Abstract
This research study looked at the concept of effective communication in an organization. The major aim of this study is to enable the researcher convince his audience beyond every reasonable doubt about the extent to which communication can greatly influence the performances of a company over the course of time. In this research study, the factors that could influence the extent to which communication can be effective are greatly considered with a view to helping managers to pinpointing how they can always communicate with their subordinates effectively every time. These factors range from: Choice of management styles, ability of receivers, the medium of transmission, ability of the receivers (employees) and Perceptual barriers. The researcher also tried to comprehensively explain the importance of effective communication in a company and how such can help to ensure that organizational goals are easily achieved. Finally, the three major channels which communication or messages are passed across to employees in an organization were analyzed in a concise manner.
Introduction
The extent to which effective communication is vital cannot be overemphasized in the process of management achieving its goals and objectives over a given period of time. There is no management or company that can survive in the business world without having proper understanding of the concept of effective communication strategies and how it can greatly influence the performances of business over a period of time.
The reason for the above is clearly based on the fact that there is a positive relationship between effective communication and the level of organizational success. This means that the better communication can be the more an organization can have its goals achieved. On the other hand, when communication isn’t effective as it ought to be, then there is every chance that such an organization will find it very difficult competing on favorable terms with the other companies.
That is the reason for the emergence of this research; to take a deeper look at the concept of effective communication as an important variable to the success and growth of every organization. The researcher will also consider some related variables to the subject matter with a view to convincing the audience of the researcher.
Definition of communication
Communication as used in this context can be seen as the process through which messages are sent and received within and outside an organization (Lesikar). It can also be defined as that process through which vital pieces of information are being exchanged in a company. The pieces of information being exchanged in such instances have one major aim and that is to ensure that the company grows beyond what it is at the moment.
Meaning of communication strategies
Communication strategies can be defined as those means or techniques adopted by management of an organization to ensure that communication or messages aren’t just sent or received but in addition to such, that they are achieving their aims (Eisenberg). It is a concept that every business should strive to understand. This is because for a company to understand that communication is important is one thing and then trying to device means through communication can be successful is another thing. Every company has respective vision and mission statements which are expected to be understood by employees. How these messages will be passed across to every member of staff is very important. Also, companies want their values to be upheld in the outside world and this can only be possible through an effective communication strategy.
Communication strategy is such a vital concept in business and management that it can determine the fate of a company over the course of time. This is as a result of the fact that it has become vital in the internal and external aspects of every business. By internal aspects, we simply mean the way members of staff get messages about the company from management and how they are expected to act according to the instructions of such messages. On the other hand, external aspect simply implies the customers of the company. This could be seen as the techniques employed by the management to ensure that its goods and services doesn’t just get to the knowledge of the consumers but that such consumers don’t have any kind of misconception about what such products and services are all about. At such point, it is the duty of the company to ensure that prospective customers are educated in the most appropriate ways possible.
Justification for effective communication in organization
This section will consider some of the major importance of effective communication in every organization and why it is a concept that has been the number one determinant of company growth in recent times. Communication has proven to be virtually important in every aspect of a company ranging from development of product, effective techniques adopted by management, better management of employees, customer retention and satisfaction and others (Eisenberg). The subheadings below will clearly state some of the importance and have them briefly explained.
Well defined expectations
Every organization that is successful is built on expectations and targets. It is through the platform of effective communication that such expectations will be well understood by employees (Holm). Employees need to understand the values of the company and what is expected of them at every given point in time. Failure to achieve this could spell doom for the company and its plans. This is because employees could choose to use their initiatives instead working according to management plans. Through effective communication the company vision and mission are well understood by every member or staff concerned.
Improved relationship
The relationship that exists within the company and how it tends to relate with the outside world is very vital and it is through effective communication that such relationship can be improved over time. When communication is effective enough to meet its goals, there is this level of trust and confidence that is being built in the process. It has been discovered that employees tend to have more belief in management policies in companies where communication is effective than the organization where little attention is being paid to how messages should be passed across (Tucker, Meyer, and Westerman). When there is a better and improved relationship in an organization, the productivity levels of employees can be positively affected.
Innovation and ideas
This is perhaps one aspect that most companies cannot do without effective communication. It brings about employees and every other individuals trying to contribute his own ideas to the growth of the company in general. Effective communication steers up creativity in every individual that they begin to consider the different ways that the company can really improve beyond what it is currently doing at the moment (Richards). The reason for this is that employees’ well beings are positively affected whenever messages are being passed through the right means. Effective communication isn’t defined by one individual trying to impose his ideas on a group of persons but rather it entails people being given the freedom to express themselves about how they feel the company can improve on some certain areas.
Better team work
It is the aim and dream of every management to get rid of every form of conflict and communication gaps that may want to exist between the different levels of a company. Effective communication does offer such means through which team work and collectiveness will be emphasized on rather than individuality.
Barriers to effective communication
Choice of management styles
Management styles simply imply the method through which instructions are passed across to employees by management over the course of time. There are some management styles that are adopted by management that won’t ensure the right level of feedback from employees in terms of instructions being passed on to them.
For instance, when the management of a company adopts an autocratic style, there is that atmosphere where there tends to be lack of trust amongst every member of staff. This is because it doesn’t allow employees the room to freely air their views. This can reduce their level of confidence for company policies. Communication is said to be effective when it is all embracing and there are certain management styles that will have such aim defeated completely.
The medium of transmission
Before communication can be effective and then have the needed feedback, it needs to go through the right medium of transmission otherwise its aims may not be achieved. Mediums of transmission are great determinants of how messages that want to be communicated by management can be. Take for example, a company will have to consider the right medium that it can use to have members of the public informed about its products. It has to be a means that suits the ways of life of the people or environment that it is targeting. If this isn’t done then communication may not be as successful as it should be. Another instance is when a company wants to sell its products and tries to consider the most effective medium through which it can communicate about the existence of such product to its audience.
Ability of the receivers (employees)
Communication is effective when there is a feedback or needed result to serve as proof. Sometimes there are skills that are required for communication to be really effective and achieve its aims. For such to happen in any organization, the employees need to possess the needed ability that will ensure management is on the right track. This is because if such message is passed across about what the company expects of its employees and in the end employees find it difficult to possess the needed skills that will aid them in implementing what has been communicated, then there will be a problem.
Perceptual barriers
Research has been able to show that this factor is the most frequent amongst individuals in every organization. It is only natural that these individuals vary in their opinions when discussing official matters. When there happen to be some forms of variances in matters being discussed, there will be a breach in the smooth flow of communication. On the other hand, there is smooth communication when opinions of members of staff in a company begin to align. That is why it is important for management to consider the different opinions of every member of staff with a view to reconciling any kind of differences that may want to occur.
Emotional barrier
This has to do with trust and confidence being built over the course of time. Communication may not achieve its aims and objectives when trust and confidence have been battered in an organization. Take for example, employees find it difficult to implement the policies and instructions of management when they don’t believe in the vision of the company. It is very important for every management to have employees properly informed about the vision and mission of the company. This will at least help them to have some understanding about what the company goals are all about.
Channels of effective communication in an organization
For communication to achieve its intended aims and objectives; there has to be some forms or means through which messages will pass through (Instructor and Manker). Such means is what is known as channels. Simply put, channels of communication can be referred to as the processes or mediums through which messages passes through in an organization to ensure that there is a feedback or result (Logic). This section will state all the channels of communication in a company and also explain how management can use them to its advantage to ensure that the expected results are arrived at in such a process.
There are three types of communication channels which are:
Informal channels
Unofficial channels
This is the means through which the goals and vision of the company are defined from an official point of view. This is the means whereby the expectations of the organization are defined. This channel is majorly dominated by the manager of the company who will communicate such messages to his subordinates. It will then be the duty of the subordinates to instruct the members of staff in their respective departments about what the company does expect of them over the course of time.
The following are typical demonstrations of formal channel of communication.
Company newsletters
Command chain within the company
Memoranda
Company report
Information concerning annual general meetings
Customer survey
Company’s annual financial reports
Informal channel of communication
In every working environment that seems to be formal, there will always tend to be informal means of having messages sent across. It is true that there is always the existence of hierarchy when messages want to be sent across to members of staff in an organization. It is the duty of the manager to know the right time to employ this method due to its unofficial nature. This is because once abused, it could make the organization appear too informal and unorganized. The manager in this instance; should learn to strike a balance between employing the formal channel of communication and informal channel.
An instance of this channel of communication is the restaurant of a company where employees go to relax themselves after being stressed up during the day. It is possible that the manager can just walk up to them and pass an urgent piece of information that the management may deem necessary. Another example could be trying to give an employee an oral query.
The chain of command does not include this form of communication. Another example of this could be workshops that have been organized for the improvement of the skills of employees.
Unofficial channel of communication
This is an interpersonal communication amongst employees in an organization. One major advantage of this type communication channel is that it is very reliable to ease any kind of tension that may want to exist amongst employees when they realize that information is about to be passed across to them. In this platform of communication, matters that are not related to the company are being discussed and in the process, the manager finds it necessary to chip in one or two official matters.
An example of this platform is a social gathering or a place where employees are discussing politics, sports and so on. The only drawback about this method is that it may take time before the message is being sent across as the manager needs to look for the right time to pass the information that he intends to pass across to his subordinates. Also, it should be noted that sometimes, such information or instruction aren’t taken seriously as they would have been considered due to the manner in which they were sent across.
Conclusion
Works Cited
Lesikar, Raymond V. “The Meaning and Status of Organizational Communication.” Business and Professional Communication Quarterly 44.3 (2005): 2–5. Web. 25 July 2016.
Eisenberg, Eric M. “Ambiguity as Strategy in Organizational Communication.” Communication Monographs 51.3 (2004): 227–242. Web.
Holm, Olof. “Integrated Marketing Communication: From Tactics to Strategy.” Corporate Communications: An International Journal 11.1 (2006): 23–33. Web.
Eisenberg, Eric M. “Ambiguity as Strategy in Organizational Communication.” Communication Monographs 51.3 (2004): 227–242. Web.
Tucker, Mary L., Dale G. Meyer, and James W. Westerman. “Organizational Communication: Development of Internal Strategic Competitive Advantage.” Journal of Business Communication 33.1 (2006): 51–69. Web. 25 July 2016.
Richards, Leigh. “Barriers to Effective Business Communication.” Small Business Chron (2016): n.pag. Web. 25 July 2016.
Logic, Higher. Types of communication channels - communications Toolkit. 2015. Web. 25 July 2016.
