Employee perceptions of manager humor orientation, assertiveness, responsiveness, approach/avoidance strategies, and satisfaction

The goal of this study was to learn more about the communication behaviors of managers who use humor. More specifically, this study examined relationships among employees’ perceptions of managers’ humor orientation, assertiveness, responsiveness, avoidance strategies, approach strategies, and overall manager satisfaction. Participants were 164 individuals that work 30 hours per week. Employees’ perception of manager humor orientation (HO) was positively and significantly correlated with perceptions of manager responsiveness, satisfaction, and approach strategies. Manager HO was also negatively and significantly associated with avoidance strategies. Findings from this study were, for the most part, consistent with those from previous humor research in the corporate and educational contexts (Rizzo, Wanzer, & Booth‐Butterfield, 2000; Wanzer & Frymier, 1999).