity, confident delivery and audience engagement, undergraduates were preoccupied with linguistic accuracy and error avoidance. Notably, language proficiency was only cited as a barrier by students, which suggests different conceptualisations of presentation competence. Originality/value This study offers a theory-informed, comparative analysis of oral presentation competence from the perspectives of undergraduates and hiring managers in Malaysia. It explains how differences in how presentation competence is understood, experienced and evaluated contribute to the persistence of this gap in oral presentation contexts.

Aim: This study aimed to quantitatively evaluate the effectiveness of the OISCA-Abra training program by measuring the technological skill development, workplace experiences, and perceived career relevance of Abra State Institute of Sciences and Technology (ASIST) graduates who participated in Japan's Technical Intern Training Program (TITP).Methodology: A descriptive-evaluative quantitative research design was employed.Data were gathered through a validated structured questionnaire administered to 50 purposively selected ASIST graduates who had completed at least one year of internship training in Japan.The instrument measured technological skill acquisition, training challenges, and program satisfaction.Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and paired-samples t-tests.Results: Findings revealed a statistically significant increase in technological skill levels after program participation (t(49) = 18.75, p < .001).The highest improvements were recorded in CNC machine operation (M = 4.65) and advanced welding techniques (M = 4.40).Language barriers (M = 4.52) and cultural differences (M = 4.10) emerged as the primary challenges.Despite these barriers, trainees reported high overall satisfaction (M = 4.30) and strong confidence in the relevance of their acquired skills for future employment in the Philippines (M = 4.54). Conclusion:The TITP significantly enhances the technological competencies of OISCA-Abra trainees through handson experience, exposure to advanced equipment, and expert mentorship.However, communication and cultural barriers remain key constraints that may limit deeper skill integration.Strengthening technical language preparation and workplace communication support can further improve program outcomes.

Many companies have suffered from turnover of key workers due to concerns about human relationships in their workplaces. They should enhance relationships that promote all workers to engage in their work pleasantly. The issue can be solved with active listening, where a manager tries to get what a worker feels in the workspace as a listener. However, workers seldom talk frankly. The listener needs to attain listening skills through many experiences. It costs a lot. The study proposes a training method to build LLMs that work as training partners for human listeners to enhance active listening skills. Data for the fine-tuning of the LLMs contains various privacy matters. The method introduces QLoRA to enable LLMs to be trained on-premises, avoiding privacy leaks. The paper discusses the characteristics of the LLMs to improve skills. It compares the emotion recognition performance of the LLMs before and after the fine-tuning to clarify the characteristics. Experimental results reveal that LLMs demonstrate improvement in emotion. It turns out the tuned LLMs have been equipped with higher emotion recognition capability for negative emotions than for positive ones. Through practices using the LLMs, inexperienced listeners acquire skills to extract what workers keep in their minds about issues they face in the workplace.

From letters to instant messaging and now to AI-generated texts, organizational communication norms are undergoing profound transformation. This study introduces the Communication Reframing Framework to theorize how communication evolves across three stages—formal, instant, and intelligent communication—each reshaping efficiency, politeness, emotional authenticity, and trust. At the core of this framework lies the Human–AI Hybrid Subject, an interactional unit reflecting the shift toward “hybrid intelligence” that generates artificial politeness: standardized, function-oriented courtesy produced without human intentionality. While such expressions sustain surface harmony and accelerate exchanges, they simultaneously erode authenticity and shift the foundation of trust from interpersonal sincerity to message credibility. Existing theories—including Media Richness Theory, Politeness Theory, and traditional Computer-Mediated Communication (CMC) models—struggle to fully account for these changes because they largely assume human authorship and fixed media attributes. This study reconceptualizes richness as dynamically augmentable, extends politeness theory by drawing on the Computers Are Social Actors (CASA) paradigm, and reframes trust as transitioning from emotional authenticity to epistemic reliability in AI-mediated contexts. Finally, the study considers how cultural context moderates these normative shifts. Practically, the framework warns organizations and leaders that efficiency gains through AI should not come at the expense of authenticity and relational trust. The future of workplace communication will depend not only on speed and automation but also on the ability to strategically blend AI-generated efficiency with the uniquely human capacities of sincerity, empathy, and cultural resonance.

Abstract Effective workplace communication is a critical determinant of organizational performance, particularly in service-oriented sectors such as banking, where employee interactions directly influence customer satisfaction, trust, and relationship quality. In co-operative banks, communication assumes additional significance due to their community-based structure, member orientation, and emphasis on long-term relationships. Despite sound financial performance, many urban co-operative banks face challenges related to internal communication gaps, limited digital adoption, and coordination inefficiencies, which can adversely affect service delivery. The present study examines the effectiveness of workplace communication and analyzes its influence on employee–customer relationships with special reference to Khamgaon Urban Co-operative Bank (KUCB), Amravati. A descriptive research design was adopted, using both primary and secondary data. Primary data were collected through structured questionnaires administered to 72 respondents, comprising 28 employees and 44 customers, while secondary data were sourced from books, journals, bank reports, and official publications. Descriptive statistics, mean score analysis, graphical representation, and correlation analysis were employed for data analysis. The findings reveal that workplace communication at KUCB is largely effective, characterized by clarity, transparency, and supportive supervisory communication. Employees reported high levels of coordination and role clarity, while customers expressed strong satisfaction with employee politeness, clarity of explanations, and transparency of information. Correlation analysis indicates a moderate positive relationship (r = 0.58) between internal workplace communication effectiveness and employee–customer relationship quality. The study concludes that effective workplace communication functions as a strategic asset for co-operative banks, enhancing employee efficiency, customer satisfaction, and trust. Strengthening upward communication, digital communication tools, and workload management can further improve service quality and organizational performance. Keywords: Workplace Communication, Employee–Customer Relationship, Co-operative Banks, Internal Communication Effectiveness, Customer Satisfaction

Purpose This paper explores how flexible assessment aligns with Luk and Chan’s (2024) three principles of effective work integrated learning (WIL) assessment: adaptive design, student ownership and self-reflection, and presents a practical implementation process for introducing flexible assessment into WIL, balancing student autonomy with administrative feasibility, industry partner needs and learning outcomes. Design/Methodology/Approach A qualitative case study explores Master of Business students in a capstone WIL unit at an Australian university, analyzing their experiences with flexible group assessment, and outlines a process for its introduction into WIL. Findings Students reported transformative experiences when given control over their learning, supporting self-determination found in prior flexible assessment research. Findings demonstrate that flexible assessment in WIL fosters meaningful industry partnerships while developing crucial workplace communication and problem-solving skills. Research limitations/implications The case study is limited to a single marketing unit at one Australian university and focuses exclusively on group assessment. Future research should explore flexible assessment in individual WIL contexts and across different disciplines to enhance generalizability. Practical implications A five-step implementation process for integrating flexible assessment into WIL is outlined, balancing student autonomy with administrative feasibility and industry partner expectations. This process can be adapted across disciplines with modifications to support authentic learning experiences. Originality/Value This paper enhances understanding of flexible assessment by examining its application in group contexts and offering a model applicable across disciplines, addressing the previously underexplored intersection of flexible assessment and work-integrated learning.