Let's talk: patterns and correlates of social support among temporary employees

The authors explored how temporary employees exchanged communications with supervisor, peers, and family and friends regarding positively job-related, negatively job-related, and non-job-related contents. The authors also examined roles of communication in coping with insecure job experiences. Survey results from 112 temporary employees working in various organizations provided evidence that communication contents were differentially related to work anxiety and life satisfaction for temporary employees. It was found that work anxiety increased when employees engaged in communication pertaining to negative job-related contents. Furthermore, the positive relationship between life satisfaction and positive communication with coworkers was observed only for the temporary employees who also had a permanent job. Implications for staffing temporary employees and suggestions for studying communication effects are discussed.