Internal Communication at Oxfam Organization - Case Study Example

Zhipeng Ling U3089294 Discussion of the way internal communication at Oxfam Organization is managed by comparing and contrasting Oxfam with other nonprofit making organization. Introduction This report focuses on discussing the way Oxfam manages the internal communication within its employees, stakeholders and exploring the theory that is used in managing the internal communicators. At nonprofit making organization, managing internal communicators is vital to the organization. Internal communication connects employees, and it is in some cases used as support to the organization’s strategies and create organizational content. At Oxfam organization, internal communication is more than employees talking together, but it is the lifeblood of the organization. Gaudin, & Moran, (2013) defined internal communication as the process of sharing information inside an organization for the business. Ideally, internal communication proper management of internal communication at Oxfam, the organization incorporate different approaches and internal communication theories of the organization. Oxfam incorporates the approach of managing internal communication and the relationship management theory so as to enhance an improved PR within the organization. As one of the well-known nonprofit making organization across the globe, Oxfam spends more time communicating with internal customers. As a result, this is the same case with other nonprofit making such as Red Cross and Save the Children organization (Hume, & Leonard, 2014). As it is similar to the likes of Red Cross and Save the Children, internal communication in each nonprofit making organization is at some situation entirely different. Therefore, without internal communication Oxfam is just a throng of disconnected organization whereby employees will work individually. Belasen, (2000) stated that neglecting to communicate with the internal customers or rather employees in an organization are one of the risky things that can be observed in an organization. The approach: The way Oxfam organization manages the internal communication. Oxfam is recognized for its great internal communication strategies that include the use of social media platforms, speech, Email, Internet connections and other tools that enables employees to communicate effectively. A Study conducted by (Hume, & Leonard, 2014) shows that Oxfam organization have a solid internal communication plan. In this case, the study shows that currently oxfam has paid much attention to reshaping some of the internal communication content. Internal communication at Oxfam is managed strategically in a way that the organization will achieve its purpose. Regardless of the perspective in which information is transmitted at Oxfam, there are elementary ideas about managing the flow of information (Oxfam GB, 2015). Below is a presentation of how Oxfam manages internal communication within the organization. First, Oxfam organization internal communication is influenced by technology. Over the past years, Oxfam has been holding an event in the different part of the world. For successful communication in any event carried out by Oxfam, internal communication has been transformed to live completely online. Most of the information at Oxfam is shared by using different computing tools that include google docs, and social media platforms (Hume, & Leonard, (2014). Oxfam organization communicates regularly Communicating regularly at Oxfam make the employees more creative and make the people within the organization get updated on a certain happening inside that organization. Oxfam GB, (2015), highlights that the organization works in a highly energetic environment, and employees work on different type of projects. Therefore, regularly internal communication will be a useful task that will purposefully make the organization achieve its objective. Internal communication at Oxfam is managed by ensuring that communication process is not one-sided. In this context, the organization ensures that the information shared within the organization is well understood. Belasen, (2000) stated that a good communicator should emphasize with the receiver of the information, and one should anticipate the way the message is being received. Relationship management at Oxfam Theoretically, relationship management can be defined as the practice of creating strong relationships with the important people in an organization mostly the employees. At Oxfam organization, internal communication is based on the relationship management. Matzler, & Renzl, (2006) Indicated that a better communication flow between the management and the employees enhances the feeling of trust within the organization and result in employees being committed to their works. The study further states that the two feelings of trust and commitment make the organization have a positive reputation with the external public more so its customers. Internal communication at Oxfam creates a close relationship between the management and employees. Matzler, & Renzl, (2006) Stated that rich internal communication is understood to the major component at Oxfam that form a long term connection between the employees, management, and the owners within the organization for the advantage of the Oxfam organization and its employees. Lies, (2012) in his survey he stated that 60% of the internal workers in any organization feel happy working in an environment that is characterized by a sound relationship between them and the employees. In his survey, he further found that a sound management relationship will in turn make the employees share the feelings with the customers and other participants especially the investors. Oxfam Publics and stakeholders The corporate public and stakeholders concept was first used in the 19th century (Ctb.ku.edu, 2015). In the current world of business, the term stakeholder has become more used as it refers to the people or group that is entirely involved in the decision-making plans in a business. At Oxfam, statistics report shows that internal stakeholders comprise of different people who are committed to serving the organization to achieve its objectives. The stakeholders at Oxfam include; The employees investors Owners of the organization On the other hand, Oxfam internal publics includes; The employees The management (Oxfam GB, 2015), outlines that employees at Oxfam are seen as the public representatives, with their credibility to create the organization reputation to the public. As such, for rich internal communication plans, the management at Oxfam has in the past years carried out the effort to strengthen the communication process within its stakeholders and the publics. A research conducted by (Hume, & Leonard, 2014) show that at Oxfam managing internal communication is important to all the stakeholders and employees. As such, employees at the organization have in recent years realized that one of the major determinants of the organization success is the need to convey and share rich information. Moreover, at Oxfam the stakeholders have over the past years implemented the effort to improve substantially the internal communication at Oxfam organization. Oxfam GB. (2015) Outlines that both the employees, investors and the management have recently take deliberate approaches to ensure that the communication between the stakeholders within the organization is sound. The public relations programs (internal communication) At Oxfam organization, internal communications especially employees’ communication is being credited as being essential to the internal reshaping of the organization and incorporated communication. If people are not given information, they make up unconvincing things to fill the gap of inadequate information (Ctb.ku.edu, 2015). In support of this statement, since the year 2006 up-to-date, the public relation programs at Oxfam has applied extensive effort in creating an understanding regarding internal customers as a foundation for building effective internal communication. As an internal program, internal communication focus is undoubtedly becoming vital to Oxfam as the plan has constantly grown over the past years. In the year 2015, strategic internal communication focus is among the sequencer that the organization is hugely getting concerned with as the growth of the program has enhanced the organization is achieving measurable outcomes. In this context, intensive research carried out shows that in recent world of business specifically the in nonprofit making organization, employees are more important than in the past as their ability to share information with each other is essential to the growth of the business (Hume, & Leonard, 2014). As the internal communication focus is seen as the internal program, at Oxfam 30% of its event happens online, and for these events to be successful, internal communication is important. Comparisons and contrasts between Oxfam and other not for profit organization. Comparison Like any other not for profit international organization, Oxfam is involved with the management of the disastrous events that may affect the public in one way or the other (Hume, & Leonard, 2014). For each nonprofit making organization, there is a group of employees who specifically deals with any disastrous event henceforth; the group of employees has in all organization maintained a sound effective communication within the organizations. Therefore, in this part of this report, the main focus is drawn to the similarities and differences between Oxfam and other non-profit making international organizations regarding the management of the internal communication programs. To start with, at Oxfam the internal communication programs are done online. Similar, due to the rise of domestic and international events both Red Cross and Save the Children organizations internal communication are conducted online (Oxfam GB, 2015). For instance, almost 48% of the internal communication programs are done on the social media platforms at Oxfam. All the same, this is a similar case with Red Cross organization as 24% of its staffs communicate through Twitter and other online related social media platforms. On the other hand, Save the Children organization has over the recent years embraced the use of online communication to communicate internally with its staffs whereby at about 33% of its employees communicate through Twitter, Skype among other social media platforms. Similarly, Oxfam and Red Cross, internal communication is carried out through different tools but the most preferred internal communication techniques are face to face communication method. At Oxfam, 60% of the employees work in small groups while at Red Cross almost 50% of all the staffs work in small groups henceforth the most effective communication tools tends to be face to face communication. McCourt, (2001), Claims that smaller group at not for profit making organizations assist the employees in building closer connections in enhances employees to communicate out their opinion in a simple way. Further studies suggest that face to face communication allows people to address the issues at the workplace in a simpler and a clear manner than any other form of communication (Effective Business Communications, 2015). Contrast Hume, & Leonard, (2014), stated that one of the notable differences between Oxfam and Red Cross organization concerning internal communication is that for Oxfam organization, the management has embraced the use of social media platforms in the focus of managing internal communication. As Oxfam is an international organization, the staffs use social to communicate within the organization regarding organization issues. Therefore, this helps Oxfam in creating a sound relationship between different staffs from the different part of the world. Unlike Oxfam, Red Cross uses social media mostly to connect with its customers. As such Red Cross has not embraced the use of social media in internal communication at a high rate comparing to the case of Oxfam organization. It is reported that at about 70% of the employees at Oxfam use social media to communicate internally. Recommendations To some up this report, one can identify several recommendations regarding the focus on managing the internal communication approach at nonprofit making organizations. First, in any nonprofit making organization, for instance, Oxfam, one can recommend that internal communication strategy needs appropriate management because it is essential in making communication programs in an organization more effective (Hume, & Leonard, 2014). For example, manage face to face communication appropriately. Besides, nonprofit making organization need to come up with the most efficient internal communication tools so as to manage internal communication programs in the right way (Brown, Gaudin, & Moran, 2013). For example, Emails, chat and instant messages, voice over internet protocol, among others. Effective internal communication at nonprofit making organization should be well managed so that their successes attract more donors and volunteers in the quest to help the organization carry out their charitable activities. For instance, since the year 2010-2015, the value score for Oxfam has increased as a result of effective internal communication. (Oxfam GB, 2015). Also, managing the internal communication focus will be more effective if nonprofit making organizations have diversity at the workplace. For instance, at Oxfam almost 50% of the internal communication programs are carried out online (McCourt, 2001). References Belasen, A. (2000). Leading the learning organization. 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Internal communication as power management in change processes: Study on the possibilities and the reality of change communications. Public Relations Journal Review, 38(2), 255-261. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.pubrev.2011.12.015 Matzler, K., & Renzl, B. (2006). The Relationship between Interpersonal Trust, Employee Satisfaction, and Employee Loyalty. Total Quality Management & Business Excellence Journal, 17(10), 1261-1271. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/14783360600753653 McCourt, W. (2001). Development and management edited by D. Eade, T. Hewitt and H. Johnson, Oxfam, 2000, ISBN: 085598295, pp 196. Public Admin. Dev., 21(3), 274-275. http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/pad.176 Men, L. (2014). Strategic Internal Communication: Transformational Leadership, Communication Channels, and Employee Satisfaction. Management Communication Quarterly Journal, 28(2), 264-284. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0893318914524536 Oxfam GB,. (2015). What we do | Oxfam GB. Retrieved 31 October 2015, from http://www.oxfam.org.uk/what-we-do Read More