Interpersonal Communication Strategies of Bank Employees in the Employee Transfer Adaptation Process: a Phenomenological Study of Employee Self-Disclosure

Abstract

The increasingly competitive dynamics of the banking industry have made employee transfer policies a strategic instrument. However,
transfers between work units often pose psychological challenges for employees, such as uncertainty in communication. This study aims
to explore in depth the phenomenological experiences of BTN employees in navigating the post-transfer adaptation process through an
interpersonal communication approach, as well as how they utilize self-disclosure to build functional trust. This study adopts a
constructivist paradigm with qualitative methods and a phenomenological approach. Data collection was conducted through employee
interviews. The analysis focused on employees' subjective interpretations of the adaptation strategies they constructed in their new
environment. The results revealed that employees applied adaptive uncertainty reduction strategies, moving from a passive phase to an
interactive phase. A unique finding of this study highlights employees' preference for using low-risk third parties, such as outsourced
workers and secretaries, as safe initial sources of information before interacting intensively with organic colleagues. In the dynamics of
self-disclosure, employees tend to be open about the technical vulnerabilities of their work to accelerate knowledge transfer, but apply
strict privacy management regarding personal and family matters. Compatibility is achieved when employees successfully align their
personal communication rhythms with the culture of their new work unit. The study confirms that successful adaptation to transfer does
not only depend on technical competence, but also on the effectiveness of interpersonal communication in reducing anxiety and building
social integration