BUSCOM

BUSINESS COMMUNICATION
First Semester
Friday 5:00 PM-8:00 PM

Instructor: Richelle Joyce G. Samson

Office Hours: 7:30-4:30PM
Contact Info: richelle.joyce.sjc@gmail.com

MODULE 1: ROLE OF COMMUNICATION IN THE WORKPLACE

TIME FRAME: 1 WEEK

MODULE OBJECTIVES
 Understand the importance of becoming an effective business communicator in
today’s changing workplace.
 Examine the process of communication.
 Analyze nonverbal communication and explain techniques for improving
nonverbal communication skills.
 Identify specific techniques that improve effective communication among diverse
workplace audiences.
 Demonstrate the importance of communication to business through example.
 Formulate a strategy to write a successful business communication.
 Be aware of the technology available today for business communication.

I. Introduction:
Communication in the workplace is very important for companies to work efficiently and
be productive. Employees can experience increased morale, productivity and
commitment if they can communicate up and down a company’s communication chain.
Employers who spend time and energy to create open communication lines will quickly
create trust among employees, resulting in productivity, performance and overall morale.
At the same time, employees who communicate effectively with their colleagues,
managers and customers continue to be valuable assets to a company.

Poor communication in the workplace will inevitably lead to non-motivated staff that can
begin to question their confidence in their skills and organizations.

According to Gerald R. Ford, the 38 th President of USA, “If I went back to college again,
I’d concentrate on two areas: learning to write and to speak before an audience. Nothing
in life is more important than the ability to communicate effectively.”

Good communication skills Good communication skills are essential for:

 Job Placement
 Job Performance
 Career Advancement
 Success in the New World of Work

The importance of strong communication runs deep within the workplace.

Five important reasons include:

1. Innovation. When employees have the opportunity to express their ideas openly,
they are more likely to present their ideas without fear of ridicule or retaliation.

1
 Innovation is highly dependent on this, and an organization that promotes
communication is more likely to be innovative.
2. Growth. Communication can be seen internally and externally. By associating
yourself internally and by establishing strong communication lines, you ensure
the consistency of the externally delivered message. Each growth project is based
on solid communication and the fact that all internal or external stakeholders are
on the same page.
3. Effective Communication. When executives are strong communicators, they can
better manage their teams. When you are a strong communicator, it is much
simpler to delegate activities, manage conflicts, motivate and build relationships
(all important responsibilities of an administrator). Effective communication not
only talks to people, but give them the opportunity to talk to each other. Strong
communication channels are essential.
4. Team Building. Creating effective teams requires communication and mutual
cooperation. You will be effective in building effective teams by implementing
effective strategies such as those listed below to improve communication. This
will increase morale and employee satisfaction.
5. Giving A Voice to All. As mentioned earlier, employee satisfaction can be very
much dependent on their having a voice and being listened to, whether it is in
regards to an idea they have had or about a complaint they need to make.
Consolidated communication lines should enable everyone to communicate freely
with their colleagues, peers and superiors at any level. For example, a corporation
does an Employee and Interdepartmental survey every year and tries to implement
at least 70% of the changes/recommendations suggested by the employees.

How can you improve the communication of your workplace?

Below is an outline of some of the key areas where organizations can improve and
enhance communication between their teams.
 Define goals and expectations – Managers need to deliver clear, achievable
goals to both teams and individuals, outlining exactly what is required on any
given project, and ensuring that all staff are aware of the objectives of the project,
the department and the organization as a whole.
 Clearly deliver your message – Ensure your message is clear and accessible to
your intended audience. To do this it is essential that you speak plainly and
politely – getting your message across clearly without causing confusion or
offence.
 Choose your medium carefully – Once you’ve created your message you need
to ensure it’s delivered in the best possible format. While face-to-face
communication is by far the best way to build trust with employees, it is not
always an option. Take time to decide whether information delivered in a printed
copy would work better than an email or if a general memo will suffice.
 Keep everyone involved – Ensure that lines of communication are kept open at
all times. Actively seek and encourage progress reports and project updates. This
is particularly important when dealing with remote staff.
 Listen and show empathy – Communication is a two-way process and no
company or individual will survive long if it doesn’t listen and encourage
dialogue with the other party. Listening shows respect and allows you to learn
about any outstanding issues you may need to address as an employer.

2
 Increased emphasis
More participatory
management

on teams
II. Succeeding in the changing world of work

competition
Heightened
global
new
the new
management
hierarchies

workplace
Flattened

workplace
in the
Trends in

communication
Trends

technologies
Innovative
Information as a
corporate asset

environments
New work

III. Examining the Process of Communication

How may the sender encode a message? Verbally or nonverbally.
By speaking, writing, gesturing.

What kinds of channels carry messages? Letters, e-mail, IM, memos, TV,
telephone, voice, body.

How does a receiver decode a message? Hearing, reading, observing

When is communication successful? When a message is understood as the

sender intended it to be.

How can a communicator provide for Ask questions, check reactions, don’t
feedback? dominate exchange.

3
The Communication Process
- A flow of messages from a source (sender) to a receiver using a channel.
Stimulus
- Anything that causes you to consider the communication process.
Analysis
- Includes information management, critical thinking, and setting goals.
Developing Messages
- Five steps: decision making, context analysis, message, making sense of the
message.
Encoding
- The process of actually sending a message through a media destined for a
receiver.
Decoding
- Refers to receiving and processing messages, making sense of the message.
Analysis
- Message interpretation: making sense of the message.
- Message evaluation: reception, comprehension, benefits, timeliness,
appropriateness, creditability, and influence.
Mutual Understanding
- The receiver must understand the message sent by the sender, the sender must
know the receiver understands the message.
Developing a Feedback Message
- Refers to any response that you make to the sender of a message.
Noise
- Anything that interferes, detracts, or adversely affects the message.
 Internal interference: processes within a person
 External distortions: environmental noise

Barriers that Create Misunderstandings

 Bypassing
 Poor listening skills
 Differing frames of reference
 Lack of language skills
 Emotional interference
 Physical distractions

Overcoming Barriers that Create Misunderstandings

 Realize that communication is imperfect.
 Adapt the message to the receiver.
 Improve your language and listening skills.
 Question your pre-conceptions.
 Encourage feedback.

ACTIVITY:
The Process of Communication
 Find a pair from your block mates. If there will be last 3 students left, that can be
considered as the last group.
 Using the messenger application, use the voice mail feature and converse with your pair
or group of three.
 You can choose from the topics listed below:
- Following-up an order
- Processing balikbayan boxes
- Conversing about business processes e.g. import-export

4
  The only thing that should be observed in your conversation is the process of
communication. Hence, there is no required length of conversation, as long as there is
an exchange of ideas.
 After this, screen-record the voice messages in messenger and send the video through
personal message in facebook or e-mail.
 Use “The Process of Communication” as a subject and the full name of your pair or
group as the body.

IV. Nonverbal Communication

- Eye contact, facial expression, and posture and gestures send silent messages.

Improving Nonverbal Communication

Time, space, and territory send silent messages.

- Time (punctuality and structure)
- Space (arrangement of objects)
- Territory (privacy zones)
Appearance sends silent messages.
- Appearance of business documents
- Appearance of people

5
Keys to Building Strong Nonverbal Skills
- Establish and maintain eye contact.
- Use posture to show interest.
- Improve your decoding skills.
- Probe for more information.
- Avoid assigning nonverbal meanings out of context.
- Associate with people from diverse cultures.
- Appreciate the power of appearance.
- Observe yourself on videotape.
- Enlist friends and family.

V. Writing Activity

1. From any working involvement or from being a student, what are some of the
difficulties in communication that you have experienced? Based on this module,
how can you prevent such difficulties to happen?
2. Based on the sub-topic in this module, summarize and use your own words on
how to improve the communication of your workplace or with your block mates.

Reminders:
 This writing activity will be answered using a word or document file. Answers
should be in paragraph form consisting of 3 to 5 sentences each.
 The word or document file should be letter size, 8.5X11, and using the font size
12 and font style Times New Romans.
 The file must be submitted through messenger or e-mail one day before the
schedule of the next module.
 For e-mail, use “Module 1-Writing Activity” as subject and your full name as
body.
 For messenger, send your full name first followed by the text “Module 1-Writing
Activity” then, you can send the file.

Prepared by
Richelle Joyce G. Samson, LPT

6
REFERENCES

Admin. (2018, November 29). Importance of Good Communication at the Workplace.

Retrieved September 11, 2020, from https://www.incorp.asia/blog/hr/importance-
of-good-communication-at-workplace/

Michael Page UK. (n.d.). The importance of good communication in the workplace:
Michael Page UK. Retrieved September 11, 2020, from
https://www.michaelpage.co.uk/advice/management-advice/development-and-
retention/importance-good-communication-workplace

Khan, T. (2017, March 25). Facing Today's Communication Challenges. Retrieved

September 11, 2020, from https://www.slideshare.net/TariqKhan57/facing-todays-
communication-challenges73631539?fbclid=IwAR23dmymw80xn7kWj6TpCU7
XY63WfLN8z82cJ6jm25yKxkdCvusGwsN3HDc