COMMUNICATE IN THE WOKPLACE

(MODULE 3 UNIT 1)
COMMUNICATION PROCESS & TYPES OF COMMUNIATION
THE COMMUNICATION PROCESS
TYPES OF COMMUNICATION

 VERBAL/ORAL
 NON-VERBAL
 WRITTEN
 FORMAL
 INFORMAL
 DIRECT
 INDIRECT
VERBAL COMMUNICATION

Verbal or oral communication uses spoken words to communicate a message. When most
people think of verbal communication, they think of speaking, but listening is an equally
important skill for this type of communication to be successful. Verbal communication is
applicable to a wide range of situations, ranging from informal office discussions to public
speeches made to thousands of people.

As it relates to businesses verbal communication includes:

 Answering enquiries from clients
 Use of voice mail
VERBAL COMMUNICATION CONT’D

 Requests from colleagues

 Informal discussions
 Appropriate language
 Clear voice
 Audible volume
 Courteous tone
 Active listening
 Asking questions or rephrasing to clarify or confirm understanding
NON-VERBAL COMMUNICATION

Non-verbal communication includes body language, gestures, facial expressions, and even
posture. Non-verbal communication sets the tone of a conversation, and can seriously
undermine the message contained in your words if you are not careful to control it. For
example, slouching and shrinking back in your chair during a business meeting can make
you seem under-confident, which may lead people to doubt the strength of your verbal
contributions. In contrast, leaning over an employee’s desk and invading his or her personal
space can turn a friendly chat into an aggressive confrontation that leaves the employee
feeling victimized and undervalued.
NON-VERBAL COMMUNICATION CONT’D

As it relates to businesses non-verbal communication involves:

 Making eye contact
 Nodding
 Body language
 gestures
WRITTEN COMMUNICATION

 Written communication is essential for communicating complicated information, such as

statistics or other data, that could not be easily communicated through speech alone.
Written communication also allows information to be recorded so that it can be referred to
at a later date. When producing a piece of written communication, especially one that is
likely to be referred to over and over again, you need to plan what you want to say carefully
to ensure that all the relevant information is accurately and clearly communicated.

 Written communication must be clear and concise in order to communicate information

effectively. A good written report conveys the necessary information using precise,
grammatically correct language, without using more words than are needed.
FORMAL & INFORMAL COMMUNICATION

 Formal communication is related to the formal organizational

structure and conforms to the official rules and lines of authority
of the organization. Formal communication may be done via
meetings, reports, policy statements and so on

 Informal communication is linked to the social relationships that

exists among persons. It may be simply a discussion over lunch
or chat at the water cooler
DIRECT COMMUNICATION

Direct communication is speech that states and directs an action. Direct

communication is often used in the workplace to ensure that it is very clear who
has the authority to give orders, and what the order is. Direct communication is
used when there is no room for discussion or compromise. This style usually
doesn't allow the listener to respond with an opinion or viewpoint. For example,
your supervisor may say to you, 'You need to get to work on time every day.'
That's pretty direct, right? There's little to no room for misunderstanding what
your supervisor means.
DIRECT COMMUNICATION CONT’D

 People who are direct communicators often tell it like it is. Because of this,
they can sometimes appear to be argumentative, aggressive, or just plain rude.
Most of the time, direct communicators are very nice, caring people. Their
behavior is often driven by the passion for what they do or believe in.
Behaviors of direct communicators include:
 Talking fast: Moving quickly from one topic to another.
 Using intense body language: Large hand movements or banging their hands
on the desk.
 Talking more than listening: Too busy expressing their own opinions that they
miss the opinions of others.
INDIRECT COMMUNICATION

 Indirect communication is sometimes seen as vague and non-committal. This

often places listeners in a situation where they have to 'read between the lines'
or guess what the speaker means. For example, if your supervisor says to you,
'I wish you lived closer to the job,' this statement can be interpreted to mean a
few things.

 Sometimes, indirect communication can be very useful because it helps teams

work well together by creating a respectful and friendly work environment
What Is Organizational Policy &
Procedures?
 A set of policies are principles, rules, and guidelines formulated or adopted
by an organization to reach its long-term goals and typically published in
a booklet or other form that is widely accessible.
 Policies and procedures are designed to influence and determine all
major decisions and actions, and all activities take place within the
boundaries set by them. Procedures are the specific methods employed to
express policies in action in day-to-day operations of the organization.
Together, policies and procedures ensure that a point of view held by the
governing body of an organization is translated into steps that result in an
outcome compatible with that view.
ORGANIZATIONAL POLICIES AND
PROCEDURES MAY INCLUDE:
 Customer complaints/queries
 Answering telephone, writing messages and on-line enquiry
 Job description/ responsibilities
 Service standards
 Organizational code of conduct
 General OH&S principles and responsibilities
 Contact with customers
 Personal dress, presentation, hygiene
 Interaction with team members
 Induction/orientation process
Organizational policies & procedures for answering
telephone, writing messages and on-line enquiries

Organizations are committed to ensuring that all phone calls are answered in the
correct, professional manner and the client’s questions are answered prior to
finishing the call. 
writing messages

Messages must be recorded and passed on promptly.

PAGE 85 OFFICE ADMINISTRATION (FRANK RAMTAHAL)

CONTACT WITH CUSTOMER

How does an organization make contact with customers?

 Telephone
 E-mail
 Letter
Personal dress, presentation & hygiene

 personal dress –attire for work. Some factors to take into consideration for
personal dress are:
 Body Shape
 Hairstyle
 Shoes
 Accessories
PERSONAL PRESENTATION

Personal presentation at work includes your physical presentation, personal

hygiene, how you speak, get along with others and deal with issues that come up
at work.