Effective Organizational Communication Assignment Sample

Introduction Of Effective Organizational Communication

Communication within an organization is essential to encourage teamwork and collaboration, improve productivity, enhance employee engagement, facilitate innovation and build respect and trust by facilitating the exchange of feedback, ideas and information. The report aims to a brief insight into communication within an organization, its potential barriers and a review of an organization’s communication.

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Activity 1

Analysis of key information and knowledge requirements

Different groups of people have different information needs when it comes to a company. Customers are interested in knowing about the product,availability, pricing, and reputation of the company. Shareholders are interested in the financial performance of the company and its plans for the future. Employees need information about their job responsibilities, training opportunities, and the products of the company. Managers require information about the performance of their team, industry trends, and the financial performance of the company (Andersonet al., 2019). Suppliers need information about the purchasing requirements of the company, product specifications, and the financial stability of the company. Regulators require information on compliance, financial records, and company policies. Finally, the community needs information about the impact of the company on the environment, social welfare, diversity and inclusion, and expansion plans.

Systems used for communicating

Companies have various means to communicate with stakeholders. These include meetings, reports, websites, social media, newsletters, intranets, and presentations. These channels provide opportunities to share information, updates, and knowledge about the company's performance, products, policies, and services with stakeholders (Bhattet al., 2021).

Potential barriers

Language barriers arise from variances in languages, technical vocabulary, and dialects, whereas physical barriers are the result of environmental conditions such as distance and noise. Cultural barriers stem from differences in communication values, styles, and beliefs among diverse cultural backgrounds. Technological barriers occur when technology malfunctions or when staff lack the skills required to utilize it effectively. Emotional barriers arise when powerful emotions like fear, anger, or anxiety impact communication (Musheke and Phiri, 2021). Perceptual barriers occur due to preconceptions and biases, while organizational barriers arise due to the structure or culture of a company.

Influence of cultural factors and Values

Values and culture have an impact on communication, affecting how people understand and express messages. The words and nonverbal signals chosen are influenced by personal values. Culture also plays a significant role, as people from diverse cultural backgrounds may interpret communication differently, including nonverbal cues (Gemeda and Lee, 2020). One such example is eye contact, which can be perceived differently across cultures.

Influence of Technology

The use of technology has significantly transformed the way people communicate, resulting in various advantages, such asbetter productivity, broader coverage, stronger cooperation, and more economical operations. Nevertheless, excessive dependence on technology may impede in-person communication, and the absence of physical cues in digital communication may lead to misinterpretations (Guzman and Lewis, 2020). Additionally, disruptions caused by distractions and technical glitches can disrupt effective communication.

Influence of Policies

Policies can impact communication processes positively by providing consistency,clarity, accountability, risk management, and innovation. However, poorly designed or implemented policies and procedures can hinder communication processes by being too rigid, complex, bureaucratic, or resistant to change (Wellset al., 2020).

Activity 2

Findings from communication audit

The healthcare company's communication approach was lacking in various aspects. They had inconsistencies in their messaging across different platforms, and their employees were not sufficiently informed of significant updates. The company failed to utilize digital channels effectively and had an inconsistent branding approach. Additionally, there was a lack of educational resources for patients, and the company was not consistently assessing the efficacy of its communication strategies. For resolving these issues, the company must establish a concise and clear message, enhance employee communication, exploit digital channels, create a consistent brand, generate educational materials for patients, and routinely monitor and evaluate their communication metrics.

Theories of organizational communication

The use of “systems theory” can assist a healthcare organization in examining its communication processes and pinpointing any sub-systems that are not operating at their best (Noursiet al., 2021). By utilizing the “social exchange theory”, the company can recognize the advantages of incorporating digital channels and encourage their use among staff and other stakeholders. The “communication accommodation theory” can aid in the development of communication strategies that meet the specific requirements and inclinations of the intended audience (Mehra and Nickerson, 2019). Lastly, the “cultural theory” can facilitate the creation of a patient education culture by emphasizing its significance and offering rewards to employees who produce effective educational resources for patients.

Communication plan

A communication strategy can be established with specific objectives, identifying the intended audience, crafting appropriate messaging, selecting appropriate channels, and utilizing metrics to gauge efficacy (Coffeltet al., 2019). Fostering a communication culture necessitates establishing well-defined standards, providing employee training, and cultivating a transparent atmosphere. Digital platforms can increase efficiency and extend reach, while regular assessments of communication abilities are necessary (Huret al., 2019). Critical situations necessitate the development of effective communication protocols, and periodic assessments and adjustments to the strategy are essential to ensure continued effectiveness.

Evaluation of Plan

For evaluating the effectiveness of the communication plan, the organization can use a range of methods. Conducting employee surveys, interviews, and focus groups can provide valuable feedback to identify areas of improvement. Tracking communication metrics like email open rates, social media engagement, and the website traffic and customer feedback can assess the reach and impact of the plan (Uysalet al., 2021). Performance evaluations can help identify individual communicationweaknesses and strengths, while cost-benefit analysis can assess the financial impact of the plan. Lastly, comparing the time spent on communication activities before and after implementing the plan can evaluate its efficiency.

Activity 3

Communication skill

As a quality assurance manager, I haveestablished effective communication by expressing ideas in a clear and brief manner, actively paying attention to others' perspectives, being open to adjusting my approach as needed, displaying assurance and proficiency in my role, and giving importance to transparency and candour to establish a reliable relationship with the parties involved.

Theories of interpersonal communication

For being an effective quality assurance manager, it is important to communicate information about quality standards with stakeholders in a gradual manner, while also adjusting the communication style to meet the needs of different audiences. Communication should occur frequently and be of high quality to meet stakeholder expectations, and sensitive information should be shared with respect for privacy preferences. Trust should be built and open communication lines established using the "Social Penetration Theory", and communication style should be adjusted based on the "Communication Accommodation Theory" (Braithwaite and Schrodt, 2021). Meeting stakeholder expectations is important according to the "Expectancy Violations Theory" while respecting privacy preferences is emphasized by the "Communication Privacy Management Theory".

Planning personal Development

For improving communication, it is important toseek feedback and identify areas for improvement, which will help to set specific goals to improve public speaking, Further, creating a development plan ensuring active listening practices, practising regularly with everyday conversation, seeking support, and evaluating progress can enhance communication. The plan can be adjusted as needed. It is important to evaluate own communication skills on an interval basis for improvement which will help to interact with individuals from diverse communities in the healthcare system.

Conclusion

It has been found that effective communication is extremely important within an organisation. However, it has many potential barriers that facilitate or affect communication. The best approach to improve communication within an organisation can be achieved by preparing a communication audit which involves reviewing the organisation's whole communication system.

References

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• Uysal, E., Kaya, O., Ephremides, A., Gross, J., Codreanu, M., Popovski, P., Assaad, M., Liva, G., Munari, A., Soleymani, T. and Soret, B., 2021. Semantic communications in networked systems: A data significance perspective.arXiv preprint arXiv:2103.05391.
• Wells, G.L., Kovera, M.B., Douglass, A.B., Brewer, N., Meissner, C.A. and Wixted, J.T., 2020. Policy and procedure recommendations for the collection and preservation of eyewitness identification evidence.Law and human behavior,44(1), p.3.