Importance of good communication in an organization

There are several ways that communication is important in a company. Managers of some firms frequently fail because they don't understand the value of communication. All businesses that turn a profit from their operations have open and efficient lines of communication between the staff members, it is a truth. The majority of prosperous businesses recognize the detrimental effects that communication barriers have on their output. A specific organization's established communication channels and methods serve as the foundation for the growth and maintenance of positive, beneficial interactions between its personnel. Since most of the time is spent inside the company performing their individual duties, there is a constant need for constanct communication amongst themselves. Communication is also essential in an organization because it enables the employees to achieve the set standards and goals of the company faster due to improved workmanship.

Lack of communication in an organization can lead to strained relationship among the employees and reduce production. It is normally experienced due to communication barriers. Some of the barriers to communication include; language barriers, careless planning of communication, cultural difference, stereotype, hierarchical organizational structure, prejudice, and gender difference. An organization can employ the use of some of the communication techniques described below to eliminate communication barriers within their areas of operations.

Communication enables the organization to undertake all its functions simultaneously without experiencing any delays. This would cause both productivity and profitability to increase hence a successful organization. Through communication the employees of a given organization are able to gather and set goals and objectives and make strategies towards their realization. An organization cannot afford to miss communication incase it wants to prosper in the respective industry (Skidmore-Williams, 2013).

Ways that effective communication improves employees trust and engagement

Effective communication in simple terms is communication that is free from any communication barrier. The sender relays the message to the receiver through an effective medium and the receiver relays the feedback to the sender consequently. Employees trust and engagement is very important for any organization because it determines whether the organization becomes successful or not. Engagement and trust are attributes which guide the employees of a given organization in understanding their work’s meaning and purpose. It is through this understanding that they are able to dedicate their discrete efforts towards achievement of the objectives and goals set by the organization. Effective communication leads to exhibition of required leadership skills, creation and development of opportunities for career growth and establishment of a balanced work life. These are factors which improve employees trust and engagement. Through effective communication employees are able to air their grievances to the management without intimidation. It also enables them to take strong bargaining options during bargaining processes. On-site meetings and employee surveys are the two communication channels that can be used by the organization to improve their employee’s trust and engagement.

On-site meetings are conducted within the precinct of workplace. It is normally conducted on regular basis at specific time and venue in order to avoid inconveniency. In contrast, employee surveys are not carried out in any venue but through questionnaires. Employees have opportunity to fill the questionnaires at their own contingency provided they are not completed during working hours. They are at liberty to complete them even at home and hand over to the relevant authority upon completion. On-site meetings provide the employees with an opportunity to participate in a face to face conversation with their employer hence immediate feedback while employees’ survey does not (Skidmore-Williams, 2013).

Situations where each communication technique would be most effective

When providing tailored training to employees, the most suitable communication technique is on-site meeting. It provides the trainers with opportunity to identify and resolve the challenges encountered by employees during the training process. For instance, in case an organization introduces a software application that will be used to increase efficiency in its operation. There is need for the management of the organization to get immediate feedback from the training exercise to determine the challenges and address them within the shortest time possible. Though on-site meetings, employees will be able to interact with the instructors and the new software application and understand better compared to situations where they are left to discover on their own. United States Army is one of the organizations which used this strategy to resolve a similar situation (Skidmore-Williams, 2013).

Employee survey communication technique is applicable in situations whereby employees are not based on a centralized organization. Most organizations are decentralized in nature making it difficult to conduct a face-to-face communication with all the employees. For instance, an organization sees it deem to determine the challenges faced by each employee in their respective areas of operations; it would be wise to use employee survey which can be carried out on an on-line platform. The management of the organization will save time and money in determining and resolving the challenges faced by the employees. This communication technique has been applied by renowned organizations such as the Delhi International Airport when addressing challenges faced by its employees internationally.

Reference

Skidmore-Williams, K. (2013). Communication Provides Foundation for Being a Best Place to Work. Public Manager, 42(2), 52.