The communication skills of public sector leaders and their effects on public servants

Purpose In the context of public service, this study aims to verify the influence of the communication skills of immediate managers on public servants' motivation, satisfaction and engagement at work and indirectly on perceived effectiveness. Design/methodology/approach Initially, a structural model was proposed. Data were then collected through a structured questionnaire sent to employees of public organizations across Brazil. A total of 2,889 valid responses were obtained. Findings The results indicate that public servants' motivation, satisfaction and engagement tend to be influenced by their leaders' communication skills. Furthermore, satisfaction and engagement can influence their perceived effectiveness. Therefore, public managers' investment in developing their leaders' communication skills can help increase motivation, promote satisfaction and boost employee engagement. Perceived effectiveness is a consequence of employee satisfaction and engagement with public organizations. Originality/value This study verifies the positive impact of leaders' communication skills on the satisfaction and engagement of public sector professionals, being a novelty in the literature. The study also contributes by observing that the perceived effectiveness of public services tends to be influenced by satisfaction and engagement, suggesting that more satisfied and engaged public servants have a more positive perception of the performance of their organizations, another novelty in the literature.