INTRODUCTION The word communication is used in common talk, to mean speaking or writing or sending a message to another person.

. Communication involves ensuring that your message has reached the target audience. The receiver should understand and respond to you. Communication is an important aspect of behaviour. WHAT IS THE ROLE OF COMMUNICATION AT WORKPLACE? Excellent communication skill Development of any healthy relationship Holding organization together Influences the behaviour of an individual WHAT DOES COMMUNICATION AT WORKPLACE INCLUDE? Formality Unintentional Dynamic Systemic

WHAT ARE THE STYLES IN COMMUNICATION AT WORKPLACE? 1. Director (Closed and Direct) 2. Socializer (Open and Direct) 3. Relater (Open and Indirect) 4. Thinker (Closed and Indirect WHAT ARE THE WAYS AND MEANS OF COMMUNICATION AT WORKPLACE? Written and oral One-way and two-way Formal and informal Internal and external Verbal and non-verbal Vertical and horizontal Interpersonal and intrapersonal WHAT ARE THE COMMUNICATION CHALLENGES AT WORKPLACE? Do you ever feel like youre not on the same wavelength as someone you work with? That you dont see eye-to-eye? That youre not speaking the same language? If your answer to any of these questions is "yes," you may be experiencing challenges because of different communication styles.

Businesses come in all shapes and sizes. Some are small, localized operations that have no more than ten employees. Others distribute their goods and services all over the globe using teams of hundreds, sometimes even thousands of employees. Each business, regardless of its size, scope or number of staff members, must be skilled in the art of communication and organization if it is to succeed and generate a profit. Multiple means of communicating Art of communicating with your fellow employees Language and culture obstacles Electronic mail Designation Technology Listening Problem in explaining the conversation Problem in expressing oneself clearly an completely Criticism Problem in expressing gratitude Lack of information Lack of participation

WHAT ARE THE EFFECTS OF COMMUNICATION CHALLENGES AT WORKPLACE? Distrust and low morale Culture clashes Low productivity and customer satisfaction Misunderstandings

WHAT ARE WRITTEN COMMUNICATION CHALLENGES AT WORKPLACE? E-mails not being read Poor writing skills Problem of presenting technical data to non technical people Lack of planning Lack of courtesy Use of phrases instead of single word Lack of proper information

WHAT ARE ORAL COMMUNICATION CHALLENGES AT WORKPLACE? Problem in hearing Lack of listening skill Problem in language

 Lack of confidence PROBLEM OF COMMUNICATION IN AN ORGANISATION? Communication within organization, team etc Communication outside with other stakeholders Communication inside the team Problem of understanding People are being left out Low level employees are often ignored Hatred between employer and employee

How to overcome the communication challenges at workplace

Lack of communication between employees is usually the cause of many workplace problems. This may mean there is a lack of communication between supervisors and employees, among employees or between employees and the customers. No matter what the cause of the problems in the workplace, these steps will help you solve them.

Instructions
o

1
Understand that when people in the workplace communicate with each other, they need to make sure that the other person understands what they are hearing. This way, nobody will be able to say, "Oh, I misunderstood" or "Well, no one told me that." When interacting with others, it is often helpful to repeat the key points that you want them to remember.

2
Remember that everyone should always be direct and truthful. Don't imply or exaggerate anything you say; instead be respectful, truthful and direct so that you aren't misunderstood.

3
Have company meetings during which everyone discusses the points made in Steps 1 and 2. The first part of solving workplace problems is prevention--eliminate problems before they begin. Designate a supervisor or supervisors who are responsible for helping people solve problems in the workplace. Next, make it clear that at any time an employee is having a problem, they can visit with these people for help.

o o

4
Solve problems among employees when they arise. First, identify the problem and the facts surrounding it. Second, identify the size and importance of the problem. This might be something with an easy solution. On the other hand, it may be a recurring problem that needs quite a bit of time and attention to solve.

5
Identify the best way to solve the problem. Discuss acceptable solutions to the problems and decide which one is the best. Next, determine the actions needed to reach that solution. You may need to have further meetings, mediation between employees or, in extreme situations, legal action.

Tips & Warnings

Meet with all parties involved in a problem soon after they have attempted to find the solution. Clarify that they are satisfied with the results and that the problem was solved. Don't get angry or confrontational when you are trying to solve a problem in the workplace. Staying calm is always more productive and effective.

Eliminating differences in perception: The organization should ensure that it is recruiting right individuals on the job. Its the responsibility of the interviewer to ensure that the interviewee has command over the written and spoken language. There should be proper Induction program so that the policies of the company are clear to all the employees. There should be proper trainings conducted for required employees (for eg: Voice and Accent training). Use of Simple Language: Use of simple and clear words should be emphasized. Use of ambiguous words and jargons should be avoided. Reduction and elimination of noise levels: Noise is the main communication barrier which must be overcome on priority basis. It is essential to identify the source of noise and then eliminate that source. Active Listening: Listen attentively and carefully. There is a difference between listening and hearing. Active listening means hearing with proper understanding of the message that is heard. By asking questions the speaker can ensure whether his/her message is understood or not by the receiver in the same terms as intended by the speaker. Emotional State: During communication one should make effective use of body language. He/she should not show their emotions while communication as the receiver might misinterpret the message being delivered. For example, if the conveyer of the message is in a bad mood then the receiver might think that the information being delivered is not good.

Simple Organizational Structure: The organizational structure should not be complex. The number of hierarchical levels should be optimum. There should be a ideal span of control within the organization. Simpler the organizational structure, more effective will be the communication. Avoid Information Overload: The managers should know how to prioritize their work. They should not overload themselves with the work. They should spend quality time with their subordinates and should listen to their problems and feedbacks actively. Give Constructive Feedback: Avoid giving negative feedback. The contents of the feedback might be negative, but it should be delivered constructively. Constructive feedback will lead to effective communication between the superior and subordinate. Proper Media Selection: The managers should properly select the medium of communication. Simple messages should be conveyed orally, like: face to face interaction or meetings. Use of written means of communication should be encouraged for delivering complex messages. For significant messages reminders can be given by using written means of communication such as : Memos, Notices etc. Flexibility in meeting the targets: For effective communication in an organization the managers should ensure that the individuals are meeting their targets timely without skipping the formal channels of communication. There should not be much pressure on employees to meet their targets.

Personnel in a workplace communicate with peers, managers, supervisors, members of the public, suppliers and others. Barriers to communication can cause problems and misunderstanding with effective communication. Some barriers to communication are: jargon disabilities age status lack of empathy stereotyping unclear or incomplete messages distance lack of time poor spelling - inaccurate sentence structure.

The following list outlines points to consider in relation to overcoming communication barriers. feedback - enables communication to become a two way process with both the sender and the receiver trying to achieve mutual understanding consider the words used - long complicated sentences and unfamiliar words confuse people. Communication should be clear, complete, concise, concrete, correct and courteous. use repetition - repeating messages several time using different examples can help others to understand the messages being sent use empathy - seeing a situation from another person's viewpoint and trying to understand others opinions concerns and attitudes makes better communicators timing - poor timing can result in messages not being received effectively

being positive rather than negative helps make communication more effective - what is wanted not what isn't wanted select the best location - talk somewhere that will encourage open communication not a noisy shop floor or a busy office listening reduces communication check written communication for spelling errors and ensure the sentences are clear, concise and not ambiguous.