Topic 4

Business Communication at the Workplace

Learning
objectives:
At the end of this topic, you should be able to:
• Recognize the purpose of business communication within
the workplace
• Explain the formal business communication channels
• Explain formal business communication networks
• Explain the problem arising from formal business
communication
• Identify the informal business communication channels
• Discuss the informal business communication networks
• Explain the problem arising from informal business
communication
Introduction

• Business communication - process of

sharing information between people within
the workplace and outside a company
• Workplace communication is much more
than conversations.
 It is about exchange of information through
multiple of different mediums.
 Employee share ideas and businesses
communicates strategies and goals through
communication, both formal and informal.
What is
workplace
business
communication?
Workplace communication refer to
employee exchange information and
ideas within an organization.

Communication so important in the

workplace as it helps:

• Avoids confusion
• Provides purpose
• Builds a positive company culture
• Create accountability
Purpose of
business communic
ation

• Control
• Motivation
• Balancing needs and goals
Control

• Control function occurs in the

behavioural issues of
employees
• Communication serve to
control the behaviour of an
organization's
individual members by setting
rules, norms and standard
• Organizations have rules and
process that employees must
follow - transmission of
information to keep order and
equity operating within the
system
Motivation

• Goals, feedback and

reinforcement - items
communicated to
employees to improve
performance and
stimulate motivation.
• Communication
motivates members by
providing feedback,
recognition and
encouragement
Balancing
needs and
goals
• For a lot of employees,
employment is a primary source
of social interaction.
• communication that goes on
between employees is an
important part of an
organization and often sets the
culture of the organization.
• Sharing emotions and feelings
to create a positive
work environment
• Communication allows
members to express their
emotions and needs through
social interactions
Balancing
needs and
goals
• Organizations need to keep
their employees informed of
their goals, industry
information, preferred
processes, new developments
and technology, etc., in order
that they can do their jobs
correctly and efficiently.
• This information might come to
employees in formal or
informal ways
• Coordination of effort within
organization to help people
work toward the same goals.
Formal business
communication

According to Herbert Simon, an American economist,

and Nobel laureate, “Formal communication is . .
communication that takes place through the official
channels of an organization and is concerned with the
work of the organization.”

“Formal communication is a professional method of

communication used in the workplace or in business
settings, characterized by a clear, concise, and
straightforward message conveyed through formal
language and structure.” – J. Ashley Panter and William G.
Howell, “Business Communication Essentials”
 • Formal communication - an exchange of official
Formal information between people within the same organization who
are often at different levels within the organizational hierarchy.
Business • It follows predefined channels and adheres to predetermined
Communicatio rules, standards, processes, and regulations set by the company.
• Channels are typically based on the formal structure of
n Channel the organization, including hierarchical levels, departments,
and official positions
Business Formal Communication
Channel
Business
communicat
ion channel

Lateral
Vertical
(horizontal) Diagonal
communicat
communicat Channel
ion
ion

Downward Upward
communicat Communicat
ion ion
 • Vertical communication takes place hierarchically among
different people in an organization.
Vertical • It is most direct - supervisors communicate with their direct
communicatio employees or staff and vice versa.
• Two types:
n o Downward
o Upward
Downward Channel
of communication
• Downward communication – communication that flows
from a higher level in an organization to a lower level
o Communication from superiors to subordinates in a
chain of command
• Downward communication is used to convey work-
related information to the employees at lower level.
o information concerning procedures, policies, and
vital notices that are important to the organization
o Employees requires information for performing
their job and for meeting the expectations of
their managers
Downward
communicatio
n purposes:
• Providing feedback on
employee performance
• Giving job instruction
• Providing a complete
understanding of the employee
job as well as to communicate
them how their job is related to
other jobs in the organization
• Communicating the
organizations mission and
vision to the employees
• Highlighting the areas of
attention
Upward communication
• Communication that flows to a higher level in an
organization
• Provides feedback on how well the organization is
functioning
• Subordinates use upward communication
o to convey their problems and performance to
their superiors
o To tell how well they have understood the downward
communication
o To shares their views and ideas and participate in
decision making
• Upward communication leads to more committed and
loyal workforce – employees given a chance to raise and
speak dissatisfaction issues to the higher levels.
 • Grievance redressal system

Example of • Complaint and suggestion box

• Job satisfaction surveys
Upward • Performance report made by low level
Communic management
• Employee attitude surveys
ation • Letters from employees
• Employee-manager discussions
Lateral Channel /
Horizontal
Communication

• communication takes place at same levels of hierarchy

in an organization
o the practice of sharing information between
employees, departments and units within the same
level of an organization
o i.e., communication between peers, between
manager at same level
• Important for coordination, problem-solving, and sharing
of knowledge or resources
• Advantages:
o It facilitates coordination of task
o Co-operation among team members
o Provide emotional and social assistance to the
organizational members
o It helps in solving various organizational problems
o It is means of information sharing
o Used to resolved conflict
Diagonal
Communication
• Diagonal communication – also known
as crosswise communication
o communication that takes place
between a manager and
employees of other work groups /
belong to different departments or
teams
• Purpose of diagonal Communication
o Facilitate collaboration, coordinatio
n, and information
exchange across different
hierarchical levels and functional
areas within an organization.
o Foster a more interconnected and
cross-functional approach,
enhancing overall organizational
effectiveness.
Formal Business
Communication
Networks
• Formal communication
networks are systems
designed by management
to dictate who should talk
to whom to get a job
done.
• An organizational
chart specific the
hierarchy and the
reporting systems in the
organization.
Types of formal business
communication networks

• Chain network
• Y network
• Wheel network
• Circle network
• All channel network
Chain Network

• Types of communication that

follows the organizational
hierarchy and chain of command
• Each member communicates with the person above
and below them, and the information flows vertically
upwards or downwards
Information distortion is not likely to take place, but
communication system becomes time consuming.
 • Is a type of formal communication that
Y Network follows the chain of authority in an
organization
• Two subordinates report to a superior, and
the superior communicates with another
superior
• Here A is the central person who
communicates with B, C and D.
It follows the formal chain of command
where upward and downward
communication takes place in the
organizational hierarchy.
Wheel Network

• communication network where all

information and messages flow through a
central individual – the hub at the centre
of the wheel.
• The superior communicates the information to subordination to
subordinates while the subordinates do not communicate amongst
themselves.
 • Circle communication is a form of group
exchange that builds a network of
relationships, a sense of community.
• It is one of the decentralized forms of a
communication network - information is
shared equally among all the members.
• similar to chain network except that
information flows in a circular direction
rather than vertical direction.

Circle Network
All Channel or Star Network

All the members in this network communicate

with each other freely and regularly.

It follows the informal channel of communication

and provides maximum satisfaction to members.

Information flows fast, though there may be

problem of coordination.
 Inadequate Communication Tools
Problem Low Quality of Written Communication
Arising from
formal Difficulty Staying Motivated
business
Cultural Differences
communicatio
n Lack of Social Awareness

Oversharing
Informal “Informal communication is the transmission of information,
ideas, feelings, and attitudes through channels that are not
/grapevine officially recognized by the organization or institution, but are
instead based on personal relationships, common interests,
communicati and social networks.” – Chester Barnard, in his book “The
Functions of the Executive” (1938).
on Barnard was an American business executive and author.
Informal (grapevine)
communication
• Also known as grapevine communication
• Informal communication is a mode of exchanging
information, ideas, and opinions in an informal and
unstructured way between individuals.
o It occurs outside of formal channels or official
hierarchies and often takes place among peers, or
colleagues who have a personal relationship or
shared interests.
• coworkers to communicate outside of formal
channels, spontaneous, unstructured, and can occur
during breaks or social gatherings.
• Form of informal communication:
o casual conversations,
o gossip,
o small talk,
o social media interactions,
o nonverbal cues such as body language and facial
expressions.
 Types of
grapevine
Communicati
on

Single strand Probability

Gossip chain Cluster chain
chain chain
Single Strand Chain
• The single strand chain involves the passing of information through a line of persons
to the ultimate recipient.
• This chain consists of one-on-one interaction.
• It is the least accurate of the four chains and with the increase of transit points the
chances of distortion and deletion increase.
• In the figure, the person A tells B, who tells C, who tells D, and so on, till the
information has reached most of the persons involved or concerned.
Gossip Chain

• The chain is characterized by a group

of people gathering to discuss matters
of mutual interest
• In the gossip chain, one person seeks
and tells the information to everyone.
• This chain is just like the wheel where
one person stays at the center and
the information passes along the
spokes of the wheel to others
stationed on the rim.
• In the following figure, A is at the
center and passes the information to
others staying on the rim of the
wheel.
Probability
Chain
• The probability chain (also be called
random process) is a random process in
which someone transmits the
information to others in accordance with
the laws of probability and then these
others tell still others in a similar way.
• Message is passed on randomly without
direction or method.
• The choice of recipient depends on the
sender's will, situation or context.
• Sender is indifferent to or
not interested in the receiver he
chooses.
Cluster Chain
• A person tells the information to the
selected persons who may in turn relay
(pass) the information to other selected
persons.
• This is the most popular grapevine
pattern.
• The first sender informs a few
chosen individuals who again pass on the
information to individuals of their choice
or keep the information to themselves.
• Choice of recipient depends on
the content and intent of the message as
well as the relationship between the
members of the group.
 Spread of
information leak
rumours

Lack of
Unreliable
accountability

Problem arising
Errors in carrying
Misinterpretation from informal out tasks
communication
Topic 4 Summary Control

Purpose of business communication within the Motivation

workplace

Balancing Needs and Goals

Formal Business Communication

Channels

Topic 4
Business Communication Formal Business Communication Formal business communication networks
at the Workplace

Problems arising from formal business

communication

Informal business communication channels

Informal business communication Informal business communication networks

Problems arising from informal business

communication
End of Topic 4
Any questions?