Question

Q74

Write an essay of 1000+ words on the topic ‘Factors in the choice of communication policy. [8 Marks]

NO PLAGIARISM PLEASE.

PLEASE DO NOT WRITE THE ANSWER - USE WORD FORMAT.

Answer 1

Communication refers to the exchange of information using some medium. Communication in an organization, be it internally or externally, is a very important aspect since effective communication serves as a building block of an organization which is the key to perform basic functions of management including planning, organizing, motivating, evaluating and controlling. In short, communication by any means form the basis of any business activity.

Some of the key benefits of effective communication in an organization include helping the employee and employer to know how a task is being performed, and to improve performance; helping in decision making process and identifying alternate solutions; helping in shaping people's attitude and keeping them well informed; helping in socialization; helping in raising the morale of employees; and most importantly, helping in the controlling process of management.

Having said the above, it is clear that there should be a clearly defined communication policy for every organization. However, the policy might differ depending on various factors including the size of the organization, the type of industry, the strength or total number of employees etc. Some of the generic factors according to me, which are to be considered while setting communication policy in an organization are:

1.) Setting an organizational culture

This begins right from the way employees address each other. Respecting each other and not hurting each others' feelings are really important to be considered. There should be a discipline all employees of the organization should maintain within and outside the organization.

2.) Understanding the current flaws

Before setting up any organizational policy, the foremost thing to be considered is the current status or policy (if any) and how it is put into practice. Only if we know the current system, we will be able to identify areas of improvement and implement revised policies accordingly.

3.) Encouraging conversation

Employees in an organization are from different backgrounds, and has different opinions and ideas. Forming a communication policy should always facilitate employees to express their ideas and opinions, rather than a one-way communication, which can definitely help in the organizational development.

4.) Proper emphasis on motivating and hurting nobody's feelings

This is the most important factor to be considered while forming a communication policy. A good gesture for a good work can definitely motivate the employee, which can in turn help in business growth. Being hard on employees never help since the employees will never want to work for someone they hate. Also, giving a feedback individually rather than in a group can motivate the employee.

5.) What to communicate and whom to communicate

The communication policy should always specify the reporting structure, and thus educate the employees on what and whom to communicate an issue or any other matter. For example, in many organizations, there is a strict policy of not disclosing each others' salaries. If an employee discloses his salary to another of his same level, there are chances of dispute, which can in turn affect the goodwill of the organization.

6.) Encourage the employees to use proper internal communication medium

Most of the organizations provide email facility or internal messengers to all the employees. The communication policy should clearly specify to use these channels wherever required, for future references and as proofs.

Today, communication in an organization is not just about making sure that executives and lower-level employees feel comfortable talking to each other, but also about evaluating the technology available for communication and understanding how it can be adopted to improve collaboration and performance. So, it is important for every organization to have proper communication channels and effective communication policy, which definitely contribute to the organizational development.