AN INVESTIGATION OF

ON THE DIFFERENT
METHODS OF
COMMUNICATION USED
IN A BUSINESS.

Candidate number
Center Number
Teacher: Mrs. Kerr
School: Holy Childhood High School
Year: 2022-2023
Territory: Jamaica
Table of contents
Title Pages

Criteria 1: Preparation
Title Page………………………………………………………………………1
Aim……………………………………………………………………………..2
Functions of the business………………………………………………………3
Letter of correspondence…………………………………………………….…4

Criteria 2: Gathering data

Methodology…………………………………………………………….……..5
Questionnaire…………………………………………………………….,……6-9
Schedule of activities………………………………………………………….10-11
Evidence of regulation policies………………………………………………..12-16

Criteria 3: Presentation
Written Report…………………………………………………………………17
Recommendations………………………………………………………………18
Limitations………………………………………………………………………19
Office equipment……………………………………………………………….20
Bibliography……………………………………………………………………21
Appendix………………………………………………………………………..22-23
 Title Page

Group members:
Robertha Russell
Mickayla Rufus
Rhonique Walters
Angelee Maragh
Karimah Williams

Grade: 114

Research Question: An investigation on the different methods of communications in a

business
 AIMS/OBJECTIVES

1. The researchers aim to find out what are the methods of communication used in a
business

2. How are methods of communication important to the business

3. What strategies does the business put in place to ensure the methods of
communication is effective
 FUNCTIONS
1. Ibex HR Department assist operation in the facilitation of a safety committee in
accordance with specified guidelines and ensure that safety policies are in place to
ensure a safe working environment.

2. Ibex HR department is responsible for the completion of new the orientation and
documentation of new employees.
 LETTER OF CORRESPONDENCE

9 September 2022

130 Spanish Town Road

Kingston 13
St. Andrew

Jeffrey Cox
Lot 8 & 9 Portmore Pines Plaza
Beaeton Park Way Portmore

Dear Sir:
In partial fulfillment of the requirements for our office administration school-based
assessment, the researchers would like to conduct a research study question entitled "An
investigation on the different methods of communication used in IBEX".

In connection with this we would like to ask your good office permission to conduct our
research in your vicinity. Rest assured that the data we will gather will remain confidential
and to be used in academic purpose only.

We believe that you are with us in our enthusiasm to finish the requirement as compliance for
our subject and to develop our wellbeing. We hope for your positive response on this humble
matter. Your approval to conduct this study will be greatly appreciated.

Respectfully yours,
Mickayla Rufus.
 Methodology

The method of investigation that the researchers will be using to collect data is a survey to be
conducted using 78 printed questionnaires. A questionnaire is defined as a research
instrument consisting of series of questions and other prompts for the purpose of gathering
information from respondents on a particular matter. The researchers chose the printed
questionnaire as the method of data collection because of:
 The relatively low cost of printing
 The ease in data analysis
 The ease with which respondents can answer questions
 The fact that data collection can be achieved within a short time frame
 The confidentiality afforded by questionnaires which allow for more honest responses
The questionnaire consisted of 9 close ending questions and liker scale in which the
respondents ticked the answer they are most comfortable with. The questionnaire was
distributed to a total of 78 individuals which included employees at Ibex.
 Different Graphs questionnaire

Figure 1 above shows which method of communication is mostly used in Ibex.

Analysis: In the pie chart above, it shows that 5.1% use virtual, 10.3% uses written, 57.7%
uses electronic and 26.9% used oral.

Figure 2 : Bargraph Showing strategies the company can use to overcome the challenges
faced.
According to figure 2, 3.9% of the sample suggest listening to the recipient and do not
respond while 6.5% suggests not taking the recipients opinion into consideration. 59.7%
suggest to choose a time suitable to get the recipients attention and give them time to respond
while the remaining 68.8% suggests to keep communication short and simple and avoid using
jorgans or slangs.
Figure 3 above shows the different methods of communication use in the effectiveness of
ibex
Analysis: In the pie chart above, it shows that
48.8% believes that electronic medium is more effective in the communication of Ibex,
35.4% believes that oral medium is more effective in the communication of Ibex,
11.4%believes that visual medium is more effective in the communication of Ibex,
And 6.3 % believe that the written medium is more effective in the communication of Ibex.

Figure 4 above shows some methods that the company can put in place to make sure
that the methods of communication used is effective
 Analysis: In the bar graph above, it shows that 48.7% says to employ a
communication strategy, 59% says to employ different channels to transfer messages, 5.1%
says to leave it as it is and do nothing and 57.7% says to try to manage and assist with
communication issues.
 Schedule of activities
Date Activities
September 13, 2022 Started SBA
September 16, 2022 Started on Objectives and
Functions
September 30, 2022 Letter of Correspondence
was added
October 1, 2022 Our group met on google
meet to discuss the SBA
October 3, 2022 Our group met to discuss the
methodology. The
instrument chosen was a
questionnaire
October 8, 2022 Our group met on google
meet to discuss how the
instrument (questionnaire)
would be used
October 21, 2022 The questionnaire was sent
out
October 25, 2022 The presentation and
analysis of data were made
November 4, 2022 Our group decided which
evidence of regulation and
policy would be used in our
SBA
November 11, 2022 The office equipments used
were evaluated and the
impact that they have in the
office were noted in the
SBA
November 14, 2022 The bibliography was added
December 16, 2022 The SBA was handed in
Comments
We were all really excited to
start this SBA
We found this part of the
SBA particularly easy
There was no challenge in
writing the letter
This was our very first
meeting outside of school
and it really helped as we
discussed what we would
get started on next
We chose this method for it
would be more efficient to
gather information
This was our second
meeting outside of school.
During this meeting, we
successfully added questions
and options to those
questions to the
questionnaire
After the questionnaire was
reviewed, we sent it out via
WhatsApp. No problems
were encountered.
After the results of the
questionnaire came back, we
started on the presentation
and analysis of the data.
This was a bit challenging
for us, but we successfully
finished it
We decided on the
Maternity Leave regulation
after much contemplation
We did a thorough
investigation as to what
equipments were used in the
office and noted them down
No problems were
encountered in doing this
The SBA had its challenges,
but we overcame them as a
group and successfully
handed in our SBA on time
JAMAICA
THE MATERNITY LEAVE ACT
Act No. 44 of 1979.
[31st December, 1979.]
Short title.
1. This Act may be cited as the Maternity Leave Act.
Interpretation.
2. In this Act—
“confinement” means the birth of a living child or the birth of a child whether living
or dead after twenty-eight weeks of pregnancy;
“expected week of confinement” in relation to any worker means the week in
which it is expected that her confinement will take place;
“original contract of employment” in relation to any worker who is absent from
work wholly or partly because of pregnancy or confinement, means the contract
under which she worked immediately before the beginning of her absence;
“registered medical practitioner” means a medical practitioner registered under
the Medical Act;
“seasonal employment” means employment provided by an employer during a
specific part (commencing at approximately the same time in each year) of each
of two or more consecutive years;
“successor” in relation to the employer of a worker means a person who, in
consequence of a change occurring (whether by virtue of sale or other dis position or by
operation of law) in the ownership of the undertaking or of that part
of the undertaking for the purposes of which the worker was employed, has
become the owner of that undertaking or of that part of it, as the case may be;
“week” means the period commencing immediately after twelve o’clock midnight
on each Saturday and ending at twelve o’clock midnight on the Saturday next
following;
“worker” means an individual of the female sex who has entered into, or works
under, a contract with an employer, whether the contract is express or implied,
and (if it is express) whether it is oral or in writing and whether it is a contract of
service or of apprenticeship, and includes any such individual employed in the
service of the Government (including service in the Jamaica Defence Force and
the Jamaica Constabulary Force), and “employer” shall be construed
accordingly.
Employer’s duty to grant maternity leave.
3. (1) Subject to the provisions of subsection (2), the employer of a
worker shall grant her leave, to be known as maternity leave, if that worker -
(a) informs the employer that she is, or wishes to be, absent from work
wholly or partly because of her pregnancy or confinement and that she
intends to return to work with the employer;
(b) has been continuously employed by the employer for a period of
not less than fifty-two weeks at the date on which her absence begins, or,
being in seasonal employment, has been engaged by that employer in
that employment for periods which amount to not less than fifty-two weeks
during the five years immediately preceding that date; and
(c) produces for the inspection of the employer, if the employer so
requests, a certificate from a registered medical practitioner stating that it
is necessary for the worker to be absent from work wholly or partly
because of her pregnancy or confinement.
3. (2) The period (or, if more than one, the aggregate of the periods) for
which a worker is entitled under subsection (1) to be granted maternity leave
shall be the period or periods during which she is absent from work wholly or
partly because of her pregnancy or confinement, but shall not, except in the
cases mentioned in subsections (3) and (4), exceed twelve weeks in respect of
each pregnancy or confinement.
3. (3) If a worker who has been granted maternity leave for twelve weeks
in respect of a pregnancy or confinement furnishes her employer with a
certificate from a registered medical practitioner certifying that as a result of her
illness arising from that pregnancy or confinement, or as a result of the state of
health of the child to whom she has given birth, it is necessary for the worker to
be absent from work for an additional period, not exceeding fourteen weeks,
which shall be specified in the certificate and shall begin immediately after the
end of those twelve weeks, her employer shall grant her extension of her
maternity leave for the period so specified.
3. (4) If a worker who has been granted maternity leave for twelve weeks
in respect of a pregnancy or confinement wishes to be granted extension of her
maternity leave for a period exceeding fourteen weeks for any of the reasons
mentioned in subsection (3) -
(a) she shall submit herself or the child, as the case may require, to a
medical examination by a registered medical practitioner chosen and paid
by her, if her employer requires her so to do;
(b) her employer may require that the medical examination mentioned
in paragraph (a) shall be carried out in the presence of, and in consultation
with, a registered medical practitioner chosen and paid by the employer;
and
(c) if there is disagreement between the registered medical
practitioners mentioned in paragraphs (a) and (b), the matter shall be
referred to the Chief Medical Officer, and any decision made by him or a
registered medical practitioner nominated by him shall be final,
and if it is necessary for the worker to be absent for an additional period
exceeding fourteen weeks, her employer shall, subject to the result of the
medical examination, if any, grant her extension of her maternity leave for that
additional period.
3. (5) Any period (not exceeding three weeks) required for determination
of any medical question pursuant to subsection (4) shall be regarded as leave
granted to the employee pursuant to this section.
Worker’s right to return to work.
4. (1) Subject to the provisions of subsections (2), (3), (4) and (5), every
worker to whom maternity leave is granted shall be entitled to return to work -
(a) with the employer who granted the leave or, where appropriate, his
successor;
(b) in the capacity and place in which she was employed under the
original contract of employment, to do work of the nature for which she
was employed under that contract of employment;
(c) on terms and conditions that, as regards seniority, pension
rights and other similar rights, the period of her employment immediately
prior to her absence on maternity leave shall be regarded as continuous
with her employment following that absence.
4. (2) The Minister may by order provide that subsection (1) shall not
apply, or shall apply with such modifications as may be specified in the order, to
any worker who immediately prior to her absence on maternity leave was
employed, under her contract of employment, to do work of a nature specified in
the order.
4. (3) A worker shall not be entitled under subsection (1) to return to
work-
 Written Report
Our research team chose to conduct our study on methods of communication in the HR
department of Ibex . We chose this company because of its reputation as a leader in the field
of telecommunications and its commitment to using effective communication strategies
within the organization.
During the research process, we interviewed a number of employees from the HR department
and observed their communication practices in various settings. We also reviewed company
documents and policies related to communication within the department.
Our research showed that the HR department at Ibex places a strong emphasis on effective
communication, both within the department and with other teams within the company. They
use a variety of tools and strategies to ensure that information is shared quickly and
accurately, including email, phone calls, and in-person meetings.
In addition, the HR department also provides training to employees on how to communicate
effectively and has established clear protocols for communication within the department and
with other teams. This focus on communication has contributed to the department's success in
fulfilling its role as a key support function within the company.
Overall, our research showed that the HR department at Ibex is committed to using effective
communication strategies and has implemented a range of tools and practices to support this
goal. This has helped the department to achieve its objectives and support the broader
goals of the company.
It is important for a business to have effective methods of communication in order to
exchange information and ideas among employees, customers, and other stakeholders. In the
case of the Ibex , some potential methods of communication that the business could use
include email, phone calls, in-person meetings, and social media.
 Recommendation
To ensure that these methods of communication are effective, the business can put in place
several strategies. For example, they can establish clear communication channels and
protocols, provide training to employees on how to use the various communication tools, and
regularly review and update their communication strategies to keep pace with changing
technologies and business needs.

In addition, the business can also consider implementing tools and systems that facilitate
communication and collaboration, such as project management software and collaboration
platforms. These tools can help employees share information and work together more
efficiently, which can improve the overall effectiveness of the business's communication
efforts.
 Limitation
There were some limitation which occurred while conducting this research.
Limitation occurred while conducting this research. These include:
1.Employees were afraid to answer question honestly because of fear of oppression by
employer
2. Participants did not answer questions accurately due to a lack of understanding.
3. There were some group members who were uncooperative
 OFFICE EQUIPMENT
During the research process, the following equipment was used by the researched:

DATE EQUIPMENT PURPOSE SUITABLITY OF

USED TASK
October 4, 2022 Desktop Computer The purpose of a Desktop computers
desktop computer are easier, and less
is to house the expensive, to
physical hardware upgrade the also
that makes a have more power
computer run and and more features.
connects to input
devices such as the
monitor, keyboard,
and mouse users
interact with
October 4, 2022, Laptop Computer The purpose of the Laptops take up
laptop is to let you less room than
complete tasks desktop computers,
from anywhere giving you more
space to work on
paper-based
projects like sorting
and filing.
October 4, 2022, Photocopy machine The purpose of the A Photocopier
photocopy machine machine has the
is to produce capability to make
multiple duplicates of paper
copies of the same at a very fast rate.
document. Mostly they are
able to produce 100
pages per minute.
Even at this speed,
photocopiers are
still affordable.
October 4, 2022, Scanner The purpose of the Makes it easy to
scanner is to scan share documents and
or take a picture of collaborate on
the document, projects without
digitize the having to reproduce
information and information on
present it on the paper.
computer screen.
October 4, 2022 Printer The purpose of the A printer helps
printer is to accept improve
text and graphic productivity in the
output from a
computer and
transfer the
information to paper.
 Bibliography
 Longman Office Administration for Csec 2nd Edition by S.Finisterre, L.Payne, J.Reid,
Pearson 2012
 file:///C:/Users/karim/AppData/Local/Microsoft/Windows/INetCache/IE/
MQEGO29O/The%20Maternity%20Leave%20Act[1].pdf
 Appendix
An investigation on the different methods of communication used in a business.

1.Which method of communication do you believe is most commonly used in IBEX?

Electronic
Written
Oral
Visual

2.Gender
Female
Male

3.Which method of communication is more effective in IBEX?

Visual
Oral
Written
Electronic

4.To what extent does the method of communication used to enhance growth and
development of IBEX?
a great extent
a large extent
a small extent
Other:

5.What are some benefits of the different method of communication used in IBEX?
Building trust
Preventing or resolving problems
Providing clarity and direction
Improves productivity
6.Which method of communication is mostly used in IBEX?
Visual
Oral
Written
Electronic

7.How satisfied are the employees in using the different methods of communication in Ibex?
Very satisfied
Satisfied
Dissatisfied

8.What are some methods that the company can put in place to make sure the method of
communication used is effective?
Employ a communication strategy
Employ different channels to transfer messages
Leave it as is and do nothing
Try to manage and assist with communication issues

9.What are some challenges IBEX experiences in using some method of communication?
Bias
Poor literary skills
Speaking different language
Interpersonal communications

10.What are the strategies that the company can use to overcome the challenges faced?
Keep communication short and simple and avoid using jargons or slangs
Choose a time suitable to get the recipient's attention and give them time to respond
Not taking the recipient's opinion into consideration
Listen to the recipient and do not respond