Business Communication Assignment Sample

Business Communication Assignment

Introduction 

Get free written samples by our Top-Notch subject experts and Assignment Writing Service team.

Effective business communication is one of the key performance influencers, which enhances consumer retention, employee’s engagement, understanding of working and others which in terms increases profitability of a business organisation through increasing its performances. The scenario suggests that Brit-tech is planning to recall employees to the office premises as there are fewer restrictions of covid-19 and the economy is recovering from pandemic slowdowns. Employees are not willing to return to office as they are not comfortable with office premises because of several reasons that will be discussed in this report. This report will also provide theoretical frameworks on organisational communication, and discuss Brit-tech strategies to overcome communication barriers.

Discussion on general theories of organizational communication 

The study has pointed out standpoint theory as a communication framework, which provides an opportunity to engage every person in a business organisation so that it can engage every employee in the business activities of Brit-tech (Paradies, 2018). The application of standpoint theory accelerates engagement of employees in businesses with proper collaboration and communication, so that it can resolve issues and challenges in business operation. The application of the theoretical framework is effective as it provides the opportunity to IT organisation to implement its business decisions such as recalling employees at office premises can be effective if it includes the views and perceptions of employees regarding business decisions. Brit-tech needs to consider the perception of employees to improve employee retention and address employees concerns regarding workplace such as covid-19 safety measures, social distancing and recording of non-vaccinated employees into the office. 

According to Paradies (2018), standpoint theory, communication among different social sections is effective to provide support to the profitability and business operation of Brit-tech. The business also needs to implement the actions and strategies regarding the workplace.

Evaluation of communication barriers 

Brit-tech is facing several issues and telling this in organisational communication with employees. Brit-tech is focusing on recalling employees to the office premises so that they can work from the office. However, employees are not willing to return to office because of changed behaviour of employees. According to Neill and Bowen (2021), it can be seen that employees are working from remote areas since the last two years because of covid-19 lockdown, which enhanced change in employee’s behaviour and perceptions regarding the working environment. It has created several challenges and barriers in communications that are as follows, 

Change in work environment 

Employees have been working from remote locations since the last 2 years where they have made their own schedules to provide productive work. Now changing their schedule is not effective to maintain their productivity at the same level. It can cause a decline in productivity of employees. Moreover, employees are habituated to work from home, where changing their work environment is not preferable by the employees. This is why the employees are not willing to return to office. Employees changing behaviour also affects organisational communication, which has been reflected through their willingness to do work from remote locations rather than office, premises (Zehrer and Leiß, 2020). 

Conflict of interest 

Lack of face-to-face interaction with the hierarchy of Brit-tech and employees affected the organisational communication channel. Lack of face to face interaction creates lack of understanding about the business decisions which creates conflict of interests. Employees' interests are not favoured by the organisation and employees also do not understand the company's perception to recall employees to office premises. This is why the business decision has been refused by the employees to maintain the same productive level. 

Lack of employee’s engagement in decision making 

Employees' mistrust on business organisations has been reflected when they express their worry about maintaining safety protocols of covid-19 pandemic such as social distancing vaccination and other. It has been observed that employees are sure whether the business organisation ensures social distance in the workplace or not. It represents that there is a lack of employee’s engagement in the business decision activities because of lack of effective communication among employees and management (Zehrer and Leiß, 2020). This creates resistance against business decisions.

Brit-tech strategies to overcome barriers 

Brit-tech needs to take certain strategies to retain employees and convenience them to return to the office for working. The strategies are also focused on fulfilling the issues and concerns of employees. Moreover, the organisation needs to make it easier for employees to return to the office for work.

Enhancing employee engagement

Brit-tech needs to improve its communication channel to involve employees into the business operation and decision-making process. Involvement of employees into decision making would enhance a better level of understanding between employees and management (Zehrer and Leiß, 2020). The scenario suggests that employees do not trust their organisation in terms of maintaining the Covid-19 safety protocols. It reflects lack of confidence of employees in the business organisation which is a result of lack of employee engagement. Brit-tech needs to consult with employees to understand their perception towards decisions to make it more effective by engaging everyone's cooperation and collaboration. Action also needs to provide information regarding business decisions so that the employees feel more confident about their company. 

Listening to Employees and resolve issues 

There are several factors and concerns about its employees' willingness to return to office which need to be addressed through proper communication channels. Brit-tech needs to resolve issues and concerns of employees through understanding issues and concerns raised by the employees and involve them in problem solving. Involvement of employees would be more effective to enhance employees into the business decision making. It would also encourage employees to return to office and maintain proper communication with management to resolve other concerns and issues. 

Transparency 

Brit-tech also used to provide information regarding its internal decisions and actions about the workplace regularly so that the employees are aware about the intention of the business organisation and prepare them to enhance productivity. 

Workplace Flexibility 

The organisation needs to provide flexibility in the workplace as employees are comfortable with flexible work schedules. Flexible work schedules can encourage employees to join the office rather than work from home. The workplace of the IT Company needs to include flexibility so that organisations performances could increase. 

Recommendations 

This section of the report suggests focusing on employees to enhance employee engagement in business operations. It has recommended a model based on a listening model such as the HURIER model, which enhances listening comprehension, remembering interpretation and responding to the concerns of employees (Renz and Hilbig, 2020). Application of this model is effective to enhance employee retention. This model is effective to resolve issues and challenges including stakeholders that are employees to increase effectiveness of internal communication channels in Brit-tech. 

• Hearing to employees- The organisation needs to listen to the problems of employees and their concern to return office to work. 
• Understanding problems- Listening to the issues and concerns raised by the employees needs to be understood by the management of the business so that it can take appropriate strategy to address the culture and problems.
• Remembering- This acronym at the model States 2 remember concern and issues of employees during making of any decision regarding the workplace which would provide opportunity to take appropriate strategy or action to retain employees as well as increase productivity of workforce. 
• Interpretation- This acronym suggests to interpret existing policies and strategies to improve employee retention of Brit-tech. Brit-tech can make amendments into its current business decision to return all employees in the office premises. 
• Evaluating- the model states that there is a need to evaluate effectiveness of changes and amendments in workforce to make further improvements to increase effectiveness of existing business policy and strategy
• Responding- this step of the model enhances property implementation of changes according to the concerns and issues to resolve several problems and issues in business. Particularly responding to the issues is effective to convince and encourage the employees who are not willing to work from office. 

The organisation can also implement retail technologies that have artificial intelligence to communicate or collect views of employees on business decisions, and make amendments in the decisions according to the views of employees so that it can be implemented efficiently in the workforce of Brit-tech (Renz and Hilbig2020). Application of artificial intelligence and this model is effective to increase consumer retention by implementing effective communication among employees and management. Management can also enhance confidence through maintaining social distance between cubicles. It can also address safety concerns of employees through making changes in the structure and increasing ventilation facilities, so that employees are encouraged to join office premises. 

Conclusion 

It can be concluded that organisational communication is one of the major divers that focuses on engaging employees with business organisations and utilising resources to get optimal output. Brit-tech is facing resistance from the side of employees to implement office work facilities. There are several reasons which affect employees' willingness to work from office such as changing behaviour, lack of confidence, mistrust on organisation, lack of Covid safety protocols and others which needs to be addressed by the organisation to retain employees in office premises. The report has provided insights on theoretical framework to increase effectiveness of organisation communication and game employee’s engagement in business organisation. 

Reference list

Paradies, Y., 2018. Whither standpoint theory in a post-truth world?. Cosmopolitan Civil Societies: An Interdisciplinary Journal, 10(2), pp.119-129. https://search.informit.org/doi/pdf/10.3316/informit.863258315962207

Neill, M.S. and Bowen, S.A., 2021. Ethical listening to employees during a pandemic: new approaches, barriers and lessons. Journal of Communication Management. Available at:https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Shannon-Bowen/publication/350356590_Ethical_listening_to_employees_during_a_pandemic_new_approaches_barriers_and_lessons/links/612fd6312b40ec7d8bdc6462/Ethical-listening-to-employees-during-a-pandemic-new-approaches-barriers-and-lessons.pdf [Accessed on: 28 February, 2022]

Zehrer, A. and Leiß, G., 2020. Intergenerational communication barriers and pitfalls of business families in transition—a qualitative action research approach. Corporate Communications: An International Journal. Available at: https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/CCIJ-03-2020-0056/full/pdf [Accessed on: 28 February, 2022]

Renz, A. and Hilbig, R., 2020. Prerequisites for artificial intelligence in further education: identification of drivers, barriers, and business models of educational technology companies. International Journal of Educational Technology in Higher Education, 17(1), pp.1-21. Available at: https://educationaltechnologyjournal.springeropen.com/articles/10.1186/s41239-020-00193-3 [Accessed on: 28 February, 2022]