The Role of Leadership Communication in Shaping Employee Engagement: A Case Study of SuperValu Talbot Street, Dublin

Abstract

Employee engagement is one of the key determinants of organisational performance, especially in labour-intensive industries, such as grocery retail. This paper will focus on how leadership communication contributes to the creation of employee engagement in SuperValu Talbot Street, Dublin. The study uses the Job Demands-Resources (JD-R) model and social exchange theory to examine the roles of communication practices and their use as a significant resource in employee motivation and workplace experience. The qualitative case study approach was embraced where semi-structured interviews were carried out with four managers and seven frontline employees. The results indicate that the clarity of communication, feedback and recognition and approachability of  managers has positive effects in employee engagement through increased confidence, motivation and organisational commitment. However, the research also acknowledges that operational factors such as workload intensity and time constraints diminish the consistency of communication that creates a discrepancy between the intention and the experience of the managers and the employees. This study concludes that leadership communication is a sensitive yet situational contributor to engagement in retail settings. Concrete suggestions are made on how to enhance consistency in communication, make feedback systems more robust and enhance employee voice in the organisation.