To determine which communication skills employers in business and industry perceive as important for employees, a questionnaire was mailed to a random sample of personnel directors in business and industry in the Greater Cincinnati metropolitan area. Of the questionnaires mailed, 89 were returned (29.3% response rate). Analysis of the responses indicated that communication skills judged as important for employees to possess included accurate listening, credibility, ability to organize ideas in an orderly way, a clear and distinct voice, personal confidence when speaking to others, sensitivity to others, correct grammar and pronunciation, ability to interpret a message to another person, persuasiveness, establishment of face-to-face contact with others, and ability to use the formal organizational channels of communication and to make decisions cooperatively with others. Communication skills rated as unimportant for employees included ability to use a special technical vocabulary, disclosure of personally relevant material, variety in vocal intonation, speech free from dialect, loud vocal volume, ability to interpret printed material by reading aloud, and ability to use parliamentary procedure. (GT)