Level 4 - Unit 4 - Communication Skills for Business assignment Sample

Introduction - Level 4 - Unit 4 - Communication Skills for Business assignment

Communication is considered one of the critical skills in which one person shares their ideas and perspectives with another. It is a competency to understand the behavior, nature, and personality of other individuals. In the context of an organization, communication skills play an essential role, assisting the workforce in expressing their views and suggestions to the management department. Additionally, the current report focuses on SHDE Holdings, a leading electronic supply company. This organization provides electronic equipment and tools to customers in the UK. However, SHDE Holdings faces numerous challenges due to a lack of communication skills that directly influence customer satisfaction and experience. To address this, the management department of the chosen organization has organized training and development sessions for its employees to enhance and develop their communication skills. Moreover, this report will highlight the processes and methods of internal communication. It will also illustrate the communication systems the chosen organization can use to engage with customers.

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TASK 1

AC 1.1 Process Of Internal Communication

Internal communication includes various methods companies use to communicate messages and information to the staff. This type of communication covers several communication styles, such as oral, written, etc. Internal communication is essential for companies because it helps establish a positive culture, keep staff informed, maintain staff happiness, and increase efficiency (Sinclair, 2020). Additionally, to mitigate the problems, SHDE needs to emphasize developing internal communication and limiting customer complaints related to poor services. To create internal communication, the selected organization needs to follow the whole process effectively and efficiently (Li et al., 2021). The internal communication process consists of five steps: identify, develop, create, deliver, and measure.

Identifying is the first step of internal communication, in which companies emphasize determining their current situation and overall goals. At this step, SHDE Holdings also emphasizes its internal communication goals and target audience. After identifying, development is another step in the internal communication process, in which companies communicate messages about their operations and functions to customers, employees, and the wider community (Santos et al., 2023).

After development, creation is another step of the internal communication process. SHDE can create dynamic content, tell the company's story in several ways, and include light-hearted factors in the email or report. After creating content, companies are required to choose appropriate tools, such as social media platforms, videos, conferencing tools, and internal communication applications for delivering messages (Ljajić and Pirsl, 2021). After giving the message to the customers or others, companies are accountable for measuring their effectiveness by adopting key performance indicators (KPIs).

For example, if SHDE has a customer with a particular complaint, they can directly call the given number and share their problem with the employee receiving the call. After this, the employee must communicate the issue of the consumer to the concerned department, and a better solution will be provided to the consumers. Further, after providing a solution to the consumer again, a feedback call will be made to ensure that the customer's issue has been addressed effectively and that they are not having any of the issues.

Figure 1: Internal communication process

(Source: Sinclair, 2020)

AC 1.2 Methods Of Internal Communication

Companies use various modes of internal communication with their customers, staff, and others. The modes of internal communication are face-to-face meetings, instant messaging, email, letters, video-conferencing, phone calls, etc.

Face-to-face communication is considered one of the critical modes of internal communication that SHDE can use. It is ideal for brainstorming sessions, complex discussions, and conflict resolution. Adopting this mode benefits companies because it helps provide immediate feedback and fosters personal connection and nonverbal cues among team members. It is used for direct communication so that clear information can be shared and the person's reaction can be assessed well.

Meeting: This is another mode of internal communication that SHDE can adopt to communicate the message to the staff and customers. This model is valuable for sharing updates, collaborative problem-solving, and making effective decisions. Its adoption will benefit selected organizations because it offers a platform for encouraging engagement and participation from attendees and real-time interactions.

Email: Email is another mode of internal communication that companies can utilize to transform the message to the staff and customers effectively and successfully (Sharbaji, 2021). For example, email in the organization is ideal for confirming detailed information regarding any topic. Furthermore, email is appropriate for formal communication, sending detailed documentation and information. Moreover, the purpose of adopting email as a method of communication can be beneficial for SHDE because it aids in carefully crafting messages, offers written records, and can be easily referenced and achieved.

Instant messaging is another important mode of internal communication. It includes various platforms, such as Microsoft Teams and Slack, for informal and quick conversations, seeking immediate reactions, and sharing files (Yue, Men, and Ferguson, 2021). This mode is useful because it enables fast communication and fosters team collaboration.

Letter: This is another mode of internal communication, ideal for sending offers, expressing gratitude, submitting requests, and conveying important information to clients and others. It can be useful because it is cost-effective and convenient, maintains permanent records, and facilitates creativity. For example, SHDE can use letters to communicate with customers and inform them about any aspect.

Phone calls: This is another mode of internal communication, and it is appropriate for urgent matters and sensitive conversations (Salmi, 2022). This mode can be useful for selected organizations because it allows instant reaction and offers a more personal touch than written communication.

AC 1.3 Barriers To Effective Communication

Usually, when two or more individuals interact, there is a high chance that barriers will arise that directly impact the communication process. Barriers to effective communication can result in confusion, leading to incorrect information being conveyed and negatively influencing overall performance and efficiency. Additionally, semantic, organizational, psychological, organizational, physical, cultural, and physiological are critical barriers that companies face due to ineffective communications (Palm and Backman, 2020). Semantics is considered a common barrier companies face because of improper communication between receiver and sender.

For example, SHDE also faces this barrier due to ineffective communication, which means they cannot clearly send messages and see spelling errors in letters. From this issue, customers complain about poor service, which negatively influences their satisfaction and experience and leads to reduced customer base, sales, productivity, and profitability.

On the other hand, psychological issues are another barrier faced by companies, and they play an immersive role in interpersonal communication as the state of mind of the receiver and sender can make it challenging to understand the information conveyed. However, this barrier can cause miscommunication, misunderstanding, stress, social anxiety, and low self-esteem (Musheke and Phiri, 2021). Additionally, organizational issues are another critical barrier companies face because of ineffective communication. This communication barrier arises due to rules, structure, and regulations present in the company.

Cultural and physical barriers are other critical barriers companies face due to improper communication. The lack of similarities among the diverse cultures worldwide causes cultural barriers. Due to differences in beliefs, norms, and values, the employees of SHDE cannot give their performance and understand their roles and responsibilities effectively, which creates barriers. For example, the manager of the Electrical Contractors Association (ECA) says its workers need to be trimmed, but because of the diverse norms of their culture, they are not accepting the rules, which creates a cultural barrier.

Apart from this, perception is another barrier companies face because of ineffective communication. In the organization, every person has their own thinking of power and set of views and perspectives, which create perceptual barriers (Pugu and Dewanto, 2024); for example, in SHDE holding because of cultural differences in the meaning of cues and triggers of each employee individually. Similarly, in the case of other companies like ASDA, cultural issues also impact the company's work as communicating with culturally diverse people is very difficult and affects the working capability to a great extent.

1M1 Legal and Ethical Issues About The Communication Of Information

Maintaining effective communication is challenging for companies. They face a wide range of ethical and legal challenges. Due to ineffective communication, SHDE Holdings faces several legal issues, such as truthfulness and accuracy, confidentiality and privacy, fairness and equity, conflict of interest, etc. Companies must have accurate and truthful communication that helps eliminate misleading and deceptive practices that harm stakeholders. Exaggerating claims, misrepresenting facts, and withholding relevant facts can weaken creditability and trust, which leads to legal consequences and reputational damages (Weiss, 2021). Additionally, confidentiality and privacy are other ethical issues selected organizations face in information communication.

For example, SHDE must respect privacy rights and confidentiality, which are paramount in effective communication, especially when handling proprietary and sensitive information. This ethical issue can damage individuals’ interests and rights and cause consumers to lose trust.

Furthermore, effective communication will be conducted with equity and fairness, and all stakeholders will be treated with impartiality and respect. Biased decision-making, discriminatory behavior or language, and unequal treatment can result in allegations of lawsuits, discrimination, and reputational harm. Apart from this, SHDE Holdings also faces various legal issues related to effectively and successfully communicating information, such as defamation, securities fraud, data privacy, etc. Legal matters in communication include concerns relevant to compliance with regulations, laws, and contractual obligations (Loureiro, Guerreiro, and Tussyadiah, 2021). For example, data privacy and security breaches are considered some of the common legal issues companies face, including unauthorized access and disclosure of personal or sensitive information such as employee records, customer data, or proprietary business information. SHDE faces many such issues because the company uses many different issues, and data can be mismanaged.

To mitigate this issue, selected organizations can be required to follow data privacy regulations and laws like the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) to safeguard confidential information and protect people's privacy rights. Moreover, securities fraud is another legal challenge company’s face while maintaining effective and successful information communication (Kerr, Barry, and Kelleher, 2020). This legal issue includes deceptive and misleading practices in financial communication, such as investor communication, corporate disclosure, and securities offerings. This legal issue involves misleading and false statements about financial prospects, performance, and risks that can constitute securities fraud.

AC 5M1 Effectiveness of Technology In Oral And Written Communication

Technology plays a crucial role in communication, whether written or oral. Technology is advancing, and work will not be managed without it. Technology makes communication more effective and enhances communication skills. With technology, people can communicate anytime, improving their overall working capability. With social media and other online platforms, people can effectively communicate with anyone anytime.

But complying with the technology at large scale can also create some of the negative impacts. It is due to the reason that when there is too much reliance on the technology can create some negative impact. This includes the fact that when too much technology is used at meeting and during interactive sessions then this can create more stress. This is not good for health and it can affect the working of the employees. Moreover, over-reliance on the use of technology make the employees of SHDE more lethargic as they rely on technology to their work as well. On the other side, the compliance with technology while communicating also makes the communication effective. With the help of the technology the message is communicated with clarity which makes the communication system more clear and purpose is also clearly communicated.

AC 5D1 One Page Summary

The presentation clearly shows that many different communication systems, including letters, newsletters, emails, and others, can be used. All these methods help formally communicate with the person involved, which is very helpful for the company in improving and fostering communication.

Further, the presentation highlighted that organizational relations significantly impact the communication system and channels. This impact can be both positive and negative. The positive impact generally includes increased productivity, employee engagement, and teamwork, among many other benefits. However, if communication is not clear, it can result in some negative impacts as well. It includes the development of mistrust among employees, workplace conflict, a decrease in employees' morale, and many others. Further, it was also seen that non-verbal communication also impacts oral communication. This includes creating impacts like building better trust and rapport between the parties, facilitating conflict resolution, promoting teamwork, and many other positive impacts.

The PPT also focused on the effectiveness of technology in communication. Different techniques, such as online platforms, AI, video analysis, and many others, assist in managing and improving communication. These technologies boost and enhance communication in oral and written formats. Thus, they facilitate the overall communication process and help share information and documents strongly.

Emerging technologies such as AI, ML, and blockchain are effective for oral and written communication because they help make communication efficient, faster, and more accessible. For example, instant messaging and email allow individuals to communicate effectively and quickly. On the other hand, video analysis tools can assist people in determining their strengths and weaknesses in oral communication. In the workplace, employers can enhance staff members' communication skills by using online platforms such as presentations, SpeakUp translator, Orai, etc. To enhance the effectiveness of the employees' oral communication skills, companies can use various video analysis tools such as Loom, Vidyard, and EyeSpeak, which help measure and evaluate the performance of the employees. Furthermore, to improve oral communication, employers can also use artificial intelligence systems such as interview simulators, role play, and cogito, which help create realistic and engaging circumstances. On the other hand, updated technologies can also enhance written communication by enabling real-time editing, commenting, and sharing of documents, which results in effective collaboration.

CONCLUSION

By summing up the assignment, it has been summarized that the internal communication process consists of determining the current situation and overall goals, developing, creating, and choosing appropriate tools, as well as delivering and measuring. Face-to-face meetings, instant messaging, letters, etc., are significant methods of internal communication. Additionally, truthfulness and accuracy, conflict of interest, securities fraud, etc., are major ethical and legal issues about information communication. Apart from this, formal communication can be considered an effective communication system that companies can utilize to communicate with customers. Non-verbal communication can immersively impact oral communication because it helps convey the meaning of information and understanding and interpret reactions. Updated and emerging technologies can significantly impact both written and oral communication by using online platforms, video analysis tools, etc.

REFERENCES

Books and Journals

• Kalogiannidis, S., 2020. Impact of effective business communication on employee performance. European Journal of Business and Management Research, 5(6).
• Kerr, A., Barry, M. and Kelleher, J.D., 2020. Expectations of artificial intelligence and the performativity of ethics: Implications for communication governance. Big Data & Society, 7(1), p.2053951720915939.
• Li, J.Y., Sun, R., Tao, W. and Lee, Y., 2021. Employee coping with organizational change in the face of a pandemic: The role of transparent internal communication. Public relations review, 47(1), p.101984.
• Ljajić, S. and Pirsl, D., 2021. The role of internal communication and workplace language in the positioning of organizations. Društvene i humanističke studije, 6(1 (14)), pp.441-452.
• Loureiro, S.M.C., Guerreiro, J. and Tussyadiah, I., 2021. Artificial intelligence in business: State of the art and future research agenda. Journal of business research, 129, pp.911-926.
• Musheke, M.M. and Phiri, J., 2021. The effects of effective communication on organizational performance are based on systems theory. Open Journal of Business and Management, 9(2), pp.659-671.
• Palm, J. and Backman, F., 2020. Energy efficiency in SMEs: overcoming the communication barrier. Energy Efficiency, 13(5), pp.809-821.
• Pugu, M.R. and Dewanto, A.C.P., 2024. OVERCOMING BARRIERS TO CROSS-CULTURAL COMMUNICATION IN A MULTINATIONAL ENVIRONMENT. Jurnal Komunikasi, 2(4), pp.293-300.
• Salmi, E., 2022. Employees' expectations of communicative work in internal communication: a case study (Master's thesis).
• Santos, S., Augusto, L., Ferreira, S., Espírito Santo, P. and Vasconcelos, M., 2023. Recommendations for internal communication to strengthen the employer brand: A systematic literature review. Administrative sciences, 13(10), p.223.
• Sharbaji, Y., 2021. In the digital communication era, the role and impact of internal communication among employees. Recuperado de: https://digikogu. Caltech. ee/en/Download/295417f2-d872-4571-8d1ce011903e8245/Ttajatevahelisesisekommunikatsioonirolljam. Pdf.
• Weiss, J.W., 2021. Business ethics: A stakeholder and issues management approach. Berrett-Koehler Publishers.
• Yue, C.A., Men, L.R. and Ferguson, M.A., 2021. Examining the effects of internal communication and emotional culture on employees’ organizational identification. International Journal of Business Communication, 58(2), pp.169-195.