Since the 1960s, communication has taken a place within organizations; but since then there have been no substantial changes in the perception and practice of it, at the organizational level.
Based on the traditional communication model, companies perceive this area as one more strategy to maintain the status quo of the organization.
However, this process is purely for information and not for communication. The latter is a thousand times more complex and requires a conscious and legitimate involvement by the directors of the company, to be effective and harmonious.
Fig. 1
Expression
In the first place, they must consider that, when we talk about communication, we enter fully into the area of expression, and therefore we are talking about emotions, feelings, thoughts, etc.
Good organizational communication must include these fundamental aspects of the human being and accommodate them in its programs, in the formal media, in events and in training.
Multi-directional
The communication processes could hardly be schematized as in the traditional model of figure 1. It is never linear, nor in a programmed time.
The messages come from all directions, in synchronicity or disorder. The sender is receiver and message, at the same time. Therefore, what makes the communication managers of a company think that the messages they emit become the "official speech" of the employees?
Formal means are not enough to maintain communication in a company (magazines, brochures, blackboards, memoranda, etc.), it is necessary to create informal channels, or means of expression. Giving due weight to the "hall radio" is a good way to start by doing something in this regard.
A cultural issue
We must not forget that the archetypes and symbols present in the culture determine the processes of expression.
To create authentic organizational communication, it is vitally important to identify the symbols present in our company culture. Give them the courage they deserve to create messages that make sense to everyone in the group.
Until now, company directors have been given the Machiavellian task of implanting values and symbols that they consider ideal, without taking into account the culture of the group to which they belong. These efforts, in the long run (or in the short term) are a waste of time, since when doing a climate study, we could verify that these values have not been permeated in the group, since we ALL have filters or "drains" cultural, given by society, family, education, mass media, etc.
This brief reflection on organizational communication is to invite all directors, managers or company owners to take communication seriously in their companies.
Making efforts in this direction, out of fashion or without being convinced of the importance of this, is counterproductive and, instead of being taken as positive by employees, it is an easy target for complaints.
