Title: Workplace Communication Assignment Topic How effective is your workplace communication?

Prepare a discussion paper in essay style in which you critically analyse your own communication methods and style. In your answer, provide examples of how you communicate (oral and written) with team members and managers, from your reading and your own experience, to illustrate the points you are making. When you refer to an example, provide enough details about the context so that a reader, who does not know about your workplace, can understand the points about that situation that you are trying to make. You will have to provide an explanation of what makes effective communication in the introduction to your paper.

Word count (from the start of the Introduction section to the end of the Conclusion section): 2189 words

Executive summary

Communication methods and styles are continuously evolving. In this paper the effectiveness of the established modes of communication in my workplace will be evaluated, keeping in mind the nature, size and culture of the Financial Institution. Firstly the paper gives definition to communication, what makes it effective and its significance in the Bank. It then looks at the Communication Process (Dwyer 2009, p. 4-8) and compares to the communication processes within the Bank observing and analysing any differences and its effects, examples of the forms of communication in my workplace are also given for perspective. The importance of the communication channels of the Organisation with emphasis on the most used channel is also discussed, weighing its effectiveness carefully. The paper considers the barriers to effective communication in the organisation referencing cultural differences. The paper also addresses the importance of communicating priorities, goals and plans in addition to achievements and qualifications. The crucial topics of ethical business communication and workplace health and safety are discussed as well. It concludes that the recognised best practice of the organisation regarding communication meets with professional standards internationally and is ever changing, touching on the advantages of effective communication and the effects on performance and productivity.

Table of Contents Table of Contents.................................................................................................3 1. Introduction......................................................................................................4 2. What is communication?..................................................................................4 2.1 The communication process..........................................................................5 2.2 Communication channels, climate and styles...............................................5 3. Barriers to effective communication................................................................6 3.1 Intercultural communication and corporate culture......................................8 3.2 Crisis communication and communicating difficult issues..........................9 3.3 Successful communication..........................................................................9

4. Ethical business communication....................................................................10 4.1 Communicating priorities, goals and plans.................................................10 4.2 Achievements and qualifications................................................................10 4.3 Workplace occupational health and safety................................................11

5. Conclusion......................................................................................................11 6. References......................................................................................................11

1. Introduction I am employed in the banking sector which in todays unstable global economy requires effective communication both internally and externally. The purpose of this paper is to critically analyze the communication methods and styles within my workplace to determine its effectiveness. What makes effective communication? Simply put it is the connection and understanding between two or more people (Dwyer 2009, p. 30) How this connection is made, that is the communication channel (Dwyer 2009, p.7) and the understanding of the intended message through elements such as feedback is further discussed in this paper. The paper has three sections. First I will define communication and discuss the communication processes and channels. Secondly the paper introduces barriers to effective communication and how to successfully communicate difficult issues during a crisis. The third section touches on ethical business communication highlighting workplace health and safety. The paper concludes that the high efficiency of communication in my workplace is in keeping with international standards with an open mind towards feedback and growth.

2. What is communication? To communicate, in its simplest meaning, is to share or exchange informationpass on or convey an emotion (Oxford English Dictionary 2005, p. 174), however for effective and successful communication to result, a marriage of this simple definition and other elements such as the communication process and channels are discussed in the following sections.

2.1 The communication process Communication can be verbal- spoken or written, non-verbal- body movement, even graphic such as road signs. In the workplace all are essential. The communication process has seven main elements (Dwyer 2009): 1. Sender 2. Message 3. Receiver 4. Feedback 5. Channel 6. Context or setting
7. Interference or noise

The chain of command in my organisation must be respected and followed however in the Business Banking Unit to which I directly report the communication process does not generally follow this chain of command. Communication is generally received from and remitted to Human Resources, Management, Banking Operations, Branches, other Business Banking Units, colleagues in the Unit and clients. All of the above, with the exception of colleagues in the unit, are located throughout the country and the Caribbean. Keeping this factor in mind we will now consider the Units communication channels and efficiency.

2.2 Communication channels, climate and styles Due to different geographical locations of a number of units and a need to communicate with numerous departments, branches and clients emailing tends to be the preferred mode of communication as it also provides documentation of correspondence. This is however one of many channels used by the Bank, other channels are; memos, letters, telephone, teleconferencing, notice boards, meetings, huddles, newsletters, employee handbooks,

employee hotlines, employee surveys, performance appraisals and suggestion boxes, to name a few. When choosing a channel one has to keep in mind the communication climates which can be positive or negative (Dwyer 2009, p. 116). Positive climates allow confident and courteous rapport during which feedback can be received to ensure clarity. Negative climates makes it difficult to get and reciprocate information which can lead to skewed interpretations and the wrong actions being taken. Joan Burge (Joan Burge 2005, Office Dynamics International Administrative Blog, 18 May 2009) blogged that there are different communication styles; Red- impulsive, Greenprecise, Yellow- empathetic, Blue- creative. When a style is recognized and understood it can determine the climate. An example of a daily channel used in my office is the Units morning huddles which are used to highlight issues give commendations, review policies and procedures before starting the day. This huddle is easier to start the day with rather than a formal setting for a meeting. When dealing with sensitive client issues however a more professional approach is required. Most times the client is contacted via telephone followed by an email to document the conversation. The client tends to appreciate the empathy of a considerate call and most times this creates a positive climate. In the Unit there are daily reports to submit to managers which need to be submitted to other units and departments. The best channel to use in these instances would again be email.

3. Barriers to effective communication

It is important to recognize the causes of barriers such as the inappropriate choice of channels, words and layout, the table below gives a few references to these causes:

Table 1.1 Causes of communication barriers

Causes of communication barriers Inappropriate choice of words Inappropriate channel Inappropriate message Receiver inattention Lack of courtesy by the sender or receiver Nonverbal communication contradicting verbal Different cultural backgrounds Poor layout and presentation Inappropriate timing Inadequate feedback Note: communication barriers. Source: Dwyer (2009)

Conflict can also create barriers to communication. If an urgent matter is not appropriately channelled it creates delays to managers, clients and me. This conflict could have been due to many different factors such as; personal differences, inaccurate information, role incompatibility and environmentally induced stress (Carlopio et al. 2005). The unit, in my experience, has been effective in passing information and requests to the relevant recipient, an important part of communication within the organisation is feedback and this is required daily for clients and colleagues. Recently a conflict resulted from not receiving feedback from a branch regarding a client concern; this may have been due to environmental stresses such as workload or being under staffed however because of a lack of feedback an informed decision or resolution to this concern was impossible. The resolution was to follow-up the email request with a phone call which provided insight to the delay and another avenue to get the necessary information. The feedback from colleagues allows for fewer barriers internally, an advantage of this to the Bank would be satisfied clients as their requests are dealt with urgency. Hearing without actively listening can be a barrier. When listening be attentive keeping eye contact, be aware of posture, body movement, personal space, environment, avoiding distractions and encouraging further conversation. Reflect on the conversation to clarify what the person is saying to ensure the intended is understood (feedback)
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The listening funnel (Dwyer 2009) is used frequently in the bank to determine what information is pertinent and what action to take. The four steps of questioning are; open questions- resulting in large volumes of information, probing questions- eliminate excess, closed questions- gets what is required and paraphrasing questions- ensures accuracy.

3.1 Intercultural communication and corporate culture It has been suggested that in order to succeed in the workplace one needs to be understood (Andrewartha 2002). Jeff Corwin, host and executive producer of the Animal Planet cable channel television programs The Jeff Corwin Experience and Corwins Quest, when visited India on asking permission to venture with some locals in search of snakes they shook their heads left to right which in western culture means no however in India this non-verbal gesture means yes. Corwins perception of this message was molded by a distinct difference in cultural backgrounds. Perception can create different interpretations of the same message from one person to another (Dwyer 2009). Language is one of the most important differences between many cultures, and one of the greatest barriers (Argyle 1981, p.175). This was experienced in my organizations internal helpdesk which was based in a non-English speaking country. Initially verbal interaction was needed to resolve technical issues this proved to be tedious and resulted in miscommunication as the interpretation of our concerns and requests were often inaccurate. The organization did however recognize this and implemented a system of emailing requests, this left less to interpretation. What defines corporate culture? To highlight a few factors Professional growth, rate of turnover, leadership styles, reputation of senior leadership, employee morale, support of life-work balance, ease and frequency of internal communication, values of the organization (Arvind et al. 2005). When it comes to corporate culture there have been major changes within recent time to my workplace and communication is proving to be the main avenue in bringing this change about (Arvind et al. 2005). The most impacting change was software. The aim was to create a paperless environment with more modern
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ways of completing tasks, keeping up with international banking however this change created longer hours, fewer breaks and many more errors to be corrected. The country head of the organization realized the added strain on employees and started a branch by branch personal visit to allow employees to view their concerns and requests. This was appreciated and was not without its benefit.

3.2 Crisis communication and communicating difficult issues

Pearson and Mitroff define an organizational crisis as an incident or event that poses a threat to the organizations reputation and viability (Bailey et al. 2005). This definition is applicable to Banking given the climate of the global economy. Banks are under constant scrutiny. It is important to communicate internally and externally any changes in the organization as the slightest change can be misconstrued. The bank keeps its employees updated with daily advisories and quarterly with reports from the organization head on the growth of the company. This transparency of information is an example of the efficient communication in my workplace. When communicating difficult issues the recommended route is to be open and honest, it is more difficult to overcome the damaging effects of a rumor than to prevent one from starting (Hoover 2005, p. 25). This concept ties in with the transparency mentioned above but when being open and honest the employer should keep in mind the channel used, what is said and the tone of the message, for example with my employer, when the new software was launched one of the repercussions was a long client queue. This problem was severe and a representative of the organization advised the public that this was due to the staffs unfamiliarity to new software. This was partially true and many staff became disgruntled and did vent their disagreement to this incomplete statement.

3.3

Successful communication

After the incident above, due to the efficiency of communication within the organization, management was made aware of the emotions of the employees. The management of the bank eventually came up with a plan to achieve certain goals. These goals were clearly communicated to employees with a precise method and timeline for implementation. Plans were communicated 9

showing how realistic, achievable and flexible it truly was, seeking to avoid negative communication (Samansky 2003).

4. Ethical business communication

Ethics may be classified as personal, professional or corporate (Dwyer 2009). Communicating ethically enables an individual to be fair, equal and impartial. The Bank has a code of ethics which we are mandated to review annually. It is a twofold process of a document and a test. The document contains guidelines to ensure that the highest level of ethical behavior is displayed.

4.1 Communicating priorities, goals and plans

In banking it is important to set goals and plans as there are constant timelines however it is important to distinguish primary, secondary and urgent activities (Dwyer 2009, p. 72). Time management is necessary for each plan or goal which should be realistic. Sometimes this means relying on another unit or colleague for information or feedback. A tactful approach is required and I have found that when the correct channel is used resolution is brought about quickly. A busy branch may require a day or two to pull information that was requested via email however a polite reminder call may speed up the process.

4.2 Achievements and qualifications

Achievements and qualifications are encouraged by my employer even rewarded and commended. These achievements and qualifications are noted on quarterly employee appraisals and can show the possession of crucial tools for the job description and possible promotion. This is an effective mode of communicating and appraising the employee at year end.

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4.3

Workplace occupational health and safety

Effective communication is an essential part of workplace occupational health and safety (Dwyer 2009, p. 106). This statement is simple and accurate. At all branches in the organization there are safety wardens, random fire drills and muster points which are both verbally and graphically communicated. Also a training session on the use of fire extinguishers is also reviewed. There is also an employee hotline to bring ones concerns to managements attention. Personal responsibility and being your brothers keeper is also an encouraged responsibility. Office related injuries such as repetitive strain injury are becoming more frequent and as such individuals are educating themselves on this dangerous health issue. The bank has shown some interest by implementing certain ergonomically friendly office accessories. Growth is needed in this area but improvement has been seen.

5. Conclusion
The examples above have comfortably concluded that communication in my workplace is quite efficient. That being said, there is always room for improvement but the goal of first world international banking standards is already being achieved. This can vastly be accredited to open, clear communication within the organization. Communication that encourages feedback commendations and rewards accomplishments. The Bank takes a special interest in communicating with their employees and clients. The advantages of this is clarity, direction in achieving goals, promoting productivity, improved decision making by providing feedback that is accurate, timely and consistent. All these add to a solid financial institution which will retain clients and profitability.

6. References Dwyer, J 2009, p. 30, 6, 116, 19, 27, 72, 106, The Business Communication Handbook, 8th edn, Pearson Education Australia, Frenchs Forest, NSW, Australia.
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Oxford English Dictionary 2005, p. 174

Joan Burge (Joan Burge 2005, Office Dynamics International Administrative Blog, 18 May 2009)

http://www.officedynamics.com/Blog/tabid/55/PostID/76/Color-CommunicationStyles.aspx

Carlopio, J, Andrewartha, G & Armstrong, H 2005, Developing management skills: a comprehensive guide for leaders, 3rd edn, Prentice Hall, Australia, Chapter 9: Managing Conflict, p. 462-528

Andrewartha, G 2002, Be understood or be overlooked: mastering communication in the workplace, Allen & Unwin, Crows Nest NSW, Australia. Argyle, M 1981, Inter-Cultural Communication, Social Skills and Work, New York. p. 172-194.

Sanchez, P, Skellon, P & Arvind, R 2005, How would you describe the role communication plays in influencing your organization's corporate culture? (Global perspectives), Communication World, Nov-Dec 2005, vol. 22, iss. 6, p. 8(1)

Stephens, KK, Malone, PC & Bailey, CM 2005, Communicating with stakeholders during a crisis evaluating message strategies, The Journal of Business Communication, Oct 2005, vol. 42, no. 4, pp. 390 419

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Hoover, G 2005, Maintaining Employee engagement when communicating difficult issues, Communication World, Nov Dec, 2005, pp. 25 27

Samansky, AW 2003, Successful strategic communications plans are realistic, achievable, and flexible, Public Relations Quarterly, Summer 2003, vol. 48, no. 2, pp 24 26

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