Communication is the lifeblood of any organization. If you have a pulse, then there’s a good chance that you’re communicating with someone else in some way or another. Communication is the backbone of every aspect of our work lives. Whether making a phone call to set up an appointment, sending out a tweet for customer service purposes, or talking about an idea with your team during lunch break, communication is essential to all areas of our lives and work environment.
Organizational Communication Flows
Information can flow in four directions in an organization: downward, upwards, horizontally, and diagonally. The shape of the organization determines how much info flows in which order. In informal corporations such as tech startups, information generally follows a vertical trend. According to experts, unofficial communication, like those transmitted by the grapevine company, appears in both types of organizations. In more established and traditional organizations, some communication flows in the vertical — down and upward -direction of information flowing to more established enterprises such as technological startups.
Horizontal and diagonal communication flows.
Horizontal communication occurs when data are exchanged across departments and at a higher level within the business organization. Diagonal touch involves the inter-functional communication of members of staff at various levels, i.e., across organizations. It becomes more common in organizations with flatter, matrix structures and product-based structures. Advantages: a manager might be placed in an embarrassing position and incompetent if he doesn’t know about everything happening within the department. Those who don’t follow protocols may damage the trust of those who fail. The manager should be made part of the loop when communications move from the department to different departments – including the sender’s manager. The advantages of diagonal touch are more than horizontal communication.
Upward communication flows
Today, many managers seek to encourage spontaneous or voluntary upward communication from workers with no need to ask first. Items typically sent upward include progress reports, plans for projects, estimations of budgets, grievances, and complaints. Some companies have even installed a whistleblower Hotline and let staff report potentially dangerous unprofessional activities anonymously to avoid an attack from more senior employees in this case. Some businesses go so far as to organize contests and provide prizes for innovative and creative solutions and suggestions such as prizes for creative solutions or tips. Of course, they must trust that the manager will acknowledge their contribution, if any, and don’t unintentionally undermine their initiative for any reason.
Downward Communication Flows
Downward communications are when leaders in a firm or manager discuss information with lower-rank employees. The most common forms of low communication are directives of department managers or line managers to employees. Other forms of downward communications are speech blogging, podcasting, and films. Downward communications deliver information on fundamental organizational shifts or new goals, which is necessary to develop a strategy to better support the employee. Most companies also offer training and development programs to lower-rank employees to learn new skills or increase their knowledge of the business.
External Communication Flows
Communication can flow to public media or interested stakeholders such as investors, analysts, and the press. Internal communication flows directed at external audiences (e.g., customers) is called ‘external’ internal communication because it targets an outside group of people who do not work for the company in question. Internally directed communications with employees about products, services, or markets are called internal communication.
Importance of Communication Flows
Information should always flow in various ways depending on how big an organization is, but mostly upwards since managers need input from others before making decisions for themselves. This kind of communication often occurs through emails and meetings.
Diagonal communication is a good way for information to flow since it involves inter-functional staff members at various levels across different organizations.
Horizontal communication can also be considered when departmental managers discuss things with other managers in their organization or even with staff on another part of its business model.
Upward communication flows are essential to allow workers to feel involved in the company. Managers need information from others before making decisions themselves, which often occurs through emails and meetings.
Downward communications are also essential for team leaders or managers to discuss issues with their lower-ranked employees. The latter then report what went wrong or if they can’t figure out how to accomplish something.
External communication flows directly at external audiences such as customers, investors, and the press. Internally directed communications with employees about products, services, or markets are called internal communication.
Information should always flow in various ways depending on how big an organization is, but mostly upwards since managers need input from others before making decisions for themselves.
How to Improve Communication Flow in Organization
Improving communication is tricky and requires all parties to commit, but it can be done correctly.
Many managers may not realize how vital their communications are within their organization because they take them for granted as part of their jobs every day, which makes them unappreciative or uninterested in improving these skills.
Improving communication requires managers to be open and receptive to information from their employees, which means they will also need training on how to communicate.
One good way for improving communications is through team-building exercises with different staff members so that everyone knows each other better and can feel more comfortable communicating with one another. For example, some companies form ‘book clubs’ or require employees to read a book together and then meet up at the end of a month to discuss it. Of course, this can be done with any book, but it should always have an organizational focus to learn about how communication affects their work environment.
- Managers need to be open and receptive to information from their employees.
- Training can improve managers’ communication skills.
- Team building exercises help employees communicate better with one another.
- Engaging in professional reading is an excellent way to build team culture and knowledge within an organization.
Improving Communication Flow-through Professional Reading
Alongside the benefits of knowing how to engage your workforce, learning about their interests can also help improve communication.
To implement this, getting your employees to read a book related to business or management can be helpful since it will increase their knowledge of the company and how it works, as well as helping them engage with each other better.
This kind of professional reading allows managers to participate in these books clubs to improve their professionalism and leadership skills.
Many managers will not realize how essential communications are within their organization because they take them for granted as part of their jobs every day, making them unappreciative or uninterested in improving these skills.
– Professional reading allows employees to learn more about the company and each other.
– Employees can improve their leadership skills by participating in these book clubs.
– Managers usually take communications for granted as part of their jobs and don’t realize how important they are.
Read also
A Group Discussion in Communication: Five Strategies to Make It Better
How to Improve Internal Communication in Company
Conclusion
Communication is one of the most important aspects of any organization, and it can be a significant factor in how smoothly workflows. Learning about different communication styles will help you better understand your coworkers’ preferences and needs so that you can communicate effectively with them. And if understanding other people’s communication style isn’t enough to make communications flow more smoothly, we’ve also included some tips on what not to do when communicating! We hope this blog post has been helpful for those looking for ways to improve their interpersonal skills at work – happy reading!
