Download Intermediate1/2 Administration

Intermediate1/2 Administration
Communication
Communication
An Admin Assistant needs to communicate
with lots of people everyday.
Communication can happen in many
different ways – letter telephone
conversation, email, instant messaging
etc.
Communication is any method which
involves passing information from one
person to another
Internal communication
This is communication which happens
between people who work in in the same
organisation.
In a large organisation there could be
hundreds of people. Therefore it is
important to ensure that communication is
efficient to allow work to flow and people
receive the right information at the right
time.
External Communication
This takes place with people who do not
work for the organisation eg customers,
suppliers.
External communication is important
because it can help portray a good image
of the company to the outside world.
Informal/forma communication
Informal communication is less structured
eg memos or emails.
Formal communication is more
professional and structured eg business
letters, presentations, reports
Features of good communication
Accurate – the information should be correct and true
Complete – there should be no facts missing
Timely – must be delivered on time and be up to date
Relevant – it must meet the needs of the audience (the
people receiving the information) – it must be useful to
them
 Cost effective – preparing information costs time and
money – so it should not cost more than it benefits the
company
 Meaningful – it must use suitable language and be the
most appropriate method – it should be easy to
understand and be appropriate to the audience
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Methods of Communication
2 main categories –
Oral communication eg meetings,
interviews, presentation and via the
telephone
Written – letters, memos, adverts, job
descriptions
Oral Communication
 Strengths
 Information is given faster than
writing
 It can be cheaper than writing
or using technology
 It allows for 2-way discussion –
questions can be asked
 There is instant feedback
 The message can be changed
if the person receiving the info
does not understand
 Appropriate for personal
messages and delicate
situations
 Weaknesses
 There is no permanent record
– information can be forgotten
or disagreements about what
had been said
 Not structured and consistent
 Personalities and emotions
can create a barrier to oral
communication eg if people
dislike each other
 Difficult to control oral
communication especially if
there are large numbers of
people
Written Communication
 Strengths
 It provides a permanent
record for the future
 It can more structured
and consistent than oral
communication
 If there are many points
to be covered it is better
to write them down
 Can be looked at when
convenient and at a later
date
 Weaknesses
 It can take longer to
prepare
 It is inflexible there is not
immediate feedback or
interaction
 Sender cannot use nonverbal cues such as body
language so it is difficult
to gauge the tone
 Some people unable to
access written
communication eg those
with learning difficulties
Barriers to communication
 Distortion – where a message is not accurately stated eg using
inappropriate language, typing errors or unclear explanations
 Noise – physical noise eg traffic, road works – technical noise eg
bad phone connection, faulty line, noisy printers etc
 Differences in perception – people of different ages, cultures,
education and personality interpret situations differently
 Jumping to conclusions – hearing or seeing what you expect or think
you hear or see – so you miss the actual message
 Lack of interest – the sender does not relay the message in the best
way, so receiver does not engage with the communication and may
ignore it
 Information overload – too much information can cause confusion
 Bias and selectivity – where you only receive part of the message as
you choose to ignore the rest
 Lack of feedback – if a message is sent and there is no response
then it may be the message has not been received or understood.
Effects of poor communication
 On the individual
 Poor staff performance as
the person may not have
understood the
instructions
 Damaged working
relationships
 Frustration may lead to
stress
 Low morale and low self
confidence
 On the organisation
 Increased costs
 Poor employee
relationships with
customers and suppliers
 Lowered productivity
 Increased staff turnover