Download communication in the workplace

COMMUNICATION IN THE
WORKPLACE
Alturas, Angela Cristy
Buning, Rey Xristan
Buo, Queenie Ann
Cabahug, Erika Marie
Caballero, Khisha Joan
Daral, Allaine Marie
Go, Krishia Kaye
Jung, Jung Won
Leteral, Therese Kimberly
Patalinghug, Christel Kira
Serohijos, Christine Marie
Tan, Kondrad
Submitted to:
Mrs. Michelle Demape, OTRP
Key Terms and Concepts
Communication Method – The verbal, written, or technological channel for transmitting
communication.
Communication Roadblock – Environmental factors or verbal responses that halt
communication.
Effective workplace communication – The acquisition, evaluation, and dissemination of
information that is used to support daily work and achieve organizational goals while
considering the needs of employees, the nature of the work, and the impact of
organizational and external factors.
Nonverbal communication – The kinesics, paralanguage, touch, proxemics, and other graphic
and symbolic means of communication.
Position power – The information, authority, and responsibility tied to a position.
Receiving skills – The communication skills observing, listening, and empathizing.
Sending skills – The communication skills of questioning, describing, and concluding.
A core skill for managers is the ability to communicate effectively. A manager must able
to understand and use information to build and maintain a cohesive workforce, to create and
sustain a supportive workplace, and to represent and make known to other levels of the
organization and to the public the work that is accomplished.
The control of information is power in organizations. Communication is the process that
links one’s access to information and one’s ability to act that information which defines a
successful manager.
The manager’s ability to understand communication as a relationship and a process.
His/her ability to continually develop and refine fundamental skills in communication is essential
to acquiring information from all levels of the organization and to analyzing, disseminating, and
using that information.
Workplace communication is defined as acquisition, evaluation, and dissemination of
information to support daily work and achieve organizational goals. The development of
effective workplace communication skills is a career-long process as skills are revisited, refined,
and used in evolving and changing contexts.
COMMUNICATION ASPECTS OF THE TRANSITION FROM CLINICIAN TO MANAGER
SUPERVISOR- is the first type of position to which clinicians are promoted that removes them
from a primary clinical role
-in a managerial career path, this type of position is often the initial step to accepting
responsibilities in human resource management and eventually in other functional areas of
management such as:
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financial management
quality management
program development
-often overlooked in this transition is the communication skill that is necessary to successfully
assume and perform these new responsibilities.
UMIKER (1998)- maintained that most clinicians are not prepared for this type of advancement
and that in fact the reason for their promotion is their clinical competence rather than either
supervisory or managerial potential or skills.
-in making this first move, the clinician is often overwhelmed by the new responsibilities and
typically concentrates on developing skills in procedural areas of human resource management
such as:
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writing position descriptions
monitoring employee performance
conducting performance reviews
-Umiker emphasized that new supervision not only must maintain a level of clinical skill but also
learn the technical and procedural skills of their supervisory role while expanding their
interpersonal skill and developing a “modicum of political skill”
Communication skills- involve integrating interpersonal and political skill.
-are the core abilities that enable the new supervisor to access information and develop
organizational contacts and thus gain confidence and skill in new role.
-the development and use of these skills in the transition phases of supervisory position or
management career are integral to:
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internalizing the new role and responsibilities
gaining a new perspective on the organization as well as on one’s position and
responsibilities in the organization
3 critical factors characterize communication in this transition:
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language-a first step in the transition process is to acquire the language so
responsibilities and procedures are clear and so the new supervisor can translate
accurately back and forth between occupational therapy and other departments
-one must acquire a new language, including the words, meanings, and actions
associated with the words
-the role of supervisor or manager requires fluency in the languages of other disciplines
and functional areas of the organization.
-professional and organizational jargon exists across the areas of management
responsibilities
-words are symbols for meaning and action and come to represent rules for a work
group
-understanding the language includes knowing and performing the actions and
responsibilities that are linked to the word.
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position power and organizational hierarchy- one of the most difficult aspects of
transitioning from a clinical role to a managerial role
-a promotion to a supervisory or management position place the individual in a position
of greater authority and responsibility.
-position power- information, authority, and responsibility that are tied to a position
-words, statements, and casual comments take on different meanings as staff members
attribute them to the position rather than to the person.
personal approach or style
Involves the merging of language and position power into a repertoire of communication skills
and approaches a personal communication style that is consistent with the new role.
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New supervisors often uncomfortable with their role and unsuspecting of the change in
how they are being interpreted can be caught off guard when confronted with the impact
of their words.
After initially realizing this change in communication with former peer,
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New supervisor may take an exclusively authoritarian approach to stall communication
while another supervisor may try to share all information and involve staff members in all
decisions.
The exclusive use of any approach is dangerous because situational nuances vary and affect
the optimal communication style for the situation.
McCall and Cousins (1990)
Described various approaches that the supervisor can take in managing superior-subordinate
communication.
Telling
- Listening
- Asking
- Problem solving
The ability to interpret situations
Attention,
- Reflection
- Experience.
The fundamental communication element during the transition period and throughout the
manager’s career is the continuous development and use of well developed communication
skills
FUNDAMENTALS OF COMMUNICATION: AN OVERVIEW
“Eighty percent of the people who fail at work do so for one reason: They do not relate well to
other people. One’s productivity as a supervisor of manager… is greatly enhanced by the ability
to communicate well. In fact, it is difficult to think of a single job in which communication is
important.”(Bolton)
Communication models describe communication as reciprocal process exchange or
relationship.
Communication skills within the process are categorized as:
 Receiving or Listening skills and
 Sending or Expressive skills
Both skill sets address the meaning and purpose of communication to enhance understanding.
Communication is acknowledged as having both verbal and nonverbal components and as
being contextually influenced.
Additional skills are often identified for use in challenging communication situations:
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Conflict resolution
Collaboration
Interactions that require confidentiality and sensitivity
RECIPROCAL PROCESS
Communication must be recognized as a simultaneous process of:
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sending messages and noting their reception
receiving messages and noting the expressed intent
Communication depends on the successful blend of the Content and the Process.
Effective communication engages in a dialogue in which parties exchange and process
information until they reach a shared meaning.
Interaction should be viewed as an exchange that links two or more people
Regardless of:
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the number of people involved in the exchange
the hierarchical relationship of the individuals
the purpose of communication
One should pay attention to:
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the individuals and how to optimize the relationship
the purpose of the communication
- “In communication, skills alone are not sufficient.” (Bolton)
- Need for honesty, acceptance, respect, support, and empathy to the communication process
is also stressed.
On participant often assumes a greater responsibility:
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for maintaining the relationship
for ensuring that the intended meanings are understood.
- In workplace communication, this higher degree of responsibility falls to the manager because
of his/ her position and responsibility.
The Manager:
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responsible not only for the development of his/her own communication skills but also for
the quality of communication throughout the department.
should be aware of basic communication skills and the aspects of communication that
are unique in the work place to create a positive environment for reciprocal
communication.
In any situation, must assume responsibility for initiating interaction, coaching the
employee, and working to achieve a satisfactory level of understanding.
SENDING AND RECEIVING SKILLS
McLagan and Krembs
- Offered a simple framework for understanding these skills by defining both receptive
skills(receiving) and expressive skills (sending).
 Receptive skills includes:
 Observing
- Results s in accurate and specific information about behavior, feelings, patterns of
behavior, and results.
 Listening
- Achieves a common clarity and understanding
 Empathizing
- Attends to the relationship to increase trust and rapport.
o
Bolton
- Enhanced understanding and performance of these basic skills
- Expanded listening on these into three skills group:
 Attending
 Following
 Reflecting
- and added specific behavioral, nonverbal, and verbal actions to enact the skills
 Expressive skills includes:
- Are also defined through outcomes
 Questioning
- Serves to bring relevant information into the discussion and prevent
misunderstanding
 Describing
- Allows both participants to enhance their common understanding
 Concluding
- Process of clarifying the positions, decisions, and consequences of the
communication
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Bolton
- Communication is effective only when there is a reciprocal process of listening and
asserting, or disclosure to another what the speaker feels, needs, and desires.
- Assertive communication is a critical expressive skill that blends the speaker’s
content and emotion into an open and honest message.
Bolton and McLagan and Krembs sending and receiving skills sets as being both active
and interactive as well as requiring deliberate attention and practice to achieve mastery.
Sending and receiving information= core of the communication process.
Attention to nonverbal aspects of communication is necessary to add depth of
understanding and clarity.
NONVERBAL COMMUNICATION
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7 types of nonverbal communication according to Knapp:
1. Kinesics (body language)
2. Paralanguage (the way words are spoken)
3. Physical contact (touch)
4. Proxemics (space between speakers)
5. Physical characteristics of the speaker
6. Artifacts or adornments of speakers
7. Environmental factors
During the communication process, nonverbal factors must be considered and clarified
through theuse of verbal skills such as observing, listening, questioning and concluding.
Ribbens and Thompson
- 10%= face-to-face messages occur through words
- 90%= tone, posture, gestures contributes to the meaning
- Offered cautionary note about interpreting body language because personal and
prejudices or cultural differences may influence the interpretation
- Considered nonverbal information as further clues to the meaning of the message
McCall and cousins
- Offered summary note on the importance of nonverbal communication, identifying
nonverbal communication as a host of graphic, olfactory, tactile, spatial, temporal,
and symbolic means of communication.
CONTEXT OR SITUATION
Communication takes place within specific physical and social environments, and these
environments influence communication. McCall and Cousins (1990) described the concept of
situation as encompassing the specific topic being talked about, the locale of conversation and
the relationships of interacting parties. One must consider multiple environmental factors that
can have an impact on and influence communication.
The manager’s challenge is to create a shared context within the workplace for
subordinates and increase the likelihood of interpretations and productive communication.
Multiple discussions of organizational and individual values and of similarities and differences in
personal and workplace experiences serve to develop the shared context for the work group.
The informal or social aspect of the workplace is an important vehicle for developing a shared
context. As co-workers share stories, they more clearly understand individual contexts, they
create a common context , and they enhance communication among themselves. The manager
must support and participate equally in this process as a means of enhancing context and
strengthening communication. The participants must integrate all of verbal, nonverbal and
situational elements to understand the full meaning within a communication.
MEANING AND PURPOSE
With the use of receptive and expressive skills in exchanging ideas , values and
information while also attending to reciprocal nonverbal cues and contextual influences, parties
can achieve clarity of meaning, purpose and the desired outcomes of communication. Relying
on words alone can result in miscommunication. A common understanding of meaning and
purpose occurs when parties carefully listen and check for understanding of the spoken word
while they verify the feelings and emotions behind the words.
Clinically, this same skill set contributes to interactive, conditional and narrative
reasoning. Clinicians use this skill to understand a client as a unique individual and to perceive
the effect that the client’s condition has had(or is having) everyday. OT practitioners naturally
look beyond a client’s words to other cues to form a complete picture that reveals the depth of
the client’s reactions. The manager can transfer this skill to the manager’s office by
acknowledging overt expressions of feelings, paying attention to more subtle cues, such as
word choice or body language, and by admitting his/her emotional responses.
BARRIERS TO COMMUNICATION
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Communication is a complex activity which involves many factors
Problem causing factors:
 Environmental Factors
o Physical setting and organizational culture
o Chaotic and distracting environment- can slow down or sidetrack
conversation
o Formal room arrangement- reinforce power and authority, and intimidate
some speakers
o Organization with many rules governing communication- stifle the free
exchange of ideas and information
 Personal Factors
o Range from motivation to actual skill in expressing ideas and listening
o High degree of stress can alter communication
o Poor/ inappropriate communication skills- can cloud meaning and damage
the process
o Differences in personal communication styles and conflicting motives can
produce barriers
 Use of good communication skills can often prevent breakdowns but it doesn’t provide
complete protection
 Stressful situations encountered in the workplace can lead to inadvertent responses
 If the manager is unaware of the type of responses that can obstruct communication, he
can easily make a comment that blocks further communications, stops problem-solving,
or increases the agitation of the situation
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3 categories of responses that can breakdown communication (Bolton):
 Judging
 Providing solutions
 Avoiding the expressed concerns
None of these responses is used with the intention of stopping communication, but they
are natural initial responses to someone’s distress
Manager may attempt to identify, judge or label the problem; or minimize the problem
and the subordinate’s reactions
In either case, the manager has failed to listen or elicit information and has not read the
verbal cues. He has offered an interpretation - a judgment – far too early in the
exchange
Providing solutions can range from the benign offer of advice to an authoritative order for
an action
By responding, the manager has failed to use good receiving skills and may compound
the original problem or create a new one by failing to understand the problem before
trying to solve it
Finally, the manager stops the conversation by diverting the content or ignoring the
emotions of the interaction
The manager violates the concept of the communication as a relationship in which the
individual’s need are to be considered with respect and honesty
The consistent use of effective communication skills and the development of
subordinates’ communication abilities offer the first line of prevention
Once the communication has broken down, then the manager has the responsibility to
identify the source of the problem and initiate connections
GENDER-BASED, CULTURAL AND GENERATIONAL DIFFERENCES IN COMMUNICATION
Awareness of differences in communication that occur because of gender, cultural and
generation is the final piece one needs to build a solid base in communication.
An effective manager should always be able to communicate equally well with superiors and
subordinates of different gender, culture and generation.
Use of GOOD COMMUNICATION SKILLS is a good start to interact with individuals with
different diversities.
PRINCIPLES:
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Acknowledge and set aside stereotypes. Have an open mind.
Get to know the individual as an individual.
Anticipate differences and actively and openly pursue discussions of them.
Use conflict resolution techniques as needed to address differing values.
Value the differences the individual brings to the workplace, see these as strengths.
Manager uses these principles with heightened awareness and intensity.
The skills and process of communication are directed at understanding differences and in
developing a working relationship.
Relationship = ENHANCED
If Manager acknowledges the specific differences of each individual
Gender
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Powerful influence in communication among men and women because both have
different life experiences that are used to shape their use and definition of words and
implied meanings.
Men – use intensive, aggressive, task-oriented, argumentative language forms.
Women – less intense, more concern with internal psychological states, and are more
gentle and compassionate.
A great issue in profession especially in OT whereas majority are women.
Female Managers deal with men at higher levels in the organization.
Male Managers supervise staffs of primarily women.
Amongst the three differences in ways that men and women relate can breakdown or delay
effective communication.
Cultural Diversity
Communication in a culturally diverse work setting is especially vulnerable to misinterpretation
and misunderstanding because many of the critical elements are influenced by culture.
Vocabulary, grammatical structures, voice quality, intonation, rhythm, rate of speech ,
pronunciation, silences, touch, facial expression, eye movement and body posture vary among
people in a cultural group.
Cross Generational Differences
-the need for individualizing communication but introduces the perspective that
understanding generational information can explain conflicting values, ambitions, views, and
mind-sets that have an impact in communication in the workplace.
Generations were sequestered from each other by organizational stratification.
Senior staff members often assume positions that are once occupied by younger generations.
Downsizing and flattening of administrative structures of organizations = More horizontal and
more spatially compact workplace has stirred the generations into a mix of much different
proportions.
Four Distinct Generational Cohorts
-work side by side in a specific workplace.
-each has defining life events and that has shared life experiences that cross gender,
socioeconomic, and cultural boundaries.
-Each group shapes views and attitudes toward work that influence performance, relationships
and communications in the workplace.
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Veterans
Baby Boomers
Generations Xers
Nexters
Managers are encouraged to acknowledge and make use of these generational differences
and strengths rather than ignoring differences or attempt to minimize them and homogenise
staff.
Managers must not only develop his or her expertise in the diversity of communication but
must also foster competency of staff members in this area. One must be advanced in
communication and cooperation within work group and build competence in interacting with
staff members with different gender, culture and generation.
FUNDAMENTALS OF COMMUNICATION: SUMMARY
First, manager is in the best position to distinguish information from communication.
-information: factual; data, news and announcements
-communication: factors; feelings, values, expectations and perception
So manager must correctly decide whether the situation calls for information sharing or dialogur
among the staff members.
Second, the manager must determine whether the communication need is urgent, important or
both.
-urgent matters: call for a rapid response
-important issues: relate clearly to the mission and the purpose of the organization
●urgent matters: manager takes the action and inform and direct the staff.
●important issues: manager communicates with staff to ensure common understanding.
●both: manager takes the action, informs staff, as well explains and discusses the issues.
Lastly, manager must determine the timing of multiple pieces of information; whether
communication is needed for urgency or importance, simultaneously or sequentially, manager
chooses the optimal timing to ensure open communication.
In all situations, primary objective for communication is to keep staff members adequatelt
informed and appropriately involved in issues but not overwhelmed by a volume of unnecessary
information at the wrong time.
EXAMPLES OF COMMUNICATION IN THE WORKPLACE
Selecting most appropriate communication method requires
a) the message, b) the recipient, and c) the method.
In communicating, sender considers: confidentiality or privacy, mood for dialogue, importance,
the length, complexity, urgency and need for a permanent record.
And the recipient considers: his or her skills and comfort with various communication methods,
hierarchical relationship between sender and the recipient.
As well the sender evaluates the method used to communicate in terms of reliability, cost in time
and money, access confidentiality and skills needed to used method. Methods consist of verbal,
written and technological based.
VERBAL COMMUNICATION
-pulls all communication skills and provides the robust atmosphere for in-depth communication
-majority of manager’s communication occurs in this mode in either one to one or group
situations
One-to-one interactions
-The manager’s range of responsibilities across the human resource cycle necessitates ongoing
and open exchanges with employees, from interviewing and recruitment, through supervision
and development to evaluation and performance review.
--Human resource management is a series of both positive and negative interactions
-At any point, problems may occur, especially when a manager must give performance
feedback, disciplinary action or termination of employment
-In many of these interactions, the employee’s livelihood, professional performance, identity and
esteem are the content of interactions
-These situations require a heightened awareness to the individual’s needs, confidentiality,
privacy and to the manager’s comfort level with sensitive issues
Maurer(1994)provides a useful reference for managers to provide feedback in sensitive area of
communications around performance issues
These guidelines provide the manager withg a starting point for approaching difficult employee
situations, as well as clearly integrating the fundamental skills of communication to provide
manager with a framework for delivering feedback and for building confidence and skill
1. Identify the business reason’s importance
2. 2. Focus on improvement for the future and not on past transgressions
3. Use customer oriented data and feedback, not just an opinion
4. Put feedback in the right context
5. Be specific and give tangible examples
6. Make timely feedback
7. Find somewhere private to share negative feedback
8. Find somewhere public to share praise
9. Keep feedback slow and simple
10. Focus on work behavior, not on individual personality traits
11. Explain the impact in organizational, business or professional terms
12. Speak from the heart, and state your feelings
13. Speak for yourself, using first person
14. Be spontaneous. Do not delay feedback unless you’re angry
15. Do not force feedback on someone
Group Interactions
-Most managers spend considerable time in verbal interactions with groups of employees.
-May include formal and informal gatherings
-In formal meetings, this aspect of communication can be challenging
With the need for efficiency in any workplace, meetings must be viewed as productive, to
support the primary functions of the department. A meeting can be a powerful tool to foster
group cohesion and action when it is well designed and run, but can be destructive if attention is
not given to the communication aspects of the meeting
-The manager is faced with the task of running a good meeting, which has many variables.
-The manager can utilize several basic strategies in group communication
1. Use good communication skills
2. Develop knowledge on group process and phases of group work
3. Explicit on the purpose and agenda of the meeting(May include team building, disseminating
information, planning, problem solving or decision making)
4. Construct and distribute an agenda with sufficient time for participants to review and prepare.
It becomes a communication tool that support discussion and focuses communication during the
meeting
WRITTEN COMMUNICATION
regardless of form, must be complete, technically accurate, clear, and concise, and it must
express the appropriate tone.
TECHNOLOGY-BASED COMMUNICATION
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The exchange of information can occur immediately. Confidentiality and privacy,
however, are not guaranteed.
E – mail is an excellent example of how technological methods can have both
advantages and potential hazards. Wide access to e – mail within and outside the
workplace provides an easy and convenient way to exchange information. However, the
method is not always secure, privacy and confidentiality are not guaranteed.
The ease and speed of sending an e- mail can allow impulsive and sometimes
regrettable or inaccurate messages to be sent.
Face-to-face communication will never be replaced as the primary method used by the
manager and the staff member.
INTEGRATED APPROACH TO COMMUNICATION
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The effective manager is able to integrate his or her communication skills with
organizational expectations and employee needs to create a positive workplace
environment.
Each interaction is an opportunity to move the work group closer to achieving individual,
professional, and organizational standards of quality and effectiveness.
The starting point of good communication is to identify the function and unique
requirments of the interaction, analyze the specifics of the context and the individuals
involved, and use basic skills of receiving and sending information.