Organizational Behavior

Module 8: Effective Workplace Communication

Module Learning Outcomes

Discuss appropriate technological tools, methods, and styles of communication in the

workplace

8.1: Describe the key components of effective communication in contemporary organizational life
8.2: Discuss the importance of technology and various methods of communication available
8.3: Discuss the other issues in workplace communication
Key Components of Communication
Learning Outcomes: Key Components of Communication

8.1: Describe the key components of effective communication in contemporary

organizational life
8.1.1: Define the functions of organizational communication
8.1.2: Describe the communication process
8.1.3: Analyze direction of communication within an organization
8.1.4: Discuss types of communication within an organization
8.1.5: Analyze barriers to effective communication
Functions of Organizational Communication

Control Emotional Expression

Motivation Information
Communication Process – The Feedback Loop
Directions of Communication

Horizontal
(between peers)

Downward Upward
(from leader to (from subordinate to
subordinate) leader)
Types of Communication

• Interpersonal communication
• Oral communication
• Written communication
• Non-verbal communication
• Facial expressions
• Gestures
• Proximity to receiver
• Touch
• Eye contact
• Appearance
• Tone and inflection
Class Activity: How many ways can you say it?

• Without changing the words or the order of the words, discuss how many different meanings
you can get from the sentence…

Would you attend the conference with me?

…by using tone and inflection only.

Organizational Types of Communication
Barriers to effective communication

Perceptual bias Organizational barriers

Active Listening
Class Activity: Taking a Vacation!
• Split off into pairs. Person B is going
to sell a vacation to Person A!
• Person A should think of a
specific place to go on vacation.
• Without naming the place, s/he
should tell Person B two things
about that place, to give Person B
an idea of what s/he is looking for
in a vacation.
• Person B should then ask questions
and use active listening skills to
determine where Person A would
like to go on vacation
• Take five minutes, and then switch
so Person A can practice, too!
Practice Question 1

What purposes does communication serve within an

organization?

A. Control, motivation, information, emotional

expression
B. Clear, concise, objective, consistent, complete
C. Sender, message, receiver, noise, feedback
D. Encoding, decoding, noise, feedback
Practice Question 2

How is “decoding” defined in the communication feedback loop?

A. When encoding and decoding don’t happen seamlessly and the meaning is misunderstood
B. When the speaker puts his thoughts into words, verbally or on paper
C. When the receiver translates the speaker’s message
D. When the receiver clarifies the message he received with additional questions
Practice Question 3

If Georgie makes suggestions on how a particular work process can be improved, and his
manager doesn’t listen because he feels that Georgie is usually lazy and uninformed, then what
barrier has gotten in the way of successful communication?

A. Perceptual bias
B. Organizational barriers
C. Inactive listening
D. Effective feedback
Practice Question 4

What is the definition of downward communication?

A. A message between people at the same level in an organization.

B. A message from a manager to a subordinate.
C. A message from a subordinate to a manager.
D. A message between a business and the outside world.
Communicating with Technology
Learning Outcomes: Communicating with Technology

8.2: Discuss the importance of technology and various methods of communication

available
8.2.1: Discuss written technologies useful for communication
8.2.2: Compare and contrast common tools for audio communication
8.2.3: Compare and contrast common tools for video communication
8.2.4: Compare and contrast common tools for screen / web sharing
8.2.5: Explore multifeature online platforms / virtual office spaces
Written Communication

• Email
• Instant Messaging
• Intranet
• Social Media
Audio Communication
• C
ell p
sma hon
• V rtpho e and
oice nes
Inte Ove
Pro rnet r
• C t oco l
o nf (VO
pho renc e IP)
• C nes e
o nf
serv erenc
• G i ce s i n g
oog
le V
oice
Video Conferencing

• Camera
• Computer
• Video conferencing platform
Online Communication

• Screen sharing/web sharing

• Multi-feature online platforms
Practice Question 5

What is a benefit of video conferencing?

A. The ability to communicate face-to-face and share documents among employees who aren’t
in the same location, allowing for greater productivity for international teams
B. The ability to communicate with thousands of people with a single mouse click
C. The ability to store all often-used company documents and forms in a single place
D. The ability to share fun things going on in your department and having other people
comment on those activities
Other Concerns in Workplace Communication
Learning Outcomes: Other Concerns in Workplace
Communication
8.3: Discuss the other issues in workplace communication
8.3.1: Discuss ethics in communication
8.3.2: Discuss the importance of staying connected with colleagues and other professionals in
the digital age
Ethics in Communication

• Honesty
• Refrain from doing harm
• Fairness to all stakeholders
Staying connected with colleagues

• Document and work sharing tools

• Private messaging and “chat” tools
• Video communication tools
Practice Question 6

Tobacco companies are required to communicate that the practice of consuming their products
may lead to physical conditions like emphysema or lung cancer. This is an example of which
element of ethical communication?

A. fairness to stakeholders
B. refrain from doing harm
C. honesty
D. clarity
Quick Review

• Organizational communication provides four functions – control, motivation, information

and emotional expression
• When communicating, one must consider not only the sender, receiver and message, but
noise that distorts the message and feedback given for clarity
• Organizational communication travels in three directions – upward, downward and
horizontal
• Individuals can communicate verbally, non-verbally and in writing
• Perceptual bias and organizational barriers often prevent clear communication
• Types of technology affect communication and all have pros and cons
• Ethics are important – remember honesty, refrain from harm and fairness to all stakeholders
in every communication