Impact on internal organization communication on employee

performance in law firm of UK

 Abstract
It's impossible to have productive collaboration among employees and for the business as a
whole to run smoothly without efficient communication. Internal information and communication
flows have their own consequences on employee performance and decision making, making it
important to examine the role of internal communications in driving employee performance in
service of organizational goals. The purpose of this study is to examine specific types of internal
communication in an effort to prove that such communication has an effect on employee
productivity on the job. Workers' opinions on the company's communication culture, information
quality, and communication channels were surveyed using a questionnaire. Data was collected
from 143 participants (out of a total of 220) and was described and analyzed quantitatively.
Employee performance and output were found to be significantly influenced by internal
communication. Another common method of communication was talking to someone face to
face orally. Poor and underutilized communication systems and the failure to include all
employees in decision making were found to be factors limiting employee effectiveness in the
business. To create a reliable and conducive communication environment that will bring out the
best in employees, the researcher did make some suggestions, such as improving the quality of
communication resources and creating a communication plan and strategy that takes into
account the essential parameters of who, how, when, and what information is to be
communicated.

ii
Table of contents

Impact on internal organization communication on employee performance in law firm of UK

Abstract

List of Tables

Chapter no 1

Introduction

1.1 Background to the Study

1.2 Statement of the Research Problem

1.3 Aim and Objectives of the Study

1.4 Research Questions

1.5 Significance of the Study

1.6 Limitations of the Study

Chapter no 2

Literature Review

2.1 Internal Communication

2.2 Employee Performance

Summary of Literature Review

Chapter no 3

Research methodology

3.1 Research design

3.2 Study Population

3.3 Sample Size

3.4 Sampling Technique

3.5 Methods of Data Collection

3.6 Data Analysis

3.7 Ethical Consideration

iii
Chapter no 4

Data Analysis and Discussion of Findings

4.1 Demographic

4.2 Correlations

4.3 Reliability

Chapter 5

Discussion

Conclusion and Recommendations

References

Appendix

iv
 List of Tables

Table 1: Gender
Table 2: Age
Table 3: Position/Level
Table 4: Correlations
Table 5: Case Processing Summary
Table 6: Reliability Statistics
Table 7: Model Summary
Table 8: Regression
Table 9: Coefficients

v
 Chapter no 1

Introduction
Researchers were interested in this topic because they were wondering about the impact of
internal communication on workplace efficiency. We go deeper into the communication climate,
the quality of information and communication, etc., that make up internal communication in
order to get a better grasp on how it could affect employee productivity on the job. This will be
achieved through the examination of data acquired from a local non-governmental organization
that will serve as the case organization for this study, as well as by a review of the current
literature on internal communication and communication in general. This chapter serves as an
introduction to the project, outlining the study topic pursued, outlining the research questions,
and emphasizing limitations so that the reader may get a good feel for the scope of the work
done.

1.1 Background to the Study

In today's competitive business environment, effective and clear communication is essential for
any company to thrive. An excellent illustration of this is a remark made by Bartlett and Ghoshal
in which they refer to internal communication as the "lifeblood of a firm" (Van Den Bulcke,
2004). As information is the cornerstone of all exchanges, it stands to reason that strong internal
communication is fundamental to the success of every company.

When it comes to an organization's growth and success, the free and constant flow of
information is as important as the influx of cash (Tkalac Veri, Veri, & Sriramesh, 2012).

Training employees in effective communication is only part of the puzzle; the importance of
internal communication lies in meeting the needs and overcoming the obstacles of the company
in terms of internal communication. "Communication is a key and not a peripheral component of
organizational effectiveness," Zaremba (2003) explains. This is not an unnecessary addition.
The importance of communication in the workplace cannot be overstated. Internal
communication is a complex yet seemingly straightforward topic, and it is not limited to a select
few or an unusual occurrence within businesses (Miller and Barbour, 2014).

The term "communication" refers to the means through which messages are transmitted and
received (Yates,2006). Email, hotlines, suggestion boxes, the Internet, the Intranet, the

1
teleconference, the videoconference, the memo, the letter, the notice board, the formal
presentation, the report, the open forum, the blog, and the wiki are all examples of ways in
which information can be disseminated.

Conversely, internal communication has traditionally been understood as the two-way flow of
information between a company's leadership and its staff. Most modern businesses understand
that effective internal communication is a key factor in determining and influencing the level of
employee performance on the job and, ultimately, in achieving the organization's goals.

In any business or organization, it's inevitable that employees will build bonds with coworkers
both formally and informally. People truly do come in a wide variety of shapes, sizes, colours,
and orientations, meaning that if they don't talk to one another, they'll have a hard time
understanding each other. It follows that workers can't do their jobs well if they aren't aware of
the company's goals and how they fit into achieving them. Improved performance, efficiency,
and output are all the result of better communication inside a business.

Communication that is both effective and well-organized has been shown to have a good impact
on workers' attitudes, productivity, and overall happiness on the workplace, as has been shown
by numerous studies in recent years. Having open lines of communication between upper
management and their staff is essential in the modern workplace. Essentially, it's the process by
which upper-level management conveys information and directives to lower-level workers in a
way that facilitates understanding and action; this, in turn, improves organizational effectiveness
and productivity.

When there is a breakdown in communication, everyone loses clarity about their day-to-day
tasks, upper management lacks access to critical information, and managers and executives
are unable to effectively guide and manage their teams. Communication allows for the daily
management functions of an organization, such as organizing, planning, managing, and
directing, as well as the better understanding of each other's sentiments, opinions, ideas, and
principles. Without proper coordination, it will be impossible for a company to carry out its tasks
successfully, and inefficient internal communication will always result in subpar performance.

Workers require clear direction and instructions in order to accomplish their jobs well; if they are
not given this information or if they lack the communication skills necessary to convey it to
others, then the work they are assigned will be incomplete or improperly done. There seems to
be a lack of communication between the administration and the workers in certain situations.
This means that when issues arise, it is generally accepted that they are the result of a

2
breakdown in communication. This begs the question, what next? If management and workers
aren't on the same page, productivity in the workplace suffers. Hence, internal communication
plays a crucial role in helping businesses create roles, rules, and terms of reference/job specs
and then convey them to their employees.

Despite the fact that many studies have been conducted on the significance of modern
organizational communication, relatively few have examined the significant impact of internal
communication factors on individual job performance in light of the aforementioned complexities
of internal communication within an organization. The primary motivation for conducting this
research was sparked by the investigators' desire to learn which aspects of internal
communication had the greatest impact on workers' efficiency and effectiveness in completing
their assigned responsibilities.

1.2 Statement of the Research Problem

Employees' productivity decreases and their overall performance suffers in most law firms
because of the slow and cumbersome internal communication channels that result from the
highly organized nature of law firms. In addition, every legal institution also has its own unique
culture and set of practices that it adheres to when carrying out its many roles and
responsibilities. Communication has been the subject of studies that have shed light on the
connection between that process and the overall success of a business. While previous studies
have established that internal communication affects organizational effectiveness as a whole,
they have mostly ignored, if not ignored entirely, the effect that it has on employees' productivity
on the job.

Given this context, the primary objective of this research is to identify the effects of internal
communication on the productivity of an organization's workforce. There is a dearth of studies or
research on the important impact of organizational communication on individual employee
performance, notably in Cameroon, which is a major contributor to the emergence of this issue.

1.3 Aim and Objectives of the Study

This study's primary goal or objective is to identify and clarify the impact of internal
communication on employee performance inside an organization. This research primarily aims
to:

• To determine whether there is a strong relationship between employee performance and

internal communication.

3
 • To determine whether aspects of internal communication, such as information quality,
the tone of the conversation, and communication methods, benefit employee
performance.

• To recognize the difficulties in internal communication that staff members in

organizations face.

1.4 Research Questions

• What is the relationship between employee performance and internal communication?

• Do internal communication elements have an effect on employee productive effort?

• What are the challenges of internal communication facing employees in an organization?

1.5 Significance of the Study

The findings of this study are significant because they will shed light on the barriers and
challenges of internal communication in a business, which may contribute to poor levels of
employee performance and productivity. Second, the study's findings will likely have far-
reaching implications for public relations professionals by illuminating what works and how to
maximize an organization's human resources to achieve maximum productivity. Top-level
decision-makers in any business will find this research useful, as it will provide light on the
question of what kind of communication strategy or policy is most likely to lead to improved
employee performance and, by extension, greater organizational effectiveness. Internal
communication and its ramifications within a law organization is a growing area of study, and
this research will provide a solid foundation for future studies in the field.

When the focus of internal communications shifts to the staff, it fosters an environment
conducive to learning, collaboration, extra effort, and good decision making (Opitz and Hinner,
2003).

1.6 Limitations of the Study

The researchers' narrow focus on a Legal organization means that their findings may not be
immediately transferable to other sorts of organizations; however, I think the challenges
presented in this study may be equally important to complex organizations. The scope of this
study is limited once more to that which occurs within an organization. Email and company-wide
gatherings are both examples of what we mean by "internal communication" here. They could
be arranged in a formal manner or be impromptu. Whilst exterior communication may influence

4
internal communication and, in turn, affect an employee's performance on the job, this study
does not investigate any forms of external communication, which is to say, communications with
people outside of the organization (Chalmers, 2008).

In addition, there are constraints to be considered in light of the potential applications and
operationalizations of some of the concepts explored here. It is suggested that internal
communication is not a simple idea, but rather one that involves multiple levels and diverse
types of interaction within an organization. While it would have been beneficial to investigate this
idea in depth, doing so is outside the scope of this paper and would necessitate a significant
investment of time, energy, and resources that the author may simply not have.

5
 Chapter no 2

Literature Review
For a deeper knowledge of how internal communication affects employee performance, this
chapter digs into the literature that is directly relevant to the goals and research questions set in
Chapter One. Although there is a wide and intricate body of work on the topic of communication
theories and studies, the goal of this article is to provide a high-level summary of some of the
more crucial points. After establishing a conceptual framework, we will discuss the definition of
internal communication, the identification of different approaches to internal communication, the
description of internal communication from an organizational perspective, and the emphasis on
the impact of internal communication on employee performance.

2.1 Internal Communication

These shifts in the workplace, together with the concept's shifting constituent elements, appear
to be influencing a new way of thinking about internal communication, one that results in
workers who are more invested in the success of the company and more effective in their day-
to-day duties. In discussing organizational shifts and their effects on workers, Argenti (1998)
cites a study by the research group Conference Board. The study asked over 200 businesses to
share their perspectives on what constitutes effective internal communication and the ways in
which it influences workers. The study's findings suggested that effective internal
communication might boost morale, keep workers apprised of developments inside the
company, and forge closer ties between upper management and their staff (Verghese, 2015).
Employees will have a better grasp of the company they work for and be better able to
contribute to the organization's overall mission if this is the case.

Despite Argenti's emphasis on the importance of important players and two-way communication
in facilitating effective internal communication, little study has been conducted on the connection
between effective internal communication and increased productivity among workers. Being
aware of this deficiency, this research will attempt to depict a new and different facet of effective
communication by investigating the impact of internal communication on employee
performance. This research will do so by considering certain variables that have been
overlooked or ignored by previous studies on the subject. Remember that Argenti and the
Conference Board put higher weight on the role that internal communication plays in employee

6
happiness in their research. They paid special attention to the role that communication plays in
shaping workers' attitudes about their employer.

Our research, on the other hand, takes a slightly different tack, asking if internal communication
—the act of communicating itself, the quality of information conveyed, and the channels of
communication used—has any discernible effect on employee performance in the pursuit of
both individual and organizational success.

Moreover, Asif and Sargeant (2000) studied efficient internal communication procedures to
create a model for internal communication. This study set out to "examine a number of internal
communication challenges within the setting of two prominent High Street Banks," as stated by
the study's authors. To gather data, they interviewed workers one-on-one over the course of six
months using a qualitative methodology (Argenti, 2006). According to the interview data, six
outcomes—a common goal, happy employees, a focus on service, increased autonomy and
responsibility, greater employee commitment, and greater employee loyalty—are the result of
effective internal communication (Asif and Sargeant, 2000). Yet beyond simple measures like
employee happiness, the researchers found additional, nuanced factors in internal
communication. The study didn't say anything about whether or whether these new variables
were related to performance, so this one is going to try to show how internal communication
factors into that equation. To get the most out of this study, we'll be using a mix of qualitative
and quantitative methods, such as interviews, focus groups, and surveys.

Internal communication research has already pointed to a correlation between the two factors,
as well. The two components, internal communication and trust, are intertwined in a major way,
according to the work of Yamaguchi (2009). He foresaw that workers would build a negative and
distrustful impression of management and the company as a whole if bad news or negative
information (such as proposal failure or low organizational outcomes) were communicated to
them. Conversely, positive outcomes for the organization are the result of open lines of
communication between management and staff and rising levels of organizational success
(Yamaguchi, 2009). Employees' attitudes may be shifted through effective communication, the
author argues, leading to increased performance and output (Yamaguchi, 2009). Effective
communication lowers stress levels, builds trust among workers, boosts productivity, and
encourages employees to have a sense of belonging in the company.

Internal communication, job satisfaction, and organisational identity have all been shown to be
positively correlated by Dinsbach, Feij, and de Vries (2007). They discussed this correlation in

7
the context of workplace discrimination and came to the conclusion that treating workers unfairly
has a detrimental impact on both individual performance and organizational output. In contrast,
those who are treated fairly at work are more likely to feel appreciated by their superiors and to
give their all. Using the results of their study, they were able to better comprehend and
investigate the symbiotic linkages that exist among internal communication, attitude towards
work, and performance (Dinsbach, Feij and de Vries, 2007). Results showed that when there is
effective internal communication, employees put in more effort, have higher performance, and
have a more positive outlook on the company as a whole, proving that communication is the
greatest approach for management to learn about employees' attitudes.

Effective internal communication in a business requires first developing a strategic strategy, and
this can be done by talking to the people who will be implementing it: the employees. Depending
on the audience, the level of understanding, and the nature of the information being
disseminated, the medium or channel utilized for communication might be just as crucial. In this
light, De Bussy et al. (2003) conducted research into the interplay between traditional and digital
forms of company-wide communication. Ethical work climate, reciprocal trust, attitudes towards
innovation, and goal alignment were all highlighted as important aspects of internal
communication in this research. New media use was associated with more trust and a more
ethical culture at work, according to their research. The research also found that the more
employees used new media, the more positively they felt about the organization's chances of
success and the more likely they were to make creative contributions to it (De Bussy et al.,
2003)

Even while the study found that firms that priorities communication would profit from using new
media channels for communication, it either failed to establish or ignored the possibility that
such channels might potentially have a positive and meaningful impact on employee
performance (Karanges et al., 2015). This research aims to learn how businesses improve the
quality of the information and messages being delivered within their organisations, and by
extension, how their people perform in their day-to-day activities (Karanges et al., 2015).

Although the study found that organizations that priorities communication would benefit from
using new media channels for communication, it failed to establish or ignored the possibility that
such channels may also have a positive and significant impact on employee performance
(Tkalac Veri and poljari, 2020). Since the quality of the information or message sent has a direct
impact on the efficiency with which employees carry out their duties, this research aims to

8
ascertain how businesses might use or utilize communication channels to improve this quality
(Tkalac Veri and poljari, 2020).

2.2 Employee Performance

Although it's often used interchangeably with "job efficiency," this concept is still in its infancy in
the fields of management and communication. The motivation or incentive of an employee is a
crucial aspect in human resource management since it directly affects the performance or
productive effort of that individual (Mubarok and Darmawan, 2019). Every workplace has
situations where workers are expected to use their own judgement and initiative, also known as
discretionary effort. This could be the case, for example, when an employee is presented with a
problem that calls for a lengthy and centralised chain of communication before decisions can be
made, allowing them to put forth their full potential in completing the task at hand (Mubarok and
Darmawan, 2019). However our study's primary focus is not on motivation itself, but on other
factors that may invariably affect workers' productivity in the workplace.

Based on the work of Hackman and Oldham (1980), which connected employees' incentive to
work or perform better to specific psychological variables, Kahn (1990) conducted an
instrumental investigation to comprehend several essential aspects of employee performance.

40

The two groups that Kahn compared and contrasted were a summer camp and an architectural
firm. Observation, document analysis, introspection, and in-depth interviews were all used as
sources of information for his study (Kahn, 1990). To explain why some workers in an
organization excel at their jobs while others struggle, he offered a number of psychological
elements. Whenever an employee is faced with a new assignment or environment, Kahn
believes they automatically ask themselves three questions. Answers to these questions
suggest how much leeway the employee has to improve or decrease their performance. Kahn's
research led him to focus on three key inquiries. They were: what's in it for me? Is it safe to do
so? To what extent do I have availability?

Based on the responses to these inquiries, we were able to identify three distinct employee
psychological states: meaningfulness, safety, and availability (Kahn, 1990). Feeling like your
efforts will pay off psychologically is what we mean when we talk about meaningfulness. There
must be some benefit to the worker either during or after the task is completed for him or her to
choose to perform better and put in more effort. One definition of psychological safety is the
assurance that one's reputation or social standing will not suffer as a result of participating in an

9
activity. Employees will be more driven to enhance production and perform at their highest
potential if they believe that doing the work will not have a negative impact on their identity,
beliefs, or values. (Kahn, 1990). The term "psychological availability" was coined to describe the
state of mind in which an individual believes they possess the necessary personal, social, and
emotional assets to complete an assignment. A stressed-out, anxious, and uncertain worker is
less likely to put up the effort necessary to complete the assignment in a timely manner.

Kahn's research showed that when people felt they had something to gain, were guaranteed
something, and had access to the tools they needed, they would raise their own performance.
The findings revealed that when people were exposed to greater opportunities for achieving
personal growth and development, they were more productive than when they were in situations
with lower levels of psychological meaningfulness. (Kahn, 1990) Kahn's studies yielded a
complex model for understanding worker productivity. Organizations were forced to rethink their
methods of employee communication and relations in light of the new data and the consequent
need to make significant adjustments to accommodate the evolving nature of their workforces.
Kahn's research is limited, however, because he focused too heavily on an employee's mental
state rather than contextual factors. The study also didn't look at how internal communication
might have affected productivity. In an effort to shed light on this controversy, our research will
adopt a novel slant by focusing on the role that internal communication plays in motivating
workers to perform to their full potential when assigned tasks are being carried out.

In addition, Woodruffe (2006) discovered that companies that understood the importance of
their workforce and made sure their workers were provided with a positive environment
remained more productive than their competitors. "It is a matter of basic business logic that an
organization's employees constitute the most critical weapon in its fight for competitive
supremacy," he said. Particularly in the service sector, businesses have realized that "there is
not much use in employing people at all if you are not going to take steps to make them want to
give their best to you" (Woodruffe, 2006). For job performance to replace job happiness, all of
the components of employment must be recognized and defined. In addition to showing up to
work regularly, employees showed initiative and discretionary effort when they worked for
companies that provided more than just a paycheck.

Summary of Literature Review

In light of the foregoing, it is clear that efficient internal communication has been demonstrated
to positively improve work satisfaction in a number of studies in the communication and

10
management literature. Yet, maintaining satisfied workers has gotten increasingly difficult as
time has passed, rendering obsolete the variables and gauges that were originally utilized to do
so. Many new studies have emerged in recent years demonstrating the correlation between
effective internal communications and the overall effectiveness of a firm. Despite its importance,
job satisfaction has received very little attention in the literature on internal communication.
Therefore, there is a need for further empirical studies of the effect of internal communication on
worker productivity.

11
Chapter no 3

Research methodology
In this chapter, we cover the strategies, methods, and processes that were put into gathering
and analyzing the study's primary data. The methodology, demographic, sample, data source,
and methods of data collecting are all laid out. Methodology refers to the means by which the
data for the study were collected.

3.1 Research design

The purpose of this research is to learn how better internal communication might boost
productivity in UK law businesses. Employee performance is the dependent variable while
internal communication is the independent variable in this study. A questionnaire is used to
gather information for this research project. The surveys were sent to the workers of UK law
firms at random. A total of 143 workers made up the study's sample. The study was conducted
using a survey research strategy. The methods used for this were an in-depth interview and a
questionnaire. The purpose of this research is to provide an explanation of the impact that
internal corporate communication has on employee performance, as seen through the eyes of a
subset of those who work in the companies under investigation. Employees at the managerial,
senior, and entry levels are included.

3.2 Study Population

Employees at all levels, from entry-level to management, from a sample of UK legal companies
were included in this study.

3.3 Sample Size

There were 143 participants in this study: 106 workers at intermediate and upper levels, and 37
managers and executives from the companies analyzed.

3.4 Sampling Technique

Purposive sampling was employed to choose the organizations under investigation, as well as
the four management persons who were polled, and it was also used to select the 143 entry-
and mid-level workers who were asked to fill out the survey.

12
3.5 Methods of Data Collection
The researcher gathered all of the necessary data for the study through personal interviews and
a survey instrument in the form of a questionnaire. Each member of staff was given their own
copy of the survey.

Data from both primary and secondary sources were used in this analysis. The administration of
questionnaires and in-person observations throughout the staff and management of Law firms
represented the primary sources of data collecting. In this study, we used a questionnaire to
collect, record, and measure the information we needed to answer our research questions and
verify our hypotheses.

3.6 Data Analysis

Data analysis was performed using SPSS. The results were summarized using frequency
tables, with each response shown as a percentage of the total. Moreover, Pearson's chi-square
was used to analyze the correlation between variables.

3.7 Ethical Consideration

During the data collection phase, ethical concerns were taken into account. Before conducting
the research, the academic asked for and received approval from the organizations' upper
management. All participants were given the option to leave the study at any time and verbal
informed agreement was obtained before giving the questionnaire. Furthermore, all information
provided by responders was kept strictly confidential. The data acquired were only relevant to
the aims of this investigation.

Chapter no 4

Data Analysis and Discussion of Findings

In this section, we examine the data gleaned from the questionnaires filled out by entry-, mid-,
and upper-level employees as well as management at the companies under review. It looks into
the connection between companywide communication and productivity on the work. In the first
section, you'll find a breakdown of the respondents' demographic information; in the second,
you'll find a summary and analysis of the questionnaire responses. Moreover, it demonstrates the
results debate.

13
4.1 Demographic

Table 1: Gender

Gender

Quantitative and survey research methods are used in this investigation. Participants in this
study are employed by a legal services provider. A total of 143 participants were used as a
sample for this study, with men making up 68.5% of the group and women the remaining 31.5%.

Table 2: Age

Age

There were over half (48.9%) of respondents in the age range of 25-28, and nearly a quarter
(21.1%) of respondents in the age range of 29-32. There are 19.6% responders between the
ages of 20 and 24, and 12.6% between the ages of 33 and 36. Based on the data shown here, it
appears that the bulk of this study's participants are rather young.

14
Table 3: Position/Level

Position

The above table shows the level/position of the respondents, showing that 53.8% are managers
or above at law firms, 25% are managers or above, and the remaining 20.3% are junior level
employees.

4.2 Correlations
Pearson's r, a measure of sample correlation, is a measure of bivariate The degree and
direction of the linear relationship between two continuous variables can be measured by
calculating their correlation (how close the relationship is to being a perfectly straight line).
Moreover, the p ("rho") population correlation coefficient is utilized by the Pearson correlation
test to see if there is statistical support for a linear relationship between paired variables.
Parametric measurements include the ubiquitous Pearson correlation coefficient. Indicators of
correlation include the following variables:

Table 4: Correlations

Correlations

15
The above numbers are Pearson correlations, which are used to evaluate the degree of
association between two variables. There is a favorable and statistically significant correlation
between employee performance and internal communication (r = 0.309).

4.3 Reliability

Table 5: Case Processing Summary

Case Processing Summary

No respondent's data is missing from this table. Each and every one of the respondents
completes every necessary field.

Table 6: Reliability Statistics

Reliability Statistics

16
The items in the above table are used to calculate the internal consistency and reliability of a
scale or test. With an alpha so close to 1, it's clear that the scale's variables are very consistent
with one another.

4.4 Regression

Table 7: Model Summary

Model Summary

The R-squared value of 0.095 shown in the table above indicates that changes of 95% or more
may be attributed to the independent variable of interest (in this case, employee performance).

Table 8: Regression

ANOVAa

The term "ANOVA" refers to the set of mathematical operations that are the basis for statistical
significance tests and provide information on the levels of variability within a regression model.

17
A method for determining if there are statistically significant differences between three or more
groups. It's a statistical method for comparing the means of two sets of data. Correlation
between the response and predictor variables exists if the P-value is less than 0.05. The data in
the table, with a P-Value of 0.000b 0.05, provides adequate evidence for the alternative
hypothesis that there is a significant linear association between internal communication and
employee performance.

Table 9: Coefficients

Coefficientsa

The table shows that there is a positive effect of internal communication on employee
performance, with a coefficient of 0.276, which is statistically significant at the 5% level. As
such, evidence for our first alternative hypothesis that internal communication in legal firms
significantly correlates with employee performance is shown. It also shows that a 0.276%
improvement in productivity may be expected for every 1 unit increase in internal
communication.

Chapter 5

Discussion
According to this research, legal companies in the UK can significantly benefit from better
internal communication in order to boost employee performance. These results serve as a
timely reminder to business owners and managers that communication is a crucial area of study
in the discipline of management and administration. Hence, as stressed by Vercic et al. (2012),
leaders of organisations should maintain open lines of communication with their staff in order to
foster a positive and productive working environment. In addition, Vercic et al. argued that good
internal communication helps employees do their jobs better, which in turn can boost the

18
effectiveness of the business as a whole. Evidence for this comes from the observations of
experts who have discovered a causal link between effective internal communication and
productive workforce outcomes (Bhatia and Balani, 2015; Kulachai et al., 2018). In addition,
business executives need to use a wide range of internal communication channels to get their
points across, such as direct face-to-face interaction, written materials, digital platforms, and
social media. But top executives must understand that improving company-wide communication
is no easy task. To ensure that internal communication contributes positively to the development
of the business and that employees feel appreciated by the leadership of the organization, it is
important that firm leaders construct internal communication that is clear, comfortable, and
effective (Welch, 2013).

Employee performance in UK law businesses was found to be significantly boosted by improved

internal communication, according to this study. Consistently communicating the organization's
beliefs and goals to all employees and outlining how each person may contribute to achieving
those goals in the course of their everyday job has been shown to improve loyalty on the part of
workers, supporting the findings of Bhatia and Balani (2015). When workers are invested in the
company's success, they take a more active role in promoting its values and principles.
Employees that have a clearer understanding of the company's values and mission are better
able to put in extra effort to achieve those values and mission.

Conclusion and Recommendations

Effective internal communication is crucial to the smooth operation of any firm with multiple
divisions. It's important to give internal communication the time and energy it deserves in order
to grow and flourish, and for its implications and results not to be misunderstood. When an
organization's internal communication is consistent with its culture, it fosters growth in a variety
of areas. Many of an organization's objectives can be achieved through effective internal
communication. The goal of an organization's internal communication is to maximize
stakeholder satisfaction while also boosting staff output and productivity. The goal of an
organization's internal communication strategy is to promote the company's products and
services and inform consumers and clients of the company's commitment to quality at all levels
of the organization. Providing clients with services that exceed their expectations and build a
great brand image requires strong internal communication. One of the primary goals of internal
communication is to ensure that clients and customers have access to all the information they
require, while another is to develop employees' abilities so that they may serve as a valuable
asset to the company. Managers at an organization recognize the value of internal

19
communication in helping them fulfil their goals and deadlines. Maintaining open lines of
communication within an organization is essential for keeping tabs on day-to-day operations,
rewarding employee performance, and keeping staff committed to the company's mission and
vision.

References
Argenti, P.A. (2006). How Technology Has Influenced the Field of Corporate
Communication. Journal of Business and Technical Communication, [online] 20(3),
pp.357–370. doi:https://doi.org/10.1177/1050651906287260.

Argenti, P.A. (2014). Ebook: Corporate Communication. [online] Google Books.

McGraw Hill. Available at: https://books.google.com/books?
hl=en&lr=&id=HIZvEAAAQBAJ&oi=fnd&pg=PP1&dq=Argenti [Accessed 15 Feb. 2023].

Asif, S. and Sargeant, A. (2000). Modelling internal communications in the financial

services sector. European Journal of Marketing, [online] 34(3/4), pp.299–318.
doi:https://doi.org/10.1108/03090560010311867.

Chalmers, S. (2008). The Changing Role of Internal Communications. Are Required

Practitioner Competencies Keeping Pace with the Opportunities and Challenges?
eresearch.qmu.ac.uk. [online] Available at:
https://eresearch.qmu.ac.uk/handle/20.500.12289/568 [Accessed 15 Feb. 2023].

De Bussy, N.M., Ewing, M.T. and Pitt, L.F. (2003). Stakeholder theory and internal
marketing communications: a framework for analysing the influence of new media.
Journal of Marketing Communications, [online] 9(3), pp.147–161.
doi:https://doi.org/10.1080/1352726032000129890.

Dinsbach, A.A., Feij, J.A. and de Vries, R.E. (2007). The role of communication content
in an ethnically diverse organization. International Journal of Intercultural Relations,
[online] 31(6), pp.725–745. doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijintrel.2007.08.001.

20
Gillis, T. and IABC (2011). The IABC Handbook of Organizational Communication: A
Guide to Internal Communication, Public Relations, Marketing, and Leadership. [online]
Google Books. John Wiley & Sons. Available at: https://books.google.com/books?
hl=en&lr=&id=A_vhOr1U8LYC&oi=fnd&pg=PA195&dq=internal+communication&ots=Tg
o8xcs0VJ&sig=TILZSgBEsvAt9CHeIYFzRKEmcLQ [Accessed 15 Feb. 2023].

Giri, V.N. and Pavan Kumar, B. (2010). Assessing the impact of organizational
communication on job satisfaction and job performance. Psychological Studies, [online]
55(2), pp.137–143. doi:https://doi.org/10.1007/s12646-010-0013-6.

Kahn, W.A. (1990). Psychological Conditions of Personal Engagement and

Disengagement at Work. Academy of Management Journal, [online] 33(4), pp.692–724.
Available at: https://journals.aom.org/doi/abs/10.5465/256287 [Accessed 15 Feb. 2023].

Karanges, E., Johnston, K., Beatson, A. and Lings, I. (2015). The influence of internal
communication on employee engagement: A pilot study. Public Relations Review,
[online] 41(1), pp.129–131. doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pubrev.2014.12.003.

Miller, K. and Barbour, J. (2014). Organizational Communication: Approaches and

Processes. [online] Google Books. Cengage Learning. Available at:
https://books.google.com/books?
hl=en&lr=&id=HOPKAgAAQBAJ&oi=fnd&pg=PR5&dq=related:fMI9qdQhyr8J:scholar.go
ogle.com/&ots=MJAnBVzZPY&sig=r3H0K4K1d2BbAhaR0gHV50-83k0 [Accessed 15
Feb. 2023].

Mubarok, E. and Darmawan, J. (2019). The Influence of Training, Motivation, and Work
Ethics on the Internal Communication and Their Impact on the Employee Performance.
[online] 11(24). Available at: https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/234629097.pdf [Accessed
15 Feb. 2023].

Opitz, I. and Hinner, M.B. (2003). Good internal communication increases productivity.
[online] www.econstor.eu. Available at: https://www.econstor.eu/handle/10419/48382
[Accessed 15 Feb. 2023].

21
Raina, R. and Roebuck, D.B. (2014). Exploring Cultural Influence on Managerial
Communication in Relationship to Job Satisfaction, Organizational Commitment, and
the Employees’ Propensity to Leave in the Insurance Sector of India. International
Journal of Business Communication, [online] 53(1), pp.97–130.
doi:https://doi.org/10.1177/2329488414525453.

Ridder, J.A. (2004). Organisational communication and supportive employees. Human

Resource Management Journal, [online] 14(3), pp.20–30.
doi:https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1748-8583.2004.tb00124.x.

Ruck, M.K. (2015). Exploring Internal Communication: Towards Informed Employee

Voice. [online] Google Books. Gower Publishing, Ltd. Available at:
https://books.google.com/books?
hl=en&lr=&id=MZy_BwAAQBAJ&oi=fnd&pg=PR11&dq=related:19GU_coQtIwJ:scholar.
google.com/&ots=Z-JPFca337&sig=IydIFLEioPWtSUS5GJ8QVGruxwc [Accessed 15
Feb. 2023].

Sharbaji, Y. (2021). ROLE AND IMPACT OF INTERNAL COMMUNICATION AMONG

EMPLOYEES WITHIN AN ORGANIZATION IN THE DIGITAL COMMUNICATION ERA.
[online] Available at: https://digikogu.taltech.ee/en/Download/295417f2-d872-4571-
8d1c-e011903e8245/Ttajatevahelisesisekommunikatsioonirolljam.pdf [Accessed 15
Feb. 2023].

Smidts, A., Pruyn, A.Th.H. and Van Riel, C.B.M. (2001). The Impact of Employee
Communication and Perceived External Prestige On Organizational Identification.
Academy of Management Journal, [online] 44(5), pp.1051–1062.
doi:https://doi.org/10.5465/3069448.

Tkalac Verčič, A. and Špoljarić, A. (2020). Managing internal communication: How the
choice of channels affects internal communication satisfaction. Public Relations Review,
[online] 46(3), p.101926. doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pubrev.2020.101926.

22
Tkalac Verčič, A., Verčič, D. and Sriramesh, K. (2012). Internal communication:
Definition, parameters, and the future. Public Relations Review, [online] 38(2), pp.223–
230. doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pubrev.2011.12.019.

Van Den Bulcke, D. (2004). Critical Perspectives on Internationalization. Journal of

International Business Studies, [online] 35(3), pp.251–254.
doi:https://doi.org/10.1057/palgrave.jibs.8400083.

Verghese, A. (2015). Internal Communication: Practices and Implications Practitionerss

Perspectives. SSRN Electronic Journal. [online]
doi:https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.2690026.

Woodruffe, C. (2006). A potent secret for winning a crucial edge over your rivals?
Industrial and Commercial Training, [online] 38(1), pp.18–22.
doi:https://doi.org/10.1108/00197850610646007.

Yamaguchi, I. (2009). Influences of organizational communication tactics on trust with

procedural justice effects: A cross-cultural study between Japanese and American
workers. International Journal of Intercultural Relations, [online] 33(1), pp.21–31.
doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijintrel.2009.01.002.

Yates, K. (2006). Internal communication effectiveness enhances bottom-line results.

Journal of Organizational Excellence, [online] 25(3), pp.71–79.
doi:https://doi.org/10.1002/joe.20102.

23
Appendix
Survey Questionnaire

24
25
26
27
28