Introduction
Communication is an element of great importance in human relationships, the human being, by nature, requires relating with other people in order to satisfy their needs for affection and socialization, this is achieved through various means of communication.
The present investigation, tries to enter the reader, in the wide scope of the organizational communication. It is known by all of us, and if not with the textual words, at least in essence, that communication is the process by which a person transmits information to another person, and is the goal of all communication; In the case of companies, in particular, the transmission of information is a daily activity of great importance, which is why there is "organizational communication". Generally in this subject, obstacles or barriers arise that prevent the correct process of transmission of business, personal or organizational data.
In the first section, the concept of organizational communication is defined; in the second section, the elements that comprise a communication process are explored; in the third section, the topic of formal and informal communication within an organization is addressed; In the fourth section, the subject of internal and external communication is touched upon, in order to fall back on the section, which talks about the flows that this internal communication can follow. The issue of communication barriers is also handled, and lastly, the audit of the communication process.
Communication in organizations
Organizations today need to keep up-to-date, keeping up with trends and innovating in products and services, which allows them to remain in the market with the corresponding dynamism of highly effective companies; and thus meet the demands of today's markets. For this, it is necessary to commit yourself at the corporate level that allows you to give the value that is really due to the vital communication processes of companies that allow you to achieve institutional objectives and be competitive in relation to other organizations.
Organizational communication is an important tool of great labor contribution at present that gives rise to the transmission of information within organizations to identify the requirements and achievements of the organization and its collaborators. The organizational communication gets to allow the knowledge of the human resources, their development in the company, productivity in the work departments.
The main purpose of organizational communication is essential to achieve institutional objectives; elements that together give way to organizational development and the collaborators who are preparing to achieve their best performance in the markets.
Internal and external communication
Internal communication is all the activities carried out by the organization to create and maintain relationships among its members, through the proper use of the different means of communication existing in the organization.
Internal communication gives rise to (UAT, 2011):
- Prepare an acknowledgment of the company in an atmosphere of cordiality, and stimulation of work activities. Be able to get to know the organization to a great extent and become familiar with them. Recognition of the performance of employees. Promote the exchange of information (communication) throughout the organization. The company is responsible for promoting a positive organizational climate for the benefit of the entire organization. The organizational climate is basically in a personal and physical environment from which business activities are carried out.
External communication, are all the activities carried out by the organization, whose purpose is to maintain relations with the outside, currently this type of communication is known as public relations.
Organizational communication scenarios
Organizational communication can generally be presented in the following three scenarios (Andrade, 2005):
- Physical scenario. Within this scenario, the internal and external can be considered, and all the decorative elements of the organization and also the informative calls are considered, for example: the symbols of "do not pass", "only authorized personnel", etc. Social scene. This scenario includes all the factors that are related to people and in addition to the interaction between them, as an example of this scenario, the use of roles of each member within a work meeting can be considered. Institutional scenario. It relates the messages that the organization emits to its members, suppliers, clients, and other people involved; Examples of this type of communication in this scenario are basically: memos, blackboard notices, advertising, among many more.
Communication flow in the organization
Within a company it is essential that communication flow in different ways, from a lower hierarchical level to a higher one, as well as to the hierarchical levels on the sides. Normally, communication had been viewed more strongly from the bottom up, but it is now widely known that, in the event that information only flows from the highest hierarchical level to a lower level in the organization, there will be communication problems of great impact in the organization. In general terms, for communication to be effective in the company, it is important that it comes from the employee, that is, communication from the bottom up.We must not forget the importance of horizontal flow in communication, this happens when those involved belong to the same level of hierarchy or similar; as well as there is diagonal communication (it occurs between workers at different hierarchical levels, even without a dependency between departments or levels).
Top-down communication
This type of communication occurs at the high hierarchical levels and with specific direction towards the lower hierarchy levels, generally this communication occurs in organizations whose authority is centralized and highly authoritative.
Within top-down communication, the main means used for the communication process are via command (oral instructions to the staff) are presented: through speeches, meeting with staff, via telephone. Regarding written communication, the most used means are:
- Memorandum Letters Reports Operations manual Brochures Reports, among many more.
One of the main characteristics of this type of information is the fact that the information becomes diffuse and dispersed as it descends on the command line and hierarchical levels. In addition to the fact that an administration discloses and requests compliance with work policies or procedures, there is no guarantee for compliance and achievement thereof; Whether due to communication failures, unforeseen situations that alter the processes, or simply due to the lack of discipline of the employees involved. In these circumstances, the existence of a system that allows feedback on the information received is essential.
Finally, it is important to point out that the information that is directed downwards in an organization tends to move slowly, resulting in delays in the arrival of the information at its destination, creating situations of frustration for the administration of the company.
Upward communication
Unlike bottom-up communication, this type of organizational communication occurs when workers (subordinates) transmit information to their bosses. That is, this information flows from lower levels to higher hierarchy levels. Unfortunately, the flow of information in this transmission channel does not always reach the highest levels completely and objectively, since as the information rises, the receivers mediate the impact of the content, especially if it is news or reports. negative or not expected by management or administration. This commonly occurs in organizations, when an operator fails to meet the goals, or there are problems that directly affect productivity, or generate conflicts in the company;It is in these situations that those in charge of these work areas out of fear, convenience, or respect for higher levels of command, often do not disclose actual production, financial, or performance data.
Bottom-up communication is contrary to top-down in the fact that while the second is authoritative, the first (bottom-up) occurs in companies whose communication environment and process allows the participation of employees and maintains democratic policies for their intervention.. The most used means for the transmission of information in an ascending way are:
- Periodic meeting Personalized interview Quality Circle Telephone route Through surveys Complaints and suggestions system (Mailboxes, letters and messages to the administration).
Cross communication
Within this type of communication flow, horizontal information is considered (that which occurs between similar levels of hierarchy within the organization) and the well-known “diagonal flow” (diagonal flow occurs when the parties involved in the communication process are part of different hierarchical levels and do not establish a relationship of dependency between them).
The main purpose of cross-communication is to increase the speed in the transmission of information, improve the understanding of the information that is transmitted and the coordination of efforts to achieve the objectives of the company. Cross communication is very common within organizations, since the flow of information is not always directed by the routes normally established in the organization charts.
Organizations currently make great use of both oral and written cross-communication, with the main purpose of perfecting the flow of information vertically within companies.
It is also important to emphasize that, since the information in the company does not always follow the established flows (in terms of hierarchical levels, it is necessary), it is necessary to protect said information against the problems or obstacles of the information under the following premises:
- The use of communication must be presented when the needs of the company so require. It is essential that employees refrain from exceeding the limits of authority allowed. Employees must keep abreast, in terms of information, to their managers or superior command of high importance cross tasks.
The foregoing makes it possible to clarify that a flow of cross-communication can sometimes cause inconveniences in the organization, which is why it is important to take care of this type of information flow, which is essential within organizations due to the complex internal and external environment and with dynamism in the business market.
Written, oral and non-verbal communication
Each type of communication has its function and advantage within the organization, and it is for this reason that communications are often used in groups, making use of the advantages of each of them for communication and complementing each other. A clear example is in the case of conferences, where written material, videos, slides, the expositor's exposition are used; all with the aim that attendees better understand the information that is being provided to them.
Written communication
Written communication is characterized by having clear, precise, concrete and correct messages, and we can be sure that the message we are transmitting as senders, the receiver will understand, as is.
Some examples of written communication are (Pérez & Candale, 2010):
- Internal bulletin. Manages specialized information, for the interior and exterior of the organization. Memorandum. It is the most widely used medium, and helps the recipient (employee) to remember internal instructions about what to do in the organization. It is an internal means of communication, a document in which the General or Departmental Management communicates to all the staff or a part of the organization. It is a means by which the organization informs its employees, or the community, that there are vacancies for a job, or a project contest is opened. It surveys employees. The purpose of this means of communication is to know the opinions of the employees, on some aspect in question.
The main advantage of written communication is the fact that it provides a record, reference and legal protection of what is communicated, in addition to promoting the uniform application of procedures and standards that contribute to reducing communication costs, and also You can take care in advance of the content and context of the information to be transmitted.
As far as disadvantages are concerned, it can be considered, the high expense in the amount of papers for the official realization of a written message, not generating feedback immediately and in many occasions it is often time consuming to notify the reception and understand the written communication.
Oral communication
Oral communication is presented when a face-to-face meeting is held between two or more people, this is the case of an administrator's talk to his staff and can be presented formally or informally, as well as may be subject to planning or spontaneously.
Although oral communication is highly used within an organization, the compression of the transmitted information is not always the desired and / or expected one, because it greatly influences the interpretation that each receiver gives to it and the low environment which communication is taking place, these are very common in informal communication, you leave your department to go to another office, and greet someone or give an indication, this is a living example of oral communication.
Some examples of oral communication are:
- Conferences. Some particular subject is exposed: Meetings and Assemblies. There is discussion on a particular topic. Videoconferences. We communicate from one department to another, which may be located in another city, in order to expose the situation in our area. Telephone service. He communicates from one area to another by means of calls, and regularly it is to request some information that is needed to solve a problem, or to complement some work.
Non-verbal communication
This type of communication is used in many ways in the organization, often as a complement to what is said, an example is when in an exhibition the assistants become aware of the facial and body expressions of the exhibitor, and even if it is handled as a Supportive communication, many times this may not be the case, such as transmitting insecurity, lack of knowledge of the subject or credibility.
Within this classification, visual support means can also be considered, which also aim to provide feedback on what is said.
Some examples of visual media are (Pérez & Candale, 2010):
- Murals. In them motivational information for the employee is managed, these must be placed in strategic points of the organization, so that they can be observed by the employees. Notice board. Tables, graphs, etc. are placed in them, and its objective is to sensitize employees and inform them about some aspect in question. Map of the facilities, with the purpose that they know how to locate themselves, and where to go.
Barriers and failures in organizational communication
Many administrators consider one of their biggest problems to solve the failures and inconveniences in the communication of the organization. But an administrator who really knows her company, as it should be, may find that many communication problems stem from stronger problems.
An example of what is stated above is when in an organization a planning is deficient and generates uncertainty in the guideline and path of the company, just as if an organization does not have an adequate structure, it can limit or negatively alter the relationship. organizational and therefore communication. The barriers that arise in the transmission of information can originate in the sender, the message, the receiver of the message, or in the feedback of the information that is received.
The main communication barriers specifically in the case of organizations are:
- Lack or absence of planning Confusing assumptions or facts Distortion of message context and / or semantics Poorly expressed information International context barriers Loss of information due to limited retention Information with limited listening and advance evaluation of it Communication in an impersonal way Insufficient time or fear of communication Excessive time to change of information Other barriers in communication
Lack or absence of planning
This barrier occurs very frequently within organizations, so that organizational communication is adequate and meets its objectives, it must arise as a consequence of planning, both analysis and formulation of the message to be transmitted, as well as its origin and objectivity; In addition, the person to be communicated must choose the most convenient communication channel as well as the time frame indicated for the transmission of the information, and thus stop resistance to change.
Confusing assumptions or facts
Many times in the transmission of information, certain situations are taken for granted or understood, and therefore they do not communicate with the rest of the information that is transmitted, an example of this occurs when a client sends a notice to one of their suppliers on a visit to the company's facilities, the assumption that is intended to be reflected is the fact that the client can assume that the supplier will organize his arrival, from the point of transportation, such as accommodation and also prepares a reception and review program within its facilities. As for the provider, he can believe and assume that the client's visit to the city may be due to personal reasons, which is why he will visit the organization's facilities but as part of a routine activity.It is in this example where it is understood that the assumptions or facts that are not clarified between the parties involved can generate confusion and sometimes larger problems.
Distortion of message context and / or semantics
To speak of distortion of context or semantics of the message is to refer to one of the main barriers in communication. To give an example, you can consider the fact that the company places an ad in one of its points of sale that says "Sale for less", this is an ambiguity for those who receive this message, the main question they will ask themselves is the fact of
Less in what or what? And an endless number of reactions can be generated when receiving this information. Another example that can be considered in this classification is the conceptualization of a concept, depending on the message or the situation of each organization; In the case of the word government, it can be considered a bureaucratic activity with little credibility, but for another sector it can mean support, equality or justice.
Poorly expressed information
Another common communication barrier arises when, despite the fact that the originator of the information clearly shows the ideas and bases of the information, he may have chosen the wrong words, it may have been inconsistent to take some terms for granted or to incorrectly structure the information. This can be very costly for the organization, which is why it is important that the sender take special care in encoding the message to be transmitted.
Barriers to the international context
When the communication process has as obstacles the existence of different and varied cultures, language and action rules, it further complicates the transmission of information.
An example is presented when trying to translate company slogans or publicize work concepts that can vary considerably from one culture to another and in some cases even be offensive if not handled properly.
Loss of information due to limited retention
This mishap happens when the information that is shared from one individual to another, loses precision throughout the transmissions, and this is one of the main causes of a severe communication problem. In this type of cases it is important to carry out protection actions such as information backup, data repetition and the use of several channels simultaneously.
Information with limited listening and advance evaluation of it
Not all people are used to listening appropriately, many can maintain a communication without there being a real connection with the subject matter, in addition to many people tend to judge the content of an information hastily many times without objectively analyzing the information received.
Impersonal communication
The use of communication means in the company can hinder the transmission of information with collaborators, communication is mostly efficient when there is personal contact (face to face) with the recipients of the message in the organization, since in this way there will be greater level of confidence and understanding, as well as it is more easily presented in the feedback of the information.
Mistrust or fear in communication
The relationship that is maintained between superiors and collaborators allows the conditions in the flow of information to improve or worsen considerably, when the boss or superior has not taken pains to maintain a favorable organizational climate, trust and the work environment is too hostile or threatening, can generate mistrust and a fearful attitude that blocks communication.
Insufficient time before changes
In the organizations within the multiple information exchanges that are presented, many are related to substantial organizational changes of great importance and influence on the company's employees. Many of the collaborators do not respond to changes in the same way, some take longer to adapt to them and this lack of time can cause complications in communication with repercussions in the company.
Excess information
When the flow of information is too large, its understanding can often be limited, and the company's employees weigh the informative value in relation to their beliefs and points of view, in some cases downplaying data that the issuer considers important, also it is the case where data overload can generate conflicts and errors when trying to process the information. That is why it is necessary to take care of the content of the information so that it is transmitted in a concise and precise way so that there are no filters that subtract value and content from the information communicated by the company or vice versa.
Other barriers in communication
In addition to the barriers or obstacles in communication previously mentioned in this work, other more than the innumerable that can be presented in the organization can be mentioned, such as:
- Partial or selective perception Hierarchical difference between senders and receivers of information Problems of attitude, concentration or disposition, among many others.
Communication audit
It is very important for the organization to ensure that communication is efficient, but as mentioned above, there may be obstacles and barriers that limit or hinder the transmission, reception or feedback of information, which is why there are options to improve the processes of Communication, one of them is the audit in organizational communication, which allows to evaluate communication techniques. Auditing is a tool for evaluating communication skills, connections, policies, and the communication process. As previously mentioned, organizational communication is based on a set of communication elements that are largely connected to organizational objectives.
The model presented is related to the operational approach of the administration. The most important communication networks for auditing are the following:
- The regulatory network or referring to the activities, policies, processes, regulations and relationships between bosses and employees. Innovative network, which includes solutions to problems and alternatives to new developments. Network that leads to integration through recognitions, bonuses, labor promotions that relate the objectives of the company with the individual ones. Network (informative-instructive) that contains announcements, publications, thus forming an own information network of the company.
Serving each of the above elements as a tool to analyze the communication processes that are related to the main activities of the company. In this way, problems are solved and preventions are also generated so that they do not occur.
Among the formats for carrying out the audit we can find the following documents to help with this activity:
- Questionnaires, Interviews, Documentation evaluation, among many others.
conclusion
Organizational communication is an important factor for business management to be carried out successfully, its good management can make the organization last.
It is of vital importance that the barriers that may exist on the part of the sender or receiver are avoided or exceeded, depending on the role we take at the time of the communication process, likewise, it is important that the members of an organization know the channels and codes, through which they can be expressed.
There are different types of messages, which must be used by any member of the organization, and preferably, formal communication should be used, so that there are no misunderstandings, between collaborators and bosses, or bosses and clients, which can end up damaging the customer-company relationship.
A message expressed clearly, in an environment and with an adequate communication channel, will be converted into an action by the receiver, on the other hand, an unclear, imprecise and ambiguous message can cause problems in an organization.
Bibliography
- Alonso Munguía, EG (2006). Theory of Organizations. Mexico: Umbral.Andrade, H. (2005). Internal organizational communication: processes, discipline and technique. Spain: Gesbiblo SLBlogspot. (March 2010). Retrieved on March 17, 2012, Pérez, L., & Candale, Z. (06-15-2010). GestioPolis. Retrieved on November 11, 2011.Rebeil, CM (1998). The power of communication in Organizations. In CM Rebeil, The power of communication in Organizations (p. 15). Plaza y Valdes.Robbins, SP (2005). Administration. Mexico: Prentice Hall.UAT. (2011). Retrieved on March 19, 2012.
Next, Professor Yolanda Esteban, from the Business and Management School, teaches a video lesson that covers three basic aspects of organizational communication: (1) the technical aspect of communication in the company, why it is important, its principles, internal communication and external communication, its elements, flows and channels; (2) communication in the manager and (3) how to communicate in times of crisis. Very good material to complement this text.
