Initial Response to the Problem - Case Study Example

? The Communications Dilemma Introduction Internal communication refers to all forms of communications that occur within an organization. This function has become extremely important especially because organizations have realized its significance in maintaining fruitful relationships with employees as a means to retain and enhance the best talent. A strong communication function boosts the morale of employees, helps achieve satisfied and happy employees, increases productivity and allows the management to develop corporation and brand ambassadors. Internal communication goes beyond people talking to each other. It involves an effective system in which employees can get the information they need (Smith & Mounter, 2008). Communication is an adhesive force that should hold an organization together. Without communication, an organization would be just a collection of disconnected employees working in different directions. Miami Memorial Hospital has a huge problem due to internal communication problems. The new head of the hospital has created many enemies among the employees. As much as even his supporters agree that he came into the hospital during tough times, everyone agrees that he has a communication problem. During his first six months, Dr, Smith has made various changes to which most of the employees disagree. Examples include retrenchment of 50 employees and demoting two long term care workers. He also fired the manager in charge of education and training and a popular leader who had been in the hospital for eighteen years. The rankings of employees sows that a majority of them are very dissatisfied and have no motivation. They feel that Dr. Smith does not recognize them, are afraid of questioning Dr. Smith’s decisions and use of resources. This paper will analyze the case and recommend an effective solution to the communication process at Miami Memorial Hospital. Initial Response to the Problem After receiving such information, as a good internal communication manager, it is vital to conduct my own research and get specific facts of the problem. Determining the exact cause of the problem is essential in coming up with an effective solution. I would first get more information especially on how decisions are made. According to Wright (2009) the decision making process in any organization determines the manner in which employees respond to decision outcomes. The manner in which the management communicates concerning decision made is crucial for any organization. In Miami Memorial Hospital, I will question the management decision making process in order to establish its impact on the organization. I feel that the fact that employees have come to dislike all the actions of Dr. Smith, this says something about the exclusion of employees from the decision making process. The case also says something about the communication methods of Dr. Smith. His poor communication methods or lack of communication methods have led to a poor relationship between him and his employees (Wright, 2009). In addition to working from the information provided, I will conduct my own research and determine the truth in my speculations. Specifically, I will research into the decision making process, and the degree of employee involvement. I will also seek to determine the method of communication used by Dr. Smith. These two issues arise from the fact that a majority of employees have a grudge against Dr. Smith because of his actions. Armed with such information, I will have a clear situation from which I can determine the best course of action. Gathering Information from Employees The information provided by employees will be the best source of information for my research into the problem. This is because internal communication involves flow of information between employees and the management of an organization. The effectiveness or lack of a good communication system impacts directly on employees. In gathering the information, I will use interviews and questionnaires. This will ensure that I pose specific questions that will provide all the answers I need. According to the case, the relationship between Dr. Smith and the employees has soared following Dr. Smith’s communication problems to the extent that employees are afraid of expressing their views openly. A leader who has been in the hospital for about 18 years was replaced without considering his loyalty. I believe that this leader was fired for questioning Dr. Smith’s decisions. It makes sense to conclude this way since the employee has been loyal for 18 years which gives him profound experience in his or her area of expertise. This could be one of the reasons that employees are afraid to question Dr. Smith. In order to ensure that employees provide the information I need without fear or favor, employees will be free to leave out their names from the questionnaires if they so wish. This will ensure that employees who are afraid of victimization for giving information can provide anonymous answers to the questionnaires. Other than anonymity of questionnaires, the information that I will obtain through interviews will be private. I will assure the participating employees of my intention to hide their identities, as well as use the information obtained for purposes of analyzing the problem at hand. I will also guarantee the participants that their names will not appear in my final findings which will be presented to my boss. I expect these assurances and the use of anonymity will ensure that all employees are willing to participate in my research. Planning and Decision Making Process According to Nutt & Wilson (2010) the decision making process refers to a systematic process that involves selection of an appropriate course of action from among various alternatives. On the other hand, planning refers to the process of defining organizational goals and establishing the activities and resources to be used in achieving those goals. Planning and making decisions work together since decisions a have to be made in line with the goals of an organization. The foundation and success of any organization depends on its employees. Employees represent a rich source of ideas and knowledge which remains untapped if employees are not involved in decision making process of the organization. Involving employees in key decisions makes them feel as part of the company and results in increased productivity and minimal outsourcing which saves the organization time and money (Smith & Mounter, 2008). The decision making process should involve both the management and employees. This ensures that all decisions are made in unison, which avoids future problems. However, such a process can be time consuming despite its benefits. For this reason, I would propose a decision making panel that represents the whole organization. The panel should be headed by head of the organization and should have members from all departments in the organization. Several employee representatives should also sit in the panel to ensure that the voice of employees is heard. Such a small panel will ensure that the decision making process is participative and includes views from all members of the organization, while at the same time saving a considerable amount of time (Nutt & Wilson, 2010). Advice for Dr. Smith The current governance structure of Miami Memorial Hospital is a centralized. Decisions are made from the top management and then communicated through all levels of the Hospital. This may be part of the reason why Dr. Smith makes decisions that he deems appropriate. As much the structure is centralized, Dr. Smith should involve employees in key decisions. This exclusion of employees in key decisions has led to the widespread grievances in the hospital. From the case it is evident that Dr. Smith has serious communication problems. Employees have expressed openly that Dr. Smith does not recognize them. From this, I deduce that Dr. Smith uses a one way communication method. He communicates decisions and information to employees but does not expect any communication back. Usually, communication has three components; the message, acknowledgement and feedback. After receiving a given communication, the person(s) receiving it should acknowledge receipt and give their feedback, which the sender also acknowledges receipt. It seems Dr. Smith does not take any comments from employees regarding his actions. This has led to employees with no motivation since they are not recognized. Dr. Smith should form a decision making panel that will include members from all departments in the hospital, as well as representatives of employees. This will ensure that the opinions of employees are incorporated into the decision making process. Involving employees in key decisions is beneficial in terms of increased employee productivity, increased company morale, benefits of teamwork and effective use of company resources (Smith & Mounter, 2008). It will also lead to a better relationship between employees and management since they will feel as part of the hospital, rather than just employees on the payroll. Recommended Methods of Communication There are several options available to Dr. Smith to ensure smooth internal communication in Miami Memorial Hospital. I would recommend use of internal memos, reports, emails, staff meetings, suggestion boxes, questionnaires and surveys. These tools will maintain an effective internal communication in the hospital. Memos are an effective method to pass information down from the management to all levels in the hospital. Memos can also contain specific information for a given department such as the administration department. Weekly or daily staff meetings will ensure that the management and employees are in one avenue and any issues can be addressed. Here, I recommend Dr. Smith to give freedom to employees to give their opinions during the meeting. This way, can pose questions to management and get the appropriate answers. This allows employees to understand decisions made by management, rather than suffer in silence. According to the case, there seems to be lack of personal communication between Dr. Smith and individual employees. I recommend use of emails to pass employee specific information. This will ensure effective personal communication between the management and workers. I also feel that Dr. Smith should provide avenues where employees can provide anonymous suggestions and opinions in case of employees who do not wish to be named. Examples include questionnaires and surveys to determine employee satisfaction and motivation levels. Suggestion boxes should also be provided for both employees and patients, so that they can participate in running of the hospital and feel as part of it. Dr. Smith should consider the various issues to be passed through the various communication methods. Some communications such as retrenchment plans and employee salary changes should be passed through staff meetings rather than via email. In the same way, a warning letter to one employee should be sent via email rather than through memos or staff meetings. Memos are appropriate for communicating changes in the management structure, upcoming events and information relating to information relating to issues such as reporting time and ethical conducts in the organization. Barriers to Internal Communication Organizational structure The biggest barrier to effective internal communication is the structure of the hospital. The hospital is highly centralized and decisions are made by top management. Attempts by top management to control the behavior of employees will result in compliance but not commitment. Lack of commitment results in reduced motivation and productivity. Poor messages As much as an organization may put an internal communication in place, wrong messages will undermine the efficacy of the system (Fielding, 2006). The formulation of a given message is important so that it achieves its intended purpose. Vague messages will only confuse employees rather than communicating important information. In the same way, a wrong choice of a communication avenue will can be a significant barrier. For instance, using staff meetings to communicate messages intended for internal memos will waste time which would otherwise be used productively. Cultural Barriers According to Fielding (2006) some communication methods may conflict with cultural or religious views of some employees. For instance, Muslims may be against Friday staff meeting that coincides with their religious day. Such workers will not attend meetings that are held at the same time they are supposed to be at the Mosque. In some cultures, People with authorities do not like to be questioned by their juniors. Such a culture can undermine the very aim of participative management. Wrong attitudes Wrong attitudes on the part of employees or management will hinder effective communication. Some managers may feel that the suggestions and contribution of employees are not significant. This demoralizes employees who are discouraged to give in their contributions in the future (Fielding, 2006). In the same way, some employees may be unwilling to participate in the hospital’s communication system. Strategies to Improve the Communication Process Decentralization The management of Miami Memorial Hospital should implement a form of decentralization its organizational structure. This will ensure that departmental heads have the authority to make decisions at their levels. This will also ensure that employees are involved in the process making them feel as part of the organization. This will streamline communication within the organization. Involvement of Internal Communications Manager Some managers tend to ignore the importance of the internal communications manager, and they never consult them. Dr. Smith should involve the internal communications in all communications. Before choosing any communication channel for a given message, the internal communications manager should be consulted so as to determine the clarity of the message and relevance of the channel selected (Smith & Mounter, 2008). Suggestion Boxes and Surveys Flaws within the internal communication system can be identified through a suggestion box or surveys. This methods will point out the areas that employees feel have communication gaps. If given the chance, employees can suggest very genius ideas pertaining to communication methods. If such changes are implemented, the system will become better and more effective. References Fielding, M. L. (2006). Effective communication in organisations (3rd ed.). Lansdowne, Cape Town: Juta Academic. Kaner, S., & Lind, L. (2011). Facilitator's guide to participatory decision-making. Philadelphia, PA: New Society Publishers. Nutt, P. C., & Wilson, D. C. (2010). Handbook of decision making. Chichester, West Sussex, U.K.: John Wiley. Smith, L., & Mounter, P. (2008). Effective internal communication (2nd ed.). London: Kogan Page. Wright, M. (2009). Gower handbook of internal communication (2nd ed.). Farnham, England: Gower. Read More