LABOUR LAWS AND ORGANISATIONAL COMMUNICATION

UNIT 3 SECTION
INDUSTRIAL 6
RELATIONS Unit 3, section 6: Organisational communication

This section covers the meaning and forms of organisational

communication. The session will also cover ways of improving
communication in the organisation.

By successfully following a learning programme of this section, the student

will able to differentiate organisational communication from other forms of
communications, discuss the forms of organisational communication, and
explain ways of improving communication skills in organizations.

Meaning of organisational communication

Another aspect of managerial communication concerns the organization as a
whole. It is the duty of corporate leaders to facilitate an efficient flow of
information among members of the organization. A complete understanding
of communication at the workplace is achieved by considering
communication at both the individual and organizational levels.

Organizational communication is defined as the exchange of information or

the transmission of meaning through the various channels and networks
within an organization.

Formal organizational communication

The formal or hierarchical communication is one that flow within the chain
of command or task responsibility that is officially defined by the
organization. The formal communication is conveyed through formal
channels of communication which are established within the organization’s
chain of command in order to accomplish task objectives. Typically, formal
communication may flow through the vertical, horizontal or diagonal
channels.
 Vertical communication
Vertical communication is the flow of information either up or down the
chain of command. It involves the exchange of information between two or
more members at different levels of the organizational hierarchy. In vertical
communication, information may flow from a lower level to a higher level
and vice versa. Thus, the vertical communication has two major
components: the downward communication and the upward communication.
 Downward communication
Downward communication involves the transmission of information from
individuals in a higher level position of the chain of command to those in a
lower level position. An example of downward communication is one in
which a supervisor gives instructions to a first line employee. Download
communication has the objective of advising, informing, directing,
instructing and evaluating subordinates or providing them with information
about organizational goals and strategies. The following are some common
methods of downward communication:

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− Telephone and letters

These are the most common methods used by superiors to transmit
information to their subordinates. They may call them by the phone or write
letters to them.
− Employee handbooks and policy manuals
Employee handbooks provide information about organizational benefits,
disciplinary systems, and the rights and duties of employees. Organizational
policies are usually compiled in a formal document called a ‘policy manual’
which helps managers to ensure that policies are carefully enforced.
− Organizational newsletters or magazines
Newsletters are usually issued bi-weekly or monthly. They are booklets that
contain changes in policies and procedures; give notice of job openings,
convey the corporate mission or assist management in responding to
employee questions.
− Bulletin Boards
They are preferable when a message must be communicated to a broad
audience. A bulletin board is a notice board on which is pasted various
issues; messages, advertisement or dates for meetings.
− Holding meetings
Superiors can meet their subordinates in a face-to-face conversation where
important information from top management is disseminated among
subordinates.

Katz and Kahn (1984), have identified five general functions of the
downward communication as follows:
− To give specific tasks directions about job instructions.
− To give information about organizational practices and procedures.
− To provide information about the rationale of a job.
− To tell subordinates about their performance and
− To provide an ideological information to facilitate the indoctrination
of goals.

 Upward communication
Upward communication is the transmission of information from individuals
in a lower level of the chain of command to those in a higher level position.
Anyone or more of the following can form the basis of upward
communication:
− Information on the level of performance and achievement of
employees
− Unresolved problems and issues faced by employees.
− Ideas and suggestions for improvement in the organization.
− How employees feel about their jobs, fellow employees and the
entire organization.

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Five useful techniques are often used in upward communication: suggestion

systems, Grievance procedures, attitude surveys, committees and union
publications.
− Suggestion systems
Most firms provide suggestion boxes at convenient places where employees
and other organizational members can provide their ideas or suggestions for
improving company operations. The suggestions may include work methods
and procedures, equipment design, the appraisal systems, safety devices and
others.
− Grievance procedures
Grievances are formal written complaints submitted by employees to
management about unfair treatment they receive on their jobs. Employees
may complain about working conditions, promotions, pay, disciplinary
action, supervision and work assignments. In view of these needs,
organizations have developed a variety of complaint systems where
employees can conveniently display their worries.
− Attitude Surveys
Attitude Surveys are often conducted annually or bi-annually. The surveys
are used by management to learn about employee feelings and attitudes on
many employment issues. The survey is best accomplished through
questionnaires that are completed anonymously so that employees can feel
free and secured to speak their mind.
− Committees
Committees are sometimes formed with lower level employees to undertake
a variety of assignments; evaluating employee suggestions, resolving
grievances, selecting candidates for promotion and investigating safety
infractions or accidents. Their findings are then communicated to their
superiors for onward interpretation and analysis.
− Union Publications
In unionized organizations, unions can make publications that provide
management with useful insights into employee attitudes and behaviors.

 Horizontal communication
Horizontal communication is the exchange of information among
employees on the same organizational level. It is often described as the
communication among peers or coworkers which generally occurs within or
across departments. Horizontal communication is essential or useful for
coordinating and integrating diverse organizational functions. Memos,
letters, telephones and interdepartmental meetings are common techniques
for horizontal communication.

 Diagonal communication
Diagonal communication is one that cuts across levels, functions and work
areas in the organization. It is important when members cannot
communicate through upward, downward or horizontal channels.

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Improving communication skills in organizations

Since corporate leaders spend over 70 percent of their day’s work on
communication, it is usually important to identify those basic skills which
the managers (as well as other organizational members) must possess or
acquire to perform efficiently. While some of these skills are particularly
important for helping the manager to speak, others are critical for listening
to subordinates or their colleagues. Generally, there are two equally
important perspectives for improving the communicative skills of both
managers and employees in an organization. These are:
 Improving the skills for sending messages
Managers need skills to help them send messages that can successfully be
transmitted and properly understood by the receivers. Below are seven skills
that managers need to acquire before they can successfully send messages:
− Send clear and complete messages
To acquire this skill, we must learn to anticipate how receivers will interpret
our messages, and adjust our messages to eliminate all forms of
misunderstanding. A clear message is one that a receiver can easily interpret
and understand. It is complete when all the relevant information required to
reach a common understanding are contained in it.
− Encode messages in symbols the receiver understands
To develop this skill, we need to use symbols or words that the receiver
understands. It is important to use a common place vocabulary and to avoid
unnecessary clichés or in-group language.
− Select an appropriate medium for the message
Perhaps the primary factor to consider in choosing an appropriate medium is
the nature and content of the message. Depending on whether a message is
personal, impersonal, important, simple, routine or non-routine, an
appropriate media will serve as a tool for sending accurate information
without any significant mistake.
− Select a medium that the receiver monitors
It will be very wrong to send an urgent message by the electronic trail when
we surely know that the recipient visits his mails every six months. The
mistake we usually make is that, we only tend to select the medium we are
comfortable with, forgetting that the recipient may not also be comfortable
with that same medium.
− Avoid filtering or information distortion
Filtering means withholding part of a message out of the belief that the
receiver does not need or will not want that portion of the message.
Information is distorted when the meaning of a message changes as the
message passes through series of senders and receivers. Filtering or
distortion of information can impede effective communication. Unless we
avoid them, the message we send may either be incomplete or the intended
meaning may be missing.
− Include a feedback mechanism in the message sent to receiver
Feedback is an essential tool for a two-way communication system. With
feedback, the receiver can seek clarity, and a sender can seek

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acknowledgement. To build a feedback mechanism into our messages, we

need to include a request for a feedback.
− Provide accurate information
Provide information that is devoid of unnecessary rumor. Rumor is defined
as the unofficial pieces of information that is of interest to organizational
members but with no identifiable source. In sending messages to employees,
make sure that only what concern employees are what they should be told.
The provision of accurate information can reduce the spread of misleading
rumors that are false, malicious or unfounded.

 Improving the skills for receiving message

Effective communication would also depend on the skills required for a
successful receipt of a message. Managers and all other organizational
members receive as many messages as those they send. Four of the most
common skills that individuals can develop to ensure an effective and
efficient receipt of messages include:
− Pay rapt attention
Managers are always occupied. They may be overloaded by a couple of
tasks or multiple roles that significantly prevents them from paying
sufficient attention to messages directed to them. We should always pay
attention to messages we receive, no matter how busy we are. We may be
pulled in different directions but this should not be a reason for failing to
listen to others.
− Be a good listener
It is frequently assumed that good listening is easy and natural to most
people, but in practice it is difficult and not as common as we think. As
people, we can do various things to be good listeners:
 We must refrain from interrupting senders in the middle of a
message; otherwise, we may be bound to draw erroneous
conclusions based on incomplete information. Managers must learn
to tolerate silence as the sender gives the message.
 Maintain good eye contact with senders so that they feel you are
paying attention. Concentrate on the speaker and try to observe his
body movements and facial expressions.
 After the entire message is send to you, ask questions to clarify
points of ambiguity or confusion.
 Use feedback to check your understanding.

− Be empathetic
We are empathetic listeners when we try to interpret a message from the
senders own point of view rather than our own. Such a gesture will further
demonstrate your interest in the conversation and helps you to follow every
bit of the conversation.

Unless a carefully designed and properly managed communication system

exists, messages sent throughout the organization may contain
misinformation or cause confusion and errors that can seriously impede

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organizational processes. In the workplace, communication is only possible

when there are clear channels through which members can freely
communicate with one another. The understanding of managerial
communication at the individual level is only a starting point. Effective
organisational communication is required to supplement interpersonal
communication in the organization.

Self-assessment questions
(1) What is downward communication? List and explain any five methods
of downward communication.
(2) Discuss any five ways in which management can improve the skills for
sending messages among employees.
(3) What is vertical communication? Differentiate between downward and
upward communication.

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