Communication:
Communication
In any company or enterprise, communication is an essential tool. Business organizations rely on both the internal communication and the external communications in order to get the relevant information on the field to improve on in order to drive the business forward. The organization can only reach its customers and the public through having an efficient strategy of dispersing information effectively. In order to improve the productivity of the workers in an organization, the managers have to efficiently communicate with their subjects. Similarly, in order to acquire new customers to the company, communication plays a crucial role. Despite this importance that communication has to driving the success of the company, several problems arise making it difficult for an organization to effectively pass the relevant information. Such struggles can only be overcome by employing certain relevant strategies to improve the company’s organizational communication.
One factor that promotes communication struggles in an organization is the diversity. As much as diversity is essential in an organization for the crucial role it plays in introducing new beliefs to the organization, sometimes it acts as a hindrance to the organization. The lack of uniformity in the language communicated is likely to be a source of problems to the organization. When the top officials decide to use language that is not universal, and then there is a real threat and struggles in that not all members and workers of the organization will follow the instructions. In essence, this is very harmful to the organization. Whenever an employee does not understand whatever is being communicated to them, there are high chances that they will not follow the instructions. As such, the officials ought to ensure that they use a common language to make their communications for the uniformity purposes (Shockley-Zalabak, 2012).
Improving a company’s organizational communication is a very crucial step in ensuring that it becomes successful. Several strategies can be employed to achieve this, the effect of which is to ensure that the company efficiently communicates to both the internal and external environment. Proper communication ensures that the strategies of the organization can be effectively approached. Employee motivation, diversity, group work, communication channels and networks, leadership (Shockley-Zalabak, 2012) are some of the areas that an organization should keenly look at when it aims to improve the organizational communication. Others include conflict management ethics values, internal and external communication, public communication, organizational socialization and superior-subordinate communication.
Research has shown that employee motivation in an organization plays a very significant role in improving the performance of the employees in an organization. In essence, this motivation takes into account the basic mechanisms that an organization can employ in order to maintain voluntary-activities from the part of employees which in the long run, is geared towards meeting the personal goals. In most cases, such motivations take into account the psychology of the employee. Motivating employees in a company through strategies such as giving them rewards for better performance will, to a large extent, instigate them to even work harder. Communicating with the employees, therefore, becomes a crucial aspect. Most organizations have rigid structures that make it difficult for the employees to air their views. When an organization’s management is dictatorial, it becomes difficult for the members to openly state their views. Organizations should use the ‘question box’ to encourage the employees to freely give their views. This will mean that they indirectly take part in the decision-making of the organization (Shockley-Zalabak, 2012).
Cultural diversity in an organization has proved to be a difficult area to handle. The increased presence of employees of different cultures and races in organizations has meant that proper communication strategies ought to be adopted to ensure effective communication in an organization. An organization that uses a language that is not universal in its communications is likely to face difficulties since not all the employees will understand the directions being given. Most organizations tend to have, as a rule, a requirement that while, in the office, employees ought to use language that is common to all. This is very important in that it makes all employees feel at home. Using language that is not common to the employees is likely to demoralize the foreign employees, which may negatively affect the organization. As such, it is important that diversity is taken into account in an organization.
Communications channels and network play a crucial role in promoting an organization’s communication. For easy allocation of roles and sharing of opinions, information should be freely shared. Most companies, however, do not embrace the effects that efficient communication may have to the organization. Most employees have a tendency of avoiding communicating with their bosses. This is very wrong because by avoiding them, they will not have a chance to air their views on the management of the organization. Because of this, the organization should adopt proper channels through which the employees can communicate without any fear (Shockley-Zalabak, 2012).
Over a long time, conflict management in an organization has been very crucial in determining the performance of the organizations. Conflicts have a negative impact to the organizational planning, since it brings division amongst the employees. Most companies and organizations have collapsed for the reasons that they failed to solve conflicts efficiently. An organization ought to have proper mechanisms through which to address conflicts when they arise. In tackling this issue, the management and policy makers ought to take a neutral perspective when solving the conflicts. Solving conflicts while favoring one party is likely to backfire since the other party may not take the issue lightly. It is the role of the managers and the officials to ensure that whenever a conflict arises, it is amicably solved. Conflicts in an organization tend to demoralize workers and promote disharmony. As a result, teamwork and unity will be avoided, hence negatively affecting the organization. In order to prevent this, proper procedures on solving conflicts should be put in place in order to ensure that such conflicts do not threat the productivity of the organization’s employees.
Superior-subordinate communication is one area that has been controversial in most organizations. Important to note is the fact that all employees in an organization are crucial as they play a role in the organization’s undertakings. In most cases, however, there seems to be a communicational divide between the senior officers (managers) and the junior staff. The managerial staff always wants to be recognized, and they do not consider the junior members important. This is very wrong since they demoralize the employees. Although some form of respect is essential between the two groups, it is important that there is put in place a mechanism through which the juniors can freely communicate with their seniors. The employees will always open up and give their views about the running of the organization if offered the freedom to express their views. Sharing of ideas is very crucial in an organization’s decision-making process as several solutions to the challenge will be raised. As such, the management team should focus on promoting the relationship between the managers and the subordinate staff (Shockley-Zalabak, 2012).
Communication in an organization is both internal and external. As much as an internal communication is essential in promoting unity and the relationship amongst the employees, public communication plays a crucial role in ensuring that the public gets important information on the organization’s dealings. Public communication is the only way through which the organization’s potential customers will be addressed. Without proper public communication, it becomes difficult for an organization to address their customers and inform them on some of the goods and services available. In promoting public communication, the organization must ensure that it disseminates the information in a manner that is acceptable to the society. Simplicity will also mean that the information will be met positively. The manner that the organization relates to the other members of the society also determines the organization’s reputation in the community. An organization ought to take this into concern if it targets to build a good rapport with the society. Members of the society ought to be taken as important members if the organization intends to succeed.
References
Shockley-Zalabak, P. (2012). Fundamentals of organizational communication: Knowledge, sensitivity, skills, values. Boston: Pearson Allyn & Bacon.
