Communication

• Transferring information from one person to another.

• Communication is used to instruct, clarify interpret, notify, warn, receive feedback, review and inform.

Effective communication is necessary so that:• Staff are aware of their jobs and expectations• Managers can gather feedback from

employees, customers and stakeholders.

• Internal communication is inside a company• External communication is outside of a

company.

Oral/Verbal communication

• Evolves talking to one another

Examples of verbal communication • Giving instructions• Discussing a problem• Meetings• Interviews• Appraisals• Presentations• Talking

Advantages

• Questions can be asked• Questions can be answered• No cost• Judge speakers communication skill• Judge facial reactions

Disadvantages

• Information may not be true. (no record)• Hard to pass confidential messages• Meetings interviews take time

Written communication

• Information that is given in written form• One disadvantage is that it takes a lot of

storage space and can be slow to pass on information.

• Business letters have a certain style that needs to be followed.

• They provided a hard copy to prove information was passed

• Letters are used internally and externally

• Memorandum is a note sent from one person to another. Used internally

• Usually short and quick

Reports are formal written communication that give information on a subject

Reports tend to have• Title page saying who wrote the report and what is

about• Executive summary• Contents page• Introduction• Information• Conclusions and recommendations• List of references

Notices

• Information that needs to reach many people in a business.

Executive summary• Condensed version of a report• Give the information to people in a quick way. • Executive summaries tell• Purpose of report• Methodology • Results • Conclusions and recommendations

Abstracts

• Give information only in a short way but do not give recommendations.

Research proposals

• Tells what the author plans to investigate and how he/she will do it.

Visual communication advantages

• Easily understood• Communicate better than words• Cheaper to produce• Help visual learners• My have longer effect

Body language

• Non verbal communication using expressions and hands and posture.

• Channel of communication is how the information is passed on.

Informal communication

• Groups form inside of a business and they tend to pass information also known as gossip

• Grapevine communication is passed along from groups of workers.

• Many managers will look at informal communication as a real problem inside an organization.

Informal communication can have benefits

• People feel they belong to a group can be more comfortable at a job

• Workers may trust co-workers more than their managers

• People can come up with different ideas when talking in an informal meeting than in a formal one.

Formal communication

• Official communication between employees. • Is almost always work related

Information communication technology

• Email – very large amounts of information can be sent for no money

• Set up costs can be a real factor because computers and networks are expensive

• Fax – electronically send information from one place to another using phone lines. Less popular because of email

• Video- conferencing – better version of webcams. Popular for interviews of far off workers. Expensive to set up.

Telephones Cell/mobile phones

• Traditional telephones are still used a lot in offices. Quick easy way to find information.

• Cell/mobile phones – increase in popularity every year. Extremely popular with sales people and others who are constantly moving.

• One problem with communication technology is that when electronics fail it can bring business to a hault.

Factors influencing the choice of communication method

• Personal preferences• Organizational structure• Security issues• Skills and training • Ease of use• Size of business• Storage issues• Location• Urgency• Cost

Barriers to effective communication• High costs• Technological breakdowns• Language – • Accents• Jargon – technical language• Cultures• Attitude• Geographical location• Internal politics• Poor presentation skills• Negative body language• Psychological barriers

Poor communication can cause• Low morale• Errors and double working will rise• Lower productivity • Lack of control• Delayering is used to help with the break

down of communication

• Many businesses need to take advantage of multi language employees.

• Communication is crucial to an organizations success. Unless managers can let the employees know what needs to be done then the company will not improve.

Reasons to improve communication systems in an organization are

• Improved speed and access of communication• Greater potential for communication to more

people.• Improved productivity

Disadvantages of new communication systems

• Cost• Security• Need to manage change

• One issue that managers have to watch is that employees are not overloaded with information.

Albert Mehrabian says that communication is achieved by Page 243

• Visual linking – facial expressions and body language 55%

• Vocal liking – tone of voice 38%• Verbal liking – 7% understanding by the words

• This theory suggests that the way something is said is more important than what is said.

• More and more in businesses today managers are using communication to learn from their staff.