Communication within Organization - Literature review Example

Communication within organization Rebecca Clake article Communication has been shown as an exchange of information between persons as facilitated by particular medium and effectiveness relying on timely conveyance of feedback by the recipient (Guo and Sanchez, 2005, p. 78). Effective communication is paramount for the success of any business and or organization management. Research studies increasingly point towards the need for improved communication between management and employees within organizations as fundamental part of human resource strategies. This paper intends to analyze the importance of effective communication as a necessary tool for organization management as shown through research literature and on organization behavior theories. According to an article by Clake (2010), there is overwhelming evidence that many employees within organizations are partially or never fully informed at all in matters of concern to the organization they work for. In fact, her study recorded a number of respondents who have low regard and trust towards their seniors in management positions, which are all features, attributed to poor communication. It is from the foregoing findings that the research states the importance of having improved and efficient communication between the staff and the management in any organization as part of the human resource strategies. The study outlines major aspects that any human resource department within organizations should esteem while managing employees or while involving employees for the well-being of the organization. The management should esteem having a shared purpose, engaging the people (staff), considering available channels of communication, embracing and maintaining personal touch, working collaboratively as well as measuring the organizational results. However, the staff at all levels are also encouraged to engage the leaders and convince them on the importance of effective communication within the organization in order to overcome the challenge that may at times result from too much commitments. By having a shared purpose in an organization, people at all levels within the organization are united towards pursuing a common goal and together appreciate the difference they would realize together and this forms a basic starting point in strategic communication. However, it is noted that not all persons and leaders within an organization understand the necessity of effectiveness in communication hence the need to have the senior management deliberately engage in supporting and offering the necessary coaching to junior leaders or even employees to the essence of effective communication for the well-being of the organization. In employee engagement, the management should be aware that employees need to be enable to pass their views to the top management; they should be well informed about the organization as well as should have the feeling that the senior management is committed to the organization fully and not otherwise. This understanding therefore becomes critical in the tools and mechanism that would be adopted for communication within an organization at all levels. Besides, choosing an appropriate channel for communication is very important in ensuring that communication is successful in an organization. For instance, the modern day technological advancement has enabled organizations to have a whole range of communication channels to choose from. Examples of advanced technologies in use in organizational communications today are social media where managements engage the employees (or vice versa) through blogs and such media as the facebook and tweeter (Harris, 2011, p. 3-6). Nevertheless, from the research, Clake argues that employees often value face-to-face communication and therefore managements should be in a position to understand this and thus institute mechanisms that would favor the two-way conversations while even engaging quite difficult topics as this improves on employee-management relations. Structural organization within an organization however bestows particular responsibilities to different departments and leaders, which in often time inhibits direct relations between employees and such other leadership positions as are not directly involved with them. However, it is necessary that we understand the necessity of working collaboratively between the various departments within an organization for the effectiveness in pursuing common goals. Collaboration here is necessary for effective communication within the already developed structure in an organization. It is also necessary that periodic evaluation and measurement of results within an organization be done in order to understand the outcome of good (or otherwise poor) internal communication within an organization. This enables one to understand whether the message shared reaches the intended people and on time as a prerequisite to improved performance by the organization. Among other key points highlighted are the need to establish a two-way communication as against only a top-down communication, improving employee communication as an essential necessity for creating committed workforce to realize shared goals as well as having leaders share organization vision with employees through better communication. Besides, there is the necessity of evaluating or measuring organizational progress in order to institute the appropriate changes as would be necessary for effective organization management. Literature review As a leader in every set-up, it is important to create good communication environment and more so within a work environment where communication with the employees is quite important. According to a ‘manager’s guide’ written by Finch, Hansen and Alexander, research findings have shown that employees are very sensitive in the way they relate with the management and their leaders. Employees deliver well when they have the feeling that they are well appreciated and involved within the organization or at work place. Engaging employees within an organization is well showed through effective communication. Accordingly, the guide shows that whenever management or leaders have effective communication with the employees, the productivity and concentration of the workforce-involved increases and this is necessary for good performance of an organization. Internal communication is very basic for the success of any organization and is a skill that a leader can learn and practice. It however entails proper planning and commitment to embrace effective communication with the employees for the sake of a leader while the employees can easily learn from the leaders (Finch, Hansen and Alexander, 2010, p. 1). There are fundamental principles for effective internal communication within any organization and which requires to be harnessed. Unlike the common notion that the human resource department is the department, which is in direct contact with the employees, it should be acknowledged that it is the role of every leader in any department to embrace effective communication with the employees for the good of the organization in general (Kalla, 2005, p. 302-304). Internal communication should be framed in a manner that is beneficial to all within the organization, implying that the communication should benefit the management, the employees as well as other external players such as the suppliers and the government. It is therefore mandatory that internal communication uphold accuracy, consistency as well as timeliness. Besides, continuity is a prerequisite for any effective communication structure within an organization implying that the process of communication is not meant to end at a particular stage in the operations of an organization but rather should continue indefinitely as long as the organization is in operation. The leadership institutes frameworks that facilitate two-way communications between the employees and the management. There are benefits that accrue from effective communication within an organization which include building relations, promotion of mutual understanding as well as enabling the staff to contribute positively towards the progress of an organization. However, research studies show that effective communication is not ignorant of the structural formulation of an organization in that employees show appreciation to direct communication from their supervisors and team leaders as against from high ranked management officials. Face-to-face communication is also shown to be proffered by majority of employees in that it helps bridge the communication barrier as the leader sends out message, employees receive it. The management is able to observe the reaction from the employees to determine the acceptability or reception of the information unlike in the case that other channels of communication are used. In such a case study to evaluate the reactions of recipients of information within an organization (with special attention to employees), Hamel (2005, p. vii) confirmed that misuse of technology for communication produces detrimental effects within organizations. The employees exhibited direct reaction to dissonant use of technology for communication at places of work. In fact, through qualitative study, many employees portrayed high intolerance towards the misuse of technology by peers, juniors as well as the management at workplace. Direct voicing of the concern is a common feature within many organizations and inability of leaders and management to address the concerns produces unfavorable effects in an organization. Deloitte and Touche carried out extensive research on international companies as well as evaluated extensive literature and established some basic communication factors that are essential for any organization. These factors include the clarity concerning purpose of communication, methods of communication being very effective, effective ways of communications as well as having leaders show the example in leadership (Finch, Hansen and Alexander, 2010, p. 5). It is however mandatory that the management strategically evaluates the message intended to be passed across, decide on the most appropriate time for the communication as well as adopt the most suitable tools to use in communicating to the employees. It is therefore necessary to consider the type of the message, the person conveying the message, the channel to be used as well as the most appropriate time for passing on the message. It is to be understood however that effective communication within organizations faces different challenges and effectiveness in communication requires that such hurdles are overcome. Organizational culture informs the manner in which employees are organized within an organization and this has a direct implication to the manner in which information being passed on reaches the intended persons. Besides organizational culture, organization structures, systems as well as management practices play an important role in facilitating effective communication within an organization. Good communication is paramount and therefore the management must devise on effective ways to overcome such challenges as would inhibit efficiency and effectiveness in the communication (Hoogervorst, Flier and Koopman, 2004, p. 288). There exists various means of communication and the effect of technological advancement is particularly very real in organizational communication. Communication within organizations in the current era is highly influenced by technology, which influences not only the manner of communication but also the content to be communicated. Organizational management has therefore become more aware of the need to be strategic in adopting particular technological communication systems, as not all are favorable towards any organization. Effective communication therefore takes into consideration basic inputs to communication processes, cognitive aspect in effective communication as well as be aware of the effect of communicating effectively within an organization (Teen, 2001, p. 251). Effective management of an organization entails periodic evaluation and audits of the various aspects of the organization. Communication is equally an important factor in an organization, which requires effective and strategic auditing in order to analyze its efficiency and the need for improvement where necessary. In an article by Minter (2010, p. 107), the focus of the communication research paper was to analyze the channels adopted for organizational communication, attitudes involved in communication within organizations, behaviors in interpersonal communication within an organization as well as all factors that influence effectiveness in organizational communication. The paper confirms that communication audits in organizations enhance the capacity for an organization to realize improvements in internal communication, a feature that leads to improved performance of the organization. Discussion The above literature reviewed has been strategic in supporting the evidence that effective communication is not only important within an organization but that it is, basically the only feature in an organization that informs the progress of an organization. Literature has shown that communication entails ease in passing information from one person to another either in the system of bottom-up or bilaterally between persons at the same level (Burke, 2006, p. 1-5). Research have shown that effectiveness in communication between management (and leaders) and the employees depends on the timelines of communication, medium in use for communication, the nature of the information being shared as well as the attitudes and perceptions developed (Hume, nd, p. 2). In determining the effectiveness of various channels, the literature show preference to face-to-face communication between employees and the management while in other times, it is preferable to have senior management personnel involve their juniors who are in direct contact with the employees while passing particular information. However, it is to be noted that technological advancement has revolutionized the aspect of communication within organizations where internet has become a common tool and channel to be adopted for the communication purposes. On the other hand, periodic evaluation and audit of organizational communication was emphasized in the article and this has been confirmed through the literature reviewed that such an audit enhances effectiveness and improvements within an organization whenever necessary. Main challenges facing organization communication has been pointed out as to be organizational cultures, organization systems and structures as well as the management practices adopted. Ineffective communication therefore has been shown to be very detrimental to the overall performance of an organization hence the need to embrace effectiveness for the well-being of an organization. Change in communication strategies and norms are therefore some of the most effective tools adopted to ensure that communication within organizations overcome these challenges (Suchan, 2006, p. 5; Anon, 2007, p. 28). Reflection From the case study and literature reviewed, it is quite clear that employees form a very important segment within any organization. Among other features that employees within an organization evaluate their worth is through communication. Employees feel appreciated and as important to an organization when they are well informed about an organization and when their input through communication is esteemed (Field, nd, p. 1-2). In return, whenever employees feel appreciated, their productivity is increased as against when they lack such motivation through effective communication. Besides direct productivity in respective assignments, employees who are engaged through good communication indulge in innovation and higher involvement within an organization, which is all positive to an organization. The study has been informative to me in understanding the strategic role that communication within an organization plays. Though there are challenges that may hinder effective communication, it is paramount that organizational management institute appropriate structures that would ensure that communication within the working environment is effective. It is also possible to exploit new opportunities presented by technological advancement such as the use of internet and mobile telephony for communication between management s well as the employees (Cuel, nd, p. 1-5; Mann, 2014, p. 5). The study therefore shows that successful management of any organization must therefore embrace the need for effective communication, both internally as well as externally. Particular attention has however been given to involving employees within communication which results to a sense of being valued and this leads to higher productivity. Bibliography Anonymous, 2007. Empowering employees to create a great place to work, Strategic Communication Management, 11(6): 28-31. Available at:< http://search.proquest.com/business/docview/203580990/fulltextPDF/1431E04B6145C8AFB40/1?accountid=45049>[Accessed 22 January, 2014]. Burke, P.D. 2006, From workshop to workplace: The medium is the message. 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