Managers, want a happy employee? Then stop with the incessant e-mails please

More communication isn’t necessarily a good thing it seems. A recent study has found that employees prefer phone conversations and face-to-face interaction rather than e-mails because they are thought to be less stressful.

The authors of the research, Kathryn Fonner, an assistant professor of communication at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, and Michael Roloff, a professor of communication studies at Northwestern University, examined a sample of 89 employees who work remotely and 104 office-based workers.

Ironically, while managers may frequently check in with those who work outside the office for fear of isolating them, frequent interruptions don’t help staff identify any more closely with the organization.

The authors have these recommendations for managers: Reduce mass e-mails and create an environment where employees can have periods of uninterrupted work.

Perhaps it’s time then for bankers to kill off their iPhone or "crackberry" fixation – or perhaps not. Tell us what you think below.

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