The Importance of Workplace Communication

Abstract

In today’s society, communication is vital for maintaining a safe and productive environment.

Communication is also an important factor in employee and client relationships, team building,

and effective work productivity. Having good communication can be a positive asset to an

organization or team. Whether it be a healthcare setting or corporate setting, good

communication is the key to having successful outcomes. There are positive as well as negative

aspects that involve communication. Barriers, negative aspects, tend to cause friction within an

organization or between people. Ideally, positive outcomes are the goals when it is related to

communication. This paper will discuss the importance of communication and

the ways to implement or improve it within an organization. Secondly, it will also discuss the

barriers that are encountered when communicating. Lastly, it will provide established as well as

future leaders the skills and tools to implement or better communicate with their employees.

     Introduction

 Communication is the key to success in most organizations. It is the transfer of

information from one person to another or a group of people. “Communication is the

lifeblood of an organization and, without it, things will not get done. But we know organizations

and employees may lack the ability to learn, use, and exploit good communication practices “

(Conrad, 2014, p. 5). Communication can help develop a sense of unity for the leader and

employees as well as create a positive environment for those working within the organization.

“Good communication skills help to develop better understanding and beliefs among people

inspire them to follow the principles and values which their leader wants to inculcate in them.”

(Anchal & Dahiya, 2015, 43). As a leader, being able to effectively communicate is vital to the

growth and development of the organization. Leaders must possess the confidence and

knowledge to succeed. “According to many researchers, leader is one who has an ability to take

charge, direct, encourage, or stimulate others. They have an attitude to convince others and to

make them follow the goals or the participles defined by them” (Odin, 2015, p.1627).

 In the aspect of the healthcare setting, communication is vital. Without it, things will not

be accomplished. “In fact, in surveys of highly successful managers across the nation, the ability

to communicate effectively was identified as the most important skill a manager needs for

success” (Conrad, 2014, p. 9). Managers and leaders have a responsibility to communicate with

the staff and keep them informed. This includes leading meetings, sending emails, or just simply

talking with the staff. They must also have the ability to uplift and motivate the staff while

getting the message across.

    The Communication Process

 The communication process begins with the sender. The sender is a person who has a

need or desire to give an idea or concept to others. The receiver is the person whom the message

is sent to. The idea is encoded by selecting words, symbols, or gestures with which to create a

message. The message is the outcome of the encoding. The message is then through a medium or

channel, which carries the message. The medium can be in the form of a face-to-face

conversation, phone call, e-mail, or written report. The receiver takes the message and breaks it

down and receive it as meaningful information. Noise is anything that distorts the message.

Noise can be perceived as language barriers, interruptions, emotions, and attitudes are examples

of noise. Lastly, feedback is when the receiver responds to the message of the sender and returns

the message (Lunenburg, 2010, p,2) It is with feedback that it is determined if the information

that was sent by the sender to the receiver is understood.

 Barriers to Communication

 In any work setting, there will almost certain be barriers to communication.
 

“The problem in communication arises from the disturbances or barriers in the transmission,

either by the leader or by the receiver “(Odin, 2015, p. 1624). Communication barriers in the

workplace can have a negative impact on morale, productivity and relationships between the

employee and leader. There are many barriers that affect communication. According to

Borkowski (2016, p. 89), barriers of communication can be classified into two categories. They

are environmental factors and personal barriers.

Environmental factors may include the lack of time and attention, specific terminology,

and multiple level of hierarchy. Listening is a vital part to communication. If the receiver

is not listening, then the message will not be received. A far as time goes, the sender is not

thinking the message through thus causing the receiver to not be able understand or receive the

message clearly. Specific terminology is another environmental barrier to communication.

Communication between people who use different terminology can be misunderstood simply

because people perceive different meanings to the same words” (Borkowski, 2016, p.91). This

can cause assumptions and misunderstandings. Lastly, multiple levels of a hierarchy is another

environmental barrier. When there are too many levels for a message to go through, in the end

either the message is not delivered at all or it is delivered incorrectly.

 Personal barriers can also affect communication. These barriers are reflective of one’s

values and beliefs. Some of the barriers include jealousy, lack of empathy, and fear.

 There are ways to overcome these barriers. To overcome these barriers one must

recognize that they exist (Borkowski, 2016, p. 92). Environmental barriers can be resolved if

attention and time is given to the receiver. When communicating, use clear and concise

terminology that the receiver can understand. Also, decreasing the number of levels of hierarchy

will help facilitate effective communication. Doing this prevents the message from being

delivered incorrectly or not being delivered at all. Personal barriers can be overcome by simply

having empathy and to acknowledge that some people will have their own fears and struggles

jealousy.

    Ways to Improve Communication

 Improving communication within an organization can help with growth and allow the

leader and employees reach their highest potential. Studies have shown that improving

communication can produce great outcomes. “Communication is one of the toughest issues in

organizations. It is an area that is most frequently complained about by employees during

organizational change and daily operations” (Heathfield, 2018). The number one way to improve

communication is to listen. Actively listening and being receptive to feedback helps. “Managers

who ignore tend to cultivate a distance between them and their employees, thereby eroding the

relationship and ultimately the work environment. In facilitating communication, a manager

should hear what is said, integrate it into the topic at hand, and say something to move the

conversation forward” (Odine, 2015, 1627). A creative way to improve communication is to

organize team-building activities. The process of team building in an organization is vital to

the development of its activities in the future. As is known, the management team is supposed to

bring people together to achieve goals and effectively distribute responsibilities.

 (Nikitenko, G. et al., 2017, p. 132). This can be done by bringing the team together outside of

work to participate in activities. Team building exercises can be fun as well as bring everyone

ether for something positive.

    Change Communication Model

 There are many theories that may or may not show that communication is important.

Two communication models showed in their own way that effective communication helps. The

change communication model is a tool used to According to Husain (2013), change

communication should focus on addressing the issues of employees and provide a humane touch.

Some employees may have personal or environmental issues that affect the way they communicate with

others or with their superior. The change communication model lists attributes such as trust, employee

commitment, job security, and lack of uncertainty. Having a solid foundation with these things will make

employees happy and will be willing to change. In addition to the change communication model,

the Conceptual Model for Effective Leadership was developed to also create good

communication. With this model it starts with the leader. It showed that with the right leadership

and communication style, employees will have more satisfaction and better attitudes when it

comes to their work environment..

 Workplace Communications Framework

 Communication framework is a tool utilized to communicate with your staff, customers,

or anyone that is affiliated with the organization. when leaders communicate effectively, their

employees experience high levels of satisfaction. A solid foundation is imperative in contributing

to the operations of an organization. To facilitate productive operations within the

organization, one must have a workplace communications framework in place. The design of this

framework is to provide structure as well as having a means of effectively communicating. In

addition to the framework, self-assessment tests will be used to help employees identify their

strengths and weaknesses. It will also allow them to learn about themselves. This 

framework will go as follows:

Purpose: To allow a means for communication and to enhance communication processes

Target Audience: Managers, Nurses, Assistants, Physicians, and other essential staff

Goals: To allow staff to communicate with each other, To foster the ability to work together as a team

Communication Channels: Face to face interviews, meetings, email, flyers, in-service training classes

Feedback: For all staff as well as those in leadership to provide constructive and be receptive to receiving feedback.

      Conclusion

 This paper discusses the importance of workplace communication and ways to improve

it. Effective communication creates better environments for employees and leaders. As

previously mentioned, without communication, things cannot get accomplished. Great leadership

with the ability to effectively communicate can be a positive asset to an organization. It promotes

motivation, builds confidence and character, and fosters team work.

In conclusion, it is evident that communication in the workplace is and will be an

important issue. Communication is the transmission of information and common

understanding from one person to another. The key components of the communication process

are the sender, encoding the message, transmitting the message through a medium, receiving the

message, decoding the message, feedback, and noise (Lunenburg, 2010, p.11). Communication

is the number one factor in aiding an organization or company with growth and success.

Effective communication is a two-way process that requires effort and skill by both sender and

receiver. Whether in a healthcare setting or corporate office, having the

ability to communicate in a clear and easy to understand helps the receiver better accept the

message. effectively communicate with others will go a long way. When communicating well

with employees, they tend to work harder and are inclined to work harder. Anchal &Dahiya,

(2015) states that when working in such a good, healthy, positive and congenial environment

employees get motivated and enthusiastic to work much harder”. The dedication towards doing

their work makes it easy to achieve their targets quickly and hence their productivity increases.

As a leader one should seek opportunities to better improve communication skills.

With communication  comes many barriers. Some are good and some are bad. Barriers

can be the focal point as to why an organization is succeeding or failing. As mentioned before, to

overcome these barriers, it should be recognized that they do exist. Every leader does not possess

the capability to communicate well. This leads to low employee satisfaction, lack of motivation,

and a sense of low self-esteem. To be successful, managers should maintain open lines of

communication that lead others in completing goals. It means accepting responsibility that is,

adapting to change and decision-making (Odine, 2015, p. 9). As a leader, one would want their

organization to be successful. It starts with the employees but leaders and managers must be able

to communicate in a professional and respectable manner. The same goes for the employee as

well.

 Lastly, there are two models of communication discussed in this paper. The Change

Communication model and The Conceptual Model for Effective Leadership are both tools

mediums in showing that effective communication is key. After exploring the information on this

topic, it shows that leadership and communication are closely linked. Both go hand in hand as

for as running an organization or business. With all of the different barriers such as language,

and cultural differences, communication is a vital part in reaching others. Communication will

definitely be an ongoing factor with any

References

• Borkowski, N. (2016). Organizational Behavior in Healthcare (3rd ed.). Burlington, MA: Jones and Bartlett Learning.
• Conrad, D. (2014). Workplace Communication Problems: Inquiries by Employees and Applicable Solutions. Journal of Business Studies Quarterly.
• Dahiya, L. A. (2015). Effective Leadership is all ablou communicating effectively: Connecting Leadership and Communication. International Journal of Management and Business Studies, 43.
• Garon, M. (2013). Speaking up, being heard: Registered nurses’ perceptions of workplace communication. Retrieved 2018, from http://doi.org/10.111/j.1365-2834-2011.01296.x
• Heathfield, S. (2018). Communication inChange Management.
• Husain, Z. (2013). Effective Communication Brings Successful Organizational Change. The Business Management Review, 3(2).
• Lunenburg, F. (2010). Communication: The Process, Barriers, and Immproving Effectiveness. Communication Schooling, 1(1), 2.
• Malling, J. E. (2018). Workplace-based communication skills training in clinical departments: Examining the role of collegial relations through positioning theory, Medical Teacher. doi:10.1080/0142159X.2018.1464647
•  Nikitenko, G. et al. (2017). Development of Human Resources of the Organizationwith the help of Team Building Model. 18(157), 132.
• Odine, M. (2015). Communication Problems in Management. Journal of Emerging Issues in Economics, Finance, and Banking: An Online International Research Journal, 4(2).