Effective communication for business and personal success

Ms. Levasana DOUGLAS Eastern University

Effective organizational communication, from an HR viewpoint, focuses on openness in communication between senior management and employees, resulting in improved employee engagement and productivity. In a cross-cultural environment, building and maintaining rapport for business relationships depends on the effective use of language and understanding differing communication styles. These and other aspects bring awareness to opportunities to foster better communication at all levels of the organization.

In today's global business environment, effective organizational communication - internal and external - has a significant impact on an organization's success. Reasons for the increasing importance of organizational communication are many, with workplace change front and centre. Overall, the world of work has become more complex more than ever before, knowledge, learning and innovation are critical to an organization's sustainability, Further, with employees often being widely distributed geographically, communication technologies and networks are essential for the accomplishment of a company's strategy. Therefore, effective organizational communication is critical to actively engage employees, foster trust and respect, and promote productivity.

Organizational communication encompasses many aspects. It spans a wide range, from formal and informal internal communication practices to externally directed communications (media, public, inter-organizational). That communication is at the heart of organizational performance. Organizational communication includes marketing, public relations, investor relations, corporate advertising and environmental communication.

In the largest sense, it encompasses the organization's initiatives that demonstrate social responsibility and good citizenship.

Human resource professionals uniquely position themselves at both the starting and finishing points of the communication continuum. From an HR viewpoint, effective organizational communication contributes to learning, teamwork, safety, innovation and quality of decision-making in organizations.

In an age of increased competition for talent, communication has become a strategic tool for employee engagement, satisfaction and retention. In fact, effective organizational communication contributes directly to employee and organizational learning, an essential factor for competitive advantage. The most successful HR professionals are consummate communicators.

Typically, their organizations over-communicate with all constituents, and their leadership styles transmit the traditions and values of their company. Thus, as a promoter of effective organizational communication, HR is a key strategic partner in leveraging the relationships between employees and top management.

The key elements of a communication strategy to effectively meet the needs of the members of the organization would include - communication of the purpose and vision of the organization, team alignment to the overall vision, and involvement of teams that would set employee work standards, goals and norms.

To be continued