Understanding Effective Communication In Business

The Importance of Effective Communication in Business

Communication is the sharing and passing of messages between a sender and a recipient. Communication could be verbal or nonverbal. Verbal communication is through speech or uttered word. Nonverbal communications include signs, signals, behavior and body language. Communication can also be said to be the creation and exchange of meaning. Communication could be intrapersonal that is between and individual, interpersonal between people, group of persons or even entities like organizations, governments or government agencies. Sending of messages may be face-to-face or may be through a medium such as an email, books, newspapers, magazines, maps, telephone, Internet, television or radio (Soundararaj, 2007).

Effective communication can be achieved by overcoming attitudinal barriers. This is seen by using the Johari Window model of communication. Johari Window model of communication is a simple tool developed by Joseph Luft and Harry Ingham to define and explain interactions from different parties. It is relevant because of modern emphasis on behaviors, interpersonal development, cooperation and empathy. The Johari model is also known as the disclosure or feedback model of self-awareness. The johari window has four regions that try to explain the human interactions.

Business communication is the sharing of information within an enterprise for the profitable gain of an organization (Bisen & Priya, 2009). Business communication can also entail the exchange of information between a business and its customers regarding their products and services. Good communication is critical for the daily operation of the company and is an effective tool for sales and marketing. Effective business communication enables smooth operations increasing efficiency and effectiveness and aids in preventing catastrophes.

Effective business communication lowers costs considerably. According to the Holmes Report, companies with effective communication strategies achieved a total of 47% higher returns. Among 400 companies gauged over a year, an estimated 37 billion dollars was lost owing to employee misunderstanding or error due to poor communication.

Effective business communication is important for a company to pass their expectations to staff and customers. Proper communication conveys what is expected of the employees regarding performance and the impact that they have on the organization. Effective communication also addresses how employee behavior and conflict resolution in cases where there are any misunderstandings among employees. For clients, precise communication helps management establish the expectations of customers regarding services offered and how best to interact with the organization.

The business world today has become global. A team needs to take advantage of the globalization of business to increase and widen their audience and customer base. Globalization has brought with its diversity in cultures and environments. Management needs to communicate with international partners and clients essentially. The different cultures and environments call for effective communication regarding aspects like timeliness, assertive communication, respect for authority, concern for the collective and individual and risk calculation. Management needs to take into account these differences and accommodate them in their communication approach to achieve their set objectives.

Johari Window Model of Communication

Effective business communication also increases productivity. Communication has a direct impact on morale which unswervingly affects productivity. Where employees receive the relevant and precise communication from management coupled with satisfaction for their jobs, there is better productivity. This is as a result of the regular feedback that employees get on their performance and also about the status of the company and the role the employees play in the success of the business. Proper communication tends to make employees take ownership of their work as they are allowed to participate in the business process.

Good business communication leads to healthy relationships. Trust and fidelity are built through excellent communication with a focus to meet individual needs and convey valuable information and required feedback. Strong connections with customers and external audiences enable a company to build a solid communication about products, services and a company’s philosophy and ideals. This will enable the company to establish a formidable force within its area of operation making it a recognized brand among peers.

The better-informed employees and customers are about the company, its culture, products and services and its response to negative issues, the better job they can do as ambassadors to the community, their contacts, relations, and business networks. When there is efficient and open communication between employers and their employees, the information employees receive from their employers will more likely be shared with others making the employees a trusted source of information about an enterprise product and services. This will work to the advantage of the organization as their goods and services will be better advertised directly to would-be consumers.

Effective business communication leads to new ideas and innovation in various areas. Where there are open channels of communication, employees are encouraged to speak their minds, there is responsive feedback, employee ideas are sought after, and leaders have an open mind, the employees are more likely to contribute their ideas. This leads to the creation and identification of new ideas that can give the company a competitive edge over other players. Customers are also a great source of ideas to assist in the improvement of products and services.

A company’s reputation is largely dependent on their employees and how they use words and interact with others. This is because people are often defined by their words and actions. When individuals represent the companies they work for on various platforms like seminars, trade fairs or even global stages, the words they choose and the fashion in which they communicate can impact on their company positively or negatively.

Characteristics of Effective Business Communication

Effective business communication may save the company unnecessary embarrassment. This may be as a result of an employee conveying a message to the public through platforms like social media or the Internet. The employee may be in the capacity to do so or may be doing so in their personal capacity. When a company has proper channels of communication, such matters that can hurt the reputation of the company can be addressed before they reach the public domain. Stipulated methods and ways to punish those employees that do not comply may also come in handy in curbing “rogue” employees.

Effective communication within an organization can also exempt the management from unnecessary legal liability. Management needs to communicate effectively and observe to different legal codes. Careless use of words may make management the target of lawsuits for discrimination and or harassment. Managers need to keep communication clear, professional and succinct.

Achieving effective business communication is critical to the success or failure of the business. Communication can be through; engaging employees and customers. Assessment of the current communication methods, making knowledge and documents readily available, having an open door policy, embracing social media, putting in place proper channels for communication, incorporating information and communication technology (E-commerce, automated stock management, and ordering) (Perera, 2016)and establishing proper channels and avenues for customer care services.

Engaging employees and clients is a way of improving business communication. Where staff and customers are valued and are more engaged in the activities of the company, they tend to be more satisfied. This is good for productivity and makes it much easier for employers to retain their best employees. Managers who effectively communicate to their juniors also tend to receive less resistance. Customer loyalty is also achieved as they will keep coming back for the same services and goods offered by the organization. Customer care centers put in place to respond to the needs of the consumers keep customers happy and satisfied.

Assessing current communication methods is important to ensure that there is effective communication between employees, management and customers (Chaturvedi & Chaturvedi, 2011). The measure should be put in place to ensure that communication within the organization is professional and there is a distinct channel for the flow of information be it from the management trickling down to the employees of from the employees going up till it reaches the management. Platforms should also be put in place to take care of communications with customers. Customers should regularly be engaged, and measures like a client response team brought in place to see to it that the clients are actively involved, and their concerns are addressed as soon as possible, and they are given the proper feedback.

Globalization and Communication in Business

Many employees find it difficult to communicate with managers and chief executive officers. They may be uncomfortable approaching the boss for fear of apprehension. Having an “open door policy” makes the employees comfortable in taking up issues to the boss. This is a way of motivating the employees and is immensely beneficial to the business’ internal communication. An open door policy also makes it possible for the manager to regularly check on the employees on a regular basis.

Embracing social media works to the advantage of the business. Social media is confirmed to be an influential utility for business to communicate with customers and improve workplace communication. Employees can like, comment and share interesting posts relating to an organization. The organization can also develop a social intranet where meaningful work-related conversations can be held. This is a great way to strengthen relationships and achieve company set goals and objectives. Customers can also be incorporated into the organization through social media by creating a client page where they too can like, comment and share posts regarding the products and services offered by the corporation.

Incorporation of information and communication technology can help a business achieve effective communication and management. Companies that do their business online through E-commerce websites depend greatly on communication to be able to reach their customers, advertise and make sales (In Mach-Kro?l et.al , 2014). Automated stock management and order makes it possible for a company to manage its resources. An active flow of communication between management and suppliers will make it possible for the establishment to maintain their stock.

Business communication impacts the morale of staff. A highly unrestrained and collaborative work environment promotes employee output, resourcefulness, and aspiration. If communications are poor, personnel lack the drive to do their assignments and will doubt the value of products. Poor communication will also dishearten employees because they will be forced to put up with instead of actively taking part in the activities of the organization. Lack of morale in employees may be as a result of poor communication leading to unclear instructions on projects leading to monotony and confusion (Sethi & Adhikari, 2010).

Insufficient communication leads to inefficiency within an organization. Where there is a breakdown in communication, there tend to be more conflicts among employees, confusion among management and reduced productivity. Lack of proper and official structure for communication and conflict resolution procedures leads a company in chaos and disunity. Poor communication also leads improper flow of directions and instructions from management to the employees and also to the customers of the establishment (Martic?, 2014). Lack of proper communication leads to reduced productivity as there will be a gap between production and logistics. Suppliers will not be able to bring the necessary materials needed in a production environment owing to a breakdown in communication. This leads to inefficiency in running the critical activities from production, supplies, and marketing.

Productivity and Communication in Business

Communication failure also leads to higher costs. Poor communication leads to duplication of processes coupled with inadequate handling of key projects (Barnes, 2013). Employees from various departments in an organization may be working on a similar project and due to improper communication within the team; they end up duplicating their job. This is not good for the company as it inflates the cost or production since projects will take longer to complete due to the confusion among employees.

Poor communication results in a significant loss of precious time. Lack of proper communication between front-line managers, top management, and the employees leads to wastage of time. This is caused by confusing directions from supervisors and the management coupled by the wrong assumption that employees know how to perform a task. Unclear communications can also cause adverse customer reactions leading to premature loss of business. Where customers do not get the desired feedback and regular communication upon request, they tend to try other companies that may provide just what they need leading a group to lose their customers to their competitors. This is bad enough for business as they have no business to continue operating if they eventually lose all their customers. 

For one to be able to achieve professional communication and development, they must have an action plan to help in guide towards achieving the set objectives and goals within a specific time frame. Professional development is defined as the systematic maintenance, improvement and broadening of knowledge and the development of personal qualities necessary for the education of professional and technical duties throughout the practitioner’s working life (Bisen & Priya, 2009). For self-development to occur, one must undertake self-profiling in order to find out clearly the strengths and weaknesses in relation to the profession and then come up with a defined strategy. In effective business communication, an individual need to have key requisites to achieve the goal of sufficiently communicating to the intended parties. This can be done through active listening and written communication. A strategy can be developed to achieve the set goals and objectives. 

References

Barnes, M. (2013). An infinite number of monkeys: A guide to effective business communications. Place of publication not identified: Linked World.

Bisen, V., & Priya, . (2009). Business communication. New Delhi: New Age International Ltd.

Chaturvedi, P. D., & Chaturvedi, M. (2011). Business communication: Concepts, cases and applications. Delhi: Dorling Kindersley.

Cushing, S. (2002). ICT in business: Business and communication systems GCSE for CCEA/ICAA. London: John Murray.

Das, B., & Satpathy, I. (2007). Business communication and personality development: Lessons for paradigm change in personality. New Delhi: Excel Books.

Fielding, M. L., & Fielding, M. L. (2005). Effective communication in organisations: [preparing messages that communicate]. Lansdowne, Cape Town: Juta Academic.

Goodluck, N. (2012). Effective business communication. Place of publication not identified: Lap Lambert Academic Publ.

Guffey, M. E., & Almonte, R. (2010). Essentials of business communication.

Guffey, M. E., & Loewy, D. (2014). Business communication: Process & product.

Hemphill, P. D., McCormick, D. W., & Hemphill, R. D. (2001). Business communication with writing improvement exercises. Upper Saddle River, N.J: Prentice Hall.

In Mach-Kro?l, M., In Olszak, C. M., & In Pe?ech-Pilichowski, T. (2014). Advances in ICT for Business, Industry and Public Sector.

Jain, N., & Mukherji, S. (2012). Effective business communication. New Delhi: Tata McGraw Hill.

KAUL, A. S. H. A. (2015). EFFECTIVE BUSINESS COMMUNICATION. Place of publication not identified: PRENTICE-HALL OF INDIA.

Li, K. (2009). Effective business communication in English: A practical approach. Singapore: Prentice Hall.

Martic?, M. (2014). Effective business communication in English: Business English 1 – FELU Summer School. Ljubljana: samozal.] M. Martic?.

Means, T. L., & Rankin, D. S. (2010). Business communication. Mason, OH: South-Western Centage Learning.

Napat, W. (2010). Writing for effective business communication. Bangkok: Bangkok University Press.

Perera, S. (2016). Advances in construction ict and e-business. Place of publication not identified: Routledge.

Petrut?, M., & Irimias?, E. (2008). Steps to effective business communication. Cluj-Napoca:Argonaut.

Sehgal, M. K., & Khetarpal, V. (2006). Business communication. New Delhi: Excel Books.

Sethi, A., & Adhikari, B. (2010). Business communication. New Delhi: Tata McGraw Hill.

Soundararaj, F. (2007). Speaking and writing for effective business communication. Delhi: Macmillan.

Order an Essay Now & Get These Features For Free:

Turnitin Report

Formatting

Title Page

Citation

Outline

Place an Order