Communication and Its Impact on Organizational Culture
An organization’s policies, rules, ideologies, and principles are known to make up its culture. Additionally, the way employees interact and carry out themselves within the workplace is also an aspect ot the organization’s culture. Culture thus forms the identity and produces distinct characteristics or the workplace. On the other hand, communication refers to the act of passing information from one individual to another or one place to another. Effective communication is significant in an organization as it plays a critical role in customer management, employee relations, product development and minute business operations such as the cordial relationship between the management and the employees. Effective communication is the cornerstone and foundation of all business relations and interactions and its impact on everyday business transactions within the workplace cannot be ignored. Therefore, the paper aims to address important aspects of communuication and its impact on organizational culture.
According to Arsith & Draganescu (2011), the establishment of strong relations due to efficient and clear communication has the end product of laying a foundation for teamwork and cooperation. Coupled with a clear set of expectations, employees can work out within their areas of function without the need of job duplication or misunderstanding (Keyton, 2011). Additionally, employees and the management develop a mutual understanding of their duties and responsibilities without conflicts arising. It thus helps the employees and the management to uphold and follow the organization’s cultural practices such as adherence to mundane exercises as a conflict resolution way. It thus helps the employees support cultural practices of the organization as understanding is made easier, the relay of information from one place to another is quick and efficient, in addition to maintaining business and office etiquette within the working area (Zheng 2010).
An organization’s rules, principles, and policies aim at producing a good and strong teamwork with the focus on increasing productivity. To attain this, an organization must inculcate effective communication. According to Arsith & Draganescu (2011), effective communication thus has the net effect of promoting the product of an organization by focusing on attaining the organization goals and objectives by working within the principles and rules outlined. It, therefore, has a direct impact on how an organization will achieve its aims and objectives (Keyton, 2011). In a way, effective communication helps employees and leaders stick to the organization’s policies and rules, a key component of working within the organization’s strategies and mission statement. On the other hand, communication has an intense impact on the way employees perceive the organization’s goals since it is only through communication that they will understand the set goals and objectives outlined by the management.
Effective communication has a direct impact on employee productivity, ideas, and innovation. Through and by way of good communication between employees and the leadership, productivity level is specified to improve (West & Turner, 2013). It is coupled with a real mutual connection amongst the employees. Additionally, communication has the net effect of creating a healthy environment for a joint corporation, thereby instilling good work ethics and discipline in the workplace and amongst the employees (White et al., 2010). On the other hand, a definite confident, and the true relationship developed by the employees amongst each other due to effective communication has the positive effect of positioning the employees as the organization’s ambassadors. Since the employees understand and get along well with the organization’s rules and regulations, they can, in turn, be used as a highly valuable resource of information regarding the company’s products or services (Arsith & Draganescu, 2011).
The employees additionally position themselves better to representing the organization to other business prospects and connections, thus elevating the profile and status of the organization.
According to White et al. (2010), although building a healthy culture depends on several factors, it is often a direct impact of effective communication within the workplace. The ease with which employees relate, work, share, and connect is a direct result of the level of communication between them. For example, effective communication has the net effect of reducing the level or rate of controversies in addition to rumors. According to West and Turner (2013), any form of human relation devoid of controversies is set on the right path towards progress and change. For example, if an organization initiates a change process, effective communication amongst and between the employees and leaders will dictate its level of success and effect within the workplace (White et al., 2010). Employees will find it more comfortable sharing ideas, concepts, and business tips with individuals they trust and bond well. In addition, bonding, sharing, and interacting often point to effective communication between the employees and the management. It thus brings out healthy and best cultural practices within the workplace (Alvesson, 2011).
Effective communication has the ability of opening up and breaking the ice amongst employees who are not familiar with each other (Shao et al., 2012). For instance, effective communication enables new employees to get along well with those people who have been with the organization for an extended period. According to Arsith & Draganescu (2011), it enables new employees to develop the freedom to share their thoughts and concepts to bring in their innovative solutions, ideas, and thoughts to the organization’s management. On the other hand, effective communication has a profound impact on the interpersonal relationship – a primary component of teamwork. The interpersonal relationship amongst employees is a vital constituent of peace culture within the workplace (Schein, 2012).
Due to instances of disagreement and conflicts in the workplace, the ability to solve arising differences directly rests with the capacity of the parties involved to communicate. Effective communication will offer the only solution to resolve an impending impasse or bad blood amongst employee, thereby restoring initial peace and good relations amongst the employees (Zheng 2010). Communication, therefore, has a profound effect on maintaining an organization’s culture through and by enabling employees to establish a mature and goal-oriented partnership and relationship within the workplace (White, 2010).
Conclusion
In conclusion, communication is the number one factor in ensuring that an organization’s culture is uplifted by the outlined rules, principles, and ways of operation of the organization. The impact of communication on the culture of an organization cannot be ignored as it forms the key component of the organization’s way of operations and management. For example, as illustrated above, fellow employees will find a way of restoring their broken relationship with other workmates through and by communication, thereby help them work within the organization’s policies and guidelines. It is, therefore, no doubt that communication has a deeper impact on the management, day to day operations of the employee affairs within the workplace, and the general mood of the state of the office. On the other hand, it enhances and promotes a healthy attitude at the workplace by reinforcing the concept of unity and togetherness through the organization’s cultural bond and effect.
References
Alvesson, M. (2012). Understanding organizational culture. Sage Publications Ltd.
Arsith, M., & Draganescu, O. (2011). Communication and organizational culture. EIRP Proceedings, 6.
Keyton, J. (2011). Communication and organizational culture: A key to understanding work experiences. Sage.
Schein, E. H. (2010). Organizational culture and leadership (Vol. 2). John Wiley & Sons.
Shao, Z., Feng, Y., & Liu, L. (2012). The mediating effect of organizational culture and knowledge sharing on transformational leadership and Enterprise Resource Planning systems success: An empirical study in China. Computers in Human Behavior, 28(6), 2400-2413.
West, R., & Turner, L. H. (2013). Introducing Communication Theory: Analysis and Application (2013 Ed.). Boston McGraw-Hill
White, C., Vanc, A., & Stafford, G. (2010). Internal communication, information satisfaction, and sense of community: The effect of personal influence. Journal of Public Relations Research, 22(1), 65-84.
Zheng, W., Yang, B., & McLean, G. N. (2010). Linking organizational culture, structure, strategy, and organizational effectiveness: Mediating role of knowledge management. Journal of Business Research, 63(7), 763-771.