ABSTRACT

Can improving employees’ interpersonal listening abilities impact their emotions and cognitions during difficult conversations at work? The studies presented here examined the effectiveness of listening training on customer service employees. It was hypothesized that improving employees’ listening skills would (a) reduce their anxiety levels during difficult conversations with customers, (b) increase their ability to understand the customers’ point of view (i.e., perspective-taking), and (c) increase their sense of competence. The two quasi-experiments provide support for the hypotheses. Study 1 (N = 61) consisted of a pre-post design with a control group and examined the effect of listening training on customer service employees in a Fortune 500 company. Study 2 (N = 33) conceptually replicated the results of Study 1 using listening training conducted in one branch of a company that provides nursing services compared to another branch of the company that did not receive training. The results indicated that listening training had lasting effects on employees’ listening abilities, anxiety reduction, and perspective-taking during difficult conversations. The discussion centres on the importance of interpersonal listening abilities to the empowerment wellbeing of employees in the workplace.

摘要

在工作中的艰难对话中，提高员工的人际交往能力是否会影响他们的情绪和认知？这里介绍的研究检查了对客户服务员工进行听力培训的有效性。假设提高员工的听力技能将（a）减少与客户交谈时的焦虑程度，（b）增强他们理解客户观点的能力（即，采取观点），以及（c）增加他们的能力意识。这两个准实验为假设提供了支持。研究1（N = 61）包括一个前后设计和一个对照组，并研究了听力培训对《财富》 500强公司客户服务员工的影响。研究2（N= 33）与没有接受培训的公司的另一分支相比，使用在提供护理服务的公司的一个分支中进行的听力训练从概念上复制了研究1的结果。结果表明，听力训练对员工的听力，持久的焦虑感以及在艰难的谈话中的观点采择有持久的影响。讨论的重点是人际交流能力对工作场所员工赋权健康的重要性。