Communication Skills of Labour Leaders as Correlates of Conflict Resolution in Public Tertiary Educational Institutions in Ogun State, Nigeria

Abstract

This study examined communication skills of labour leaders as correlates of conflict resolution in public tertiary educational institutions in Ogun State, Nigeria. It used descriptive survey research design and selected 172 respondents. Three hypotheses were formulated and tested using correlation and regression analysis at 0.05 significance level. Questionnaire containing two sections was validated using Cronbach alpha (score = 0.86 and 0.82 respectively). The results indicated strong positive correlation between labour leaders’ communication skills and their conflict resolution performance (0.750-0.940, all p values <0.001), adaptation of communication strategies according to conflict types significantly affects resolution outcomes (F = 427.480, p < 0.001). Furthermore, factors of communication skills significantly explained the quality of relationships between labour leaders and other stakeholders (F = 836.945, p < 0.001). The study therefore recommended that there should be formal training and the provision of communication resources for skills enhancement of labour leaders.