B. comunication chapter 4

DPB40093 Business Communication

Topic 4: BUSINESS COMMUNICATION WITHIN WORKPLACE

Workplace communication is the means by which employees exchange
information and ideas. Effective communication should always have a context
that forms the setting and necessity for the statement, idea, or question being
shared.

Purpose of business communication within workplace

Control:

One of the key functions of a manager is control. Typically, a manager will want
to control the behaviors and actions of the employees within an organization.
However, these employees are not robots, and they cannot be controlled or
be coerced to do anything. That is where communication comes in. To get your
employees to do anything, you have to communicate what you want to your
employees.

Motivation:

Managers need to communicate to employees the tasks they need to carry out,
the timelines of these tasks, and the manner in which the tasks should be
carried out. However, communication isn’t just about allowing them to do this.
It is also about allowing them to do it in a way that motivates the employees
to work harder and better. A good communicator knows how to lace their
message with just the right amount of motivation to make the receiver
genuinely want to accept the message.

Balancing needs and goals:

Businesses must identify the cultural and environmental needs of their
employees in order to improve workplace communication and to better achieve
strategic goals. Emotional intelligence is being in tune with the employee when
it comes to their needs and expectations in the workplace. There are a few
reasons for employee to leave jobs such as boredom, inadequate salary and
benefits, lack of recognition, unhappy environment and management. When
company leaders provide for their employees' physical, mental, emotional and
financial needs, those employees can put more focus into their work. Employees that
feel valued, empowered and respected might perform better, which can benefit their
career growth, their coworkers' morale and the company's success.

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DPB40093 Business Communication

Characteristics of organization structure

Complexity:

Complexity considers the extent of differentiation within organization. This
includes the degree of specialization or division of labor, the number of levels in
the organization’s hierarchy and the extent to which the organization’s units are
dispersed geographically.

Formalization:

Formalization refers to the degree to which an organization relies on rules and
procedures to direct the behavior of employee. Some organizations operate
with a minimum of such standardized guidelines, others, some of which, are
even quite small in size, have all kinds of regulations instructing employees as to
what they can and cannot do.

Centralization:

Centralization considers where the locus of decision-making authority lies. In
some organization decision making is highly centralized. Problems flow
upwards, and the senior executives choose the appropriate action. In other
cases, decision making is decentralized. Authority is dispersed downward in the
hierarchy.

Formal communication channel

Downward communication is the communication where information or
messages flows from the top of the organizational structure form the bottom
of the organizational structure. Example, circulars, memo, notices, etc.

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DPB40093 Business Communication

Upward communication is the communication where information or messages
flows from the down or bottom of the organizational structure form the top of
the organizational structure. Example: reports, proposals, feedback letter,
resignation letter, etc.

Lateral communication involves communication among persons who do not
stand in hierarchical relation to one another. Its sharing information between
employees, departments and units within the same level of a n organization.

Diagonal communication refers to communication between managers and
workers located in different functional divisions.

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DPB40093 Business Communication

Informal versus Formal Networks

Formal communication

• Follows practices shaped by hierarchy, technology systems, and
official policy.

• Involves documentation, while informal communication usually
leaves no recorded trace for others to find or share.

• Formal communications in traditional organizations are frequently
“one-way”: They are initiated by management and received by
employees.

• The content is perceived as authoritative because it originates from
the highest levels of the company.

Informal communication

• Occurs in any direction and takes place between individuals of
different status and roles.

• Frequently crosses boundaries within an organization and is
commonly separate from work flows. That is, it often occurs between
people who do not work together directly but share an affiliation or a
common interest in the organization’s activities and/or a motivation
to perform their jobs well.

• Occurs outside an organization’s established channels for conveying
messages and transmitting information.

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DPB40093 Business Communication

Formal communication channels

Chain network, communication travels up and down through the hierarchy.
Each person communicates with only the person directly above or below in
terms of reporting relationships. The chain network rigidly follows the formal
chain of command. The worst part in the pattern is the last member receives the
modified messages from the leader. In this case the leader can’t find whether
the last member receives the correct information or not because there is no
feedback to identify the message distortion.

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DPB40093 Business Communication

Y network, the flow of communication resembles an upside down Y; information
flows upward and downward through the hierarchy, widening to encompass the
number of employees reporting to a supervisor. Here A is the main person who
communicates or transfers our information with B, C, and D. It follows the formal
chain of authority where an upward and downward type of
communication takes place in the organizational hierarchy.

wheel network, information flows to and from a single person. Employees in the
group communicate primarily with that person rather than with each other. In
this network, all information, and messages flow through A, who is at the center
at the wheel. A communicates with other members of the group like B, C, D, and
E, while members cannot communicate with each other.

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DPB40093 Business Communication

Circle network, employees communicate only with adjoining members of the
organization. The circle network is analogous to a group working in a physical
arrangement such that workers can communicate with their immediate
neighbour but not with others in the group. In Circle pattern, the sender (Group
Leader) can communicate with the receivers (group members) who presents
next to him/her. No others group members can’t receive the sender’s message
directly and they receive messages from the other group members who sharing
the message from the sender. In this pattern of communication the sender
messages travels all over the group through sharing by its members will take
time to reach sender again. This circle network is similar to a chain network
except that information flows in a circular form or direction rather than vertical
form or direction. A can communicate simultaneously with two different
persons, B, and C but to communicate with D, he has to pass the information
with through B or C, and E. All five individuals cannot directly communicate with
each other. In this network, the lowest level of worker can communicate with
the top level of manager. (A could be the top level of manager and C could be
the lowest level of worker).

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All-channel network, communications flow upward, downward and laterally
among all members of the group. This pattern of communication supports an
egalitarian, (equal, unrestricted) participative culture and fosters (promote,
cultivate) cross-functional efforts. All the individuals in this network
communicate with each other freely, permanently, and regularly.

Informal Communication Advantages and Disadvantages

Advantages:

• Informal communication is more casual and carefree
• It can bridge gaps between departments and create a sense of belonging.
• It is more friendly and inviting and it’s a great sign that someone has a

friend in the company.
• Employees have friends to communicate with they will enjoy their job

more, which can increase productivity.
• It is a great way for employees to feel connected and to keep abreast with

how the business works.
• Employees have someone to go to when they don’t understand an aspect

of the business.

Disadvantages:

• Unofficial or unconfirmed information can be spread to employees.
• Leading to mass disinformation.

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Informal communication networks

Single Strand Network: Under this communication pattern, the information
flows from one person to the next person in the network. Such as, one person
will give information to another person who will communicate it to the next
person and similarly the third person will also communicate the same message
to the next person in the network and so on. This type of chain is less reliable
and accurate to pass on the message. Here, the communication process is
linear.

Gossip Chain Network: In the gossip chain network, there is an individual who
tells the message to all other members in the network directly. He is generally
the central person who seeks out and transmit information to all that he has
obtained. Here, every person in the network communicates with each other
informally. This network is often used when the subject matter is unrelated to
the nature of the job.

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DPB40093 Business Communication

Probability Chain Network: Under this communication pattern the information
passes randomly from persons to persons. Such as, there is an individual who
acts as a source of message selects any person randomly in his network to
communicate the message. That second person will again, select another person
randomly and passes on the message to him, likewise the communication flows
to different people chosen randomly. Here, the source of information for each
member of the network is different. This communication pattern is used when
the information is interesting, but not significant.

Cluster Chain Network: In the cluster chain network, there is an individual who,
acts as a source of a message, transmits information to the pre-selected group
of individuals out of whom few individuals again tell the same message to other
selected group of individuals. Likewise, the chain continues, and the message
reaches to all in the network.This pattern is similar to the telephone tree,
wherein one person calls other two persons, then these two persons call other
three persons and again these three persons are expected to call other three
persons. Likewise, the information gets transmitted to all persons connected to
the telephone network. This is the most common form of informal
communication network.

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