The Power of Communication - Essay Example

Outline Importance of communication Applications in the workplace Manager’s responsibility Internal and external communication Uses for broadband technology Traditional vs. email communication Synergy Problems associated with bad communication Corporate culture Clues that communication problems are occurring Expectation of employees Improving communication in the workplace Examples communication in work scenarios Educational initiatives to improve communication American Management Association seminar Smartphones One of the most important tools businesses utilize to attract customers and maintain their workforce happy is the power of communication. Communication can be defined as the transmission of a message from a sender to a receptor. People in the workplace need to receive concise communication in order to perform their jobs adequately. Whenever there is a mix-up due to bad communication the manager must attend the situation in order to find a resolution as quickly as possible. The managers are responsible for the performance of the entire staff of workers. It is essential for a manager to have excellent verbal and written communication skills. Corporations that achieve good internal and external communication are more likely to succeed in the business environment of the 21st century. The arrival of the broadband age changed the speed information travels around the world. Information travels in real time through the internet. The use of broadband internet has helped corporations maintain communication with employees and other stakeholders. The internet can be used to transmit real time video phone conversations. It can be used to replace traditional telephone lines with the use of VoIP technology. The employees of companies communicate with customer through the use of email communication. Email communication has replaced traditional letters as the preferred communication method due to its low cost and ability to use the account as a database of received and send messages. In many jobs employees have to process hours worth of email messages on a weekly basis. Another advantage of email communication is that is quicker than traditional email and no stamps are needed to transmit a message. In the work environment of today communication has become a critical success factor for businesses worldwide. It is important for co-workers to maintain friendly relationship and to communicate with each other during work hours. A lack of communication hurts the synergy of a business enterprise. Synergy is achieved when the whole is greater than the sum of its parts (Schermerhorn & Hunt & Osborn). A work atmosphere where the employees maintain open communication constantly is a place where worker feel comfort and trust. When employees are unable to talk about their work related problems small issues can turn into catastrophic events. When the lines of communication become locked, the workers may make wrong assumption which leads to mistakes in the workplace. A lack of communication hurts the corporate culture of an enterprise. Companies that are dynamic and adaptive have good communications in place at their companies. When there are communication problems in place the problem must be solved from top to the bottom. The executive management team has to implement measures to improve communications. There are different ways that communication can be improved in the workplace. A solution to a communication problem among the workers is to implement an intranet network that allows the employees to communicate with each other via the computer. If the company does not have the resources to design and implement an intranet the employees can open up a free yahoo mail account that allows the users to chat with each other. The Yahoo chat messenger can serve as a way to allow the employees to contact each other. Five clues that communication problems are occurring in the workplace are: 1. Teams aren’t achieving goals 2. Employees won’t readily cooperate 3. There are morale problems 4. Messages are not return promptly 5. Productivity is down (Positive-way). When communication problems exist between the staff they must be resolved in order to improve the efficiency of the works. A lack of communication in the workplace can lead to a hostile working environment. Employees need to know at all times what is expected of them. A good team leader is a person that is able to express himself well and able to manage the pressures associated with deadlines. It is important to improve communication in the workplace because the productivity of companies improves when there are good communications between employees. For example a production employee may experience a problem with the machine. The person immediately communicates the issue to his supervisor. The supervisor takes the problem to the engineer in order to find a solution. The good communication among the workers in different parts of the corporate hierarchy enabled the firm to find a fast solution to a problem. A company that has good communication among the workers is a safer workplace environment. Take for instances a fast food workers. This person depends on the good communication among the cooking staff to ensure everything is cooked well in a timely manner. Good communication among the workers helps prevent accidents. Communication in the workplace can be improved through the use of educational initiatives. Companies that have poor communication can benefit from seminars on organizational behavior topics on communication that will educate the staff on the importance of communication and the benefits associated with its implementation. The American Management Association offers communication skills seminars for its members (Amanet). The help of outside consultant on communication matters can help improve the corporate culture of a company that is struggling with communication issues. It is important to know that communication in the workplace deals with internal as well as external information which is directed at different stakeholder groups. The shareholders of corporation along with employees are two of the most important skakeholder groups. The human capital of a business is considered its most valuable asset. In the business world of the 21st century good communication has become an important tool that managers must implement in order to run an efficient workplace. The technological advances in communication that have penetrated our marketplace made communication faster and cheaper than ever before. Electronic gadgets such as smartphones are helping business people performed their work easier while telecommuting on the road. As we move forward into the second decade of the century the business world will continue to depend on having good communication across all the stakeholder groups. Companies that have good communication in place have a higher chance of succeeding. “To effectively communicate, we must realize that we are all different in the way we perceive the world and use this understanding as a guide to our communication with others.”(Robbins). Work Cited Page Amanet.org. 2011. “Communication Skills Seminars.” 27 February 2011. < http://www.amanet.org/training/seminars/communication-skills-training.aspx> Robins, A. 2010. “Communication Quotes.” 27 February 2011. Positive-way.com. 2010. “12 clues to communication problems.” 27 February 2011. < http://www.positive-way.com/business/communic.htm> Schermerhorn, J., Hunt, J., Osborn, R. 2003. Organizational Behavior (8th ed.). New York: John Wiley & Sons. Read More