Effective organizational communication: a

competitive advantage.

Effective organizational communication, from an HR viewpoint, focuses on openness in

communication between senior management and employees, resulting in improved employee
engagement and productivity. In a cross-cultural environment, building and maintaining rapport
for business relationships depends
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on the effective use of language and understanding differing communication styles. These and
other aspects are discussed to bring awareness to opportunities to foster better communication
at all levels of the organization.
Introduction

In today's global business environment. effective organizational communication--internal and

external--has a significant impact on an organization's success. Reasons for the increasing
importance of organizational communication are many, with workplace change front and center.
Overall, the world of work has become more complex More than ever before, knowledge,
learning and innovation are critical to an organization's sustainability, Further, with employees
often being widely distributed geographically, communication technologies and networks arc
essential for the accomplishment of a company's strategy. (1)

Therefore, effective organizational communication is critical to actively engage employees,

foster trust and respect, and promote productivity'. In fact, SHRM's 2008 job Satisfaction survey
report notes that communication between employees and senior management is among the top
five very important aspects of employee job satisfaction. (2) While not inclusive of all possible
communication issues, this article focuses on selected key aspects of effective organizational
communication from a human resources perspective.

Business Case

Organizational communication encompasses many aspects. It spans a wide range, from formal
and informal internal communication practices to externally directed communications (media,
public, inter-organizational). In their hook, Essentials of Corporate communication, management
experts Cees B. M. van Riel and Charles J. Fombrun point out that communication is at the
heart of organizational performance. Organizational communication includes marketing, public
relations, investor relations, corporate advertising and environmental communication. In the
largest sense, it encompasses the organization's initiatives that demonstrate social
responsibility and good citizenship. (3)

Human resource professionals uniquely position themselves at both the starting and finishing
points of the communication continuum. From an HR viewpoint, effective organizational
communication contributes to learning, teamwork, safety, innovation and quality of decision-
making in organizations. In an age of increased competition for talent, communication has
become a strategic tool for employee engagement, satisfaction and retention. In fact, effective
organizational communication contributes directly to employee and organizational learning, an
essential factor for competitive advantage. (4) The most successful HR professionals are
consummate communicators. Typically, their organizations over-communicate with all
constituents, and their leadership styles transmit the traditions and values of their company.
Thus, as a promoter of effective organizational communication, HR is a key strategic partner in
leveraging the relationships between employees and top management.

Primary Functions of Organizational Communication

In the communication literature, researchers in the 20th century highlight both theoretical and
practical functions of communication in society (see figure 1). Historically, an early theoretical
perspective that has guided the dialogue about communication is a technical theory often
attributed to Claude E. Shannon and Warren Weaver (1949). In his role as an engineer at Bell
Laboratories, Shannon viewed communication as a mechanistic system. This theory proposes
that communication begins with an information source/ message, is transmitted with a "noise"
source and becomes a received message upon reaching its destination. This early
communication theory is still a valid view from which to discuss organizational communication.
(5) Another key theoretical perspective is that of the contextual approach to communication.
This concept is broader than an exchange of information or meaning. Rather, this aspect
focuses on both verbal content and nonverbal cues and considers cultural/ social contexts.
Thus, writers and researchers of past decades set the foundation for the study and practice of
organizational communication in today's world.

Figure 1 | Snapshot View of Key Functions of Organizational

Communication

Mead (1934) (7) Neher(1997) (8) Myers and Myers

(1982) (9)

* Words create meaning * Compliance-gaining * Coordination and

from self and society regulation of
production
activities

* Leading, influencing
and motivating

* Problem-solving * Socialization

* Decision-making * Innovation

* Conflict management

* Negotiation
In the world of work, the practical function of communication is an exchange of information,
viewpoints and feedback. At die same time, one of the key purposes of organizational
communication is to manage uncertainty and perceptions during organizational change. A
recent study examined die role of different sources of communication to address employee
change-related uncertainty. The findings revealed that employees prefer to hear from their direct
supervisors for implementation-related and job-relevant information, with senior management
providing updates on strategy. (6)

Ideally, employees should not feel uncomfortable or afraid to pose questions, suggestions or
concerns to management. Organizations should ask themselves, "Can employees question the
decisions of management without fear of repercussion?" There are various mechanisms that
can be used to encourage feedback and communication from employees to senior management
(bottom-to-top), such as employee attitude surveys. Employees can also meet with their
supervisors to discuss any matters regularly or as needed, and this process can be used as a
means of upward communication.

On the other hand, it is important that senior management communicate directly with
employees, so that employees understand the organization's business goals, policies and
vision, and arc apprised about what is going on in the organization. It can be particularly
challenging for large organizations to keep me lines of communication clear and employees in
the loop. Senior management can reduce these potential obstacles by keeping employees well-
informed through companywide meetings and the use of technology in top-to-bottom
communications (e.g., CEO chat rooms, intranet mechanisms and e-mails). Thus, effective
organizational communication is a key issue where HR professionals can provide guidance.

Communication and Employee Engagement

Clear, consistent and honest communication is an important management tool for employee
engagement and retention. Such strategies are critical to long-term organizational success.
Additionally, strategic and continuous communication lends credibility to the organization's
leadership. In contrast, a lack of communication or poorly communicated information can lead to
distrust, dissatisfaction, skepticism, cynicism and unwanted turnover. Branding, for example, is
a type of communication strategy that can promote employee engagement by sending "the right
message" about the company, its mission, values and products/services to the workforce and
marketplace at large. Additionally, the company reputation is created through building or
reinventing the employer brand, including the effective use of the corporate mission statement.
While HR leaders do not typically lead these initiatives, HR is an integral part of the employer
brand and employee experience, with emphasis on employee communication.

Research emphasizes the link between organizational communication and employee

engagement. As noted in SHRM Foundation's Employment Engagement and Commitment,
employees who are committed to the company and engaged in their work provide organizations
with crucial competitive advantage, such as higher productivity and lower employee turnover.
(10) In fact, according to Watson Wyatt's 2007/2008 Communication ROI Study, firms that
communicate effectively are four times as likely to report high levels of employee engagement
as firms that communicate less effectively. (11)

HR leaders who promote thoughtful communication strategies encourage employee

engagement and keep the workforce energized, focused and productive. To recharge employee
morale, and support the organization's objectives, HR can foster an environment for
engagement by developing a targeted, proactive strategic communication plan. This
communication strategy can focus on organizational goals and determine methods of
communication and information points for different audiences (e.g., employees versus media).
Key points to consider are: 1) communicate from the top down to build employee confidence
and buy-in; 2) involve employees whenever possible, such as through focus groups; 3)
communicate and explain all aspects of change, negative and positive; 4) personalize
communications to address the question "what's in it for me?"; and 5) track results and set
milestones to evaluate the objectives of the communication plan. (12)

The literature also emphasizes the criticality of positive employee-organization relationships

expressed through trust, satisfaction and commitment, translating into happy workers and
profitable organizations. A recent study looked at the impact of internal communication and
organizational structure on employee-organization relationships, using organizational justice as
a mediating factor. This study made the distinction between one-way (top-down, control-
focused) and two-way (based on dialogue, negotiation and listening) communication.
Organizational justice refers to whether employees perceive the organization to be lair in its
decision-making and treat people with respect. Results showed one-way communication to be
negatively associated with employee trust, satisfaction and commitment. The findings also
revealed that two-way communication contributed to good employee-organization relationships
only when supported by organizational justice. That is, effective communication must be
combined with fair policies, systems and management behavior to establish positive employee-
organization relationships, (13) Thus, in partnership with top management, HR professionals
can play a strategic role by developing a culture of open communication and mediating the flow
of information from employees toward top management.

Employee Voice

Employee voice is the expression of opinions, suggestions and concern about organizational
practices, policies and strategy. Related to employee engagement, employee voice warrants
thoughtful focus and awareness by HR and organizational leaders. Participatory management
practices create opportunities for employee voice by encouraging upward communication and
facilitating employee input in organizational decisions. For example, HR leaders can involve
employees through team briefings, workplace committees, problem-solving groups, focus is
groups, suggestion boxes and regular meetings with senior management. According to
research, 86% of HR professionals who use some form of employee feedback rated the
effectiveness of these interactions as "good" or "very good." (14)

Research shows that employee voice has a positive effect on employee trust in supervisors,
organizational commitment and satisfaction with company decisions. In fact, organizational
practices that encourage employee voice require that senior management be committed to
follow up on suggestions from employees and take them into account in organizational
decisions. However, research suggests that employee voice programs can have negative
consequences if employees suspect their input will not be considered in the final decision or
question the real motives for being asked for their opinions. (15) As noted in a SHRM poll, while
only 46% of HR professionals reported that their organizations regularly collected feedback from
employees, an overwhelming majority of those who did so felt this practice was beneficial to
their organizations. The poll also highlights the importance of being open to suggestions and
improvements offered by employees. (16)

Figure 2 Importance of Communication Between Employees and Senior

Management

Employees HR Professionals
(n = 599) (n = 681)

Very unimportant 2% 0%
Unimportant 2% 0%
Neither important nor unimportant 10% 4%
Important 37% 34%
Very important 50% 61%

Note: Percentages may not total 100% due to rounding.

Source: 2008 Job Satisfaction Survey Report (SHRM)

Note: Table made from bar graph.
[FIGURE 2 OMITTED]

Employee voice and involvement through upward communication can be particularly significant
during the planning and implementation of organizational strategy. Communication and
enhanced information-sharing are crucial for the execution of organizational strategy (17) and
the creation of resilient, continuously changing organizations. (18) One of the main obstacles to
executing strategy is the lack of ownership of the strategic plan among key employees. HR can
encourage increased effective organizational communication by including employees
throughout the strategy-building process and implementation of strategic decisions. Employee
participation in the strategic planning process may increase their sense of ownership and their
motivation to carry out the company's plans to completion. (19) Moreover, offering employees
the opportunity to be heard and to affect the future of the organization will likely build affinity and
connection to the company. Conversely, feedback from employees may improve decision-
making at the executive level by increasing the pool of information available to top
management.

Ultimately, employee voice is most effective in a culture, that encourages and respects
expressions of support as well as discontent. Organizations will benefit from honest, innovative
feedback that challenges accepted practices. Yet, employee fear of penalty due to negative
feedback could lead to organizational silence--that is, the intentional with-holding of work-related
ideas, information and opinions. Reluctance to share information has potentially negative
consequences on trust, motivation and organizational commitment. (20) Therefore, when
establishing voice channels, HR managers must consider the fact that a decision maker who
asks for but does not use employee input may cause perceptions of unfairness and lead to
employees' refusal to participate in the future.

Communication Channels

Today, numerous channels are used for internal and external organizational communication.
Yet, while channels such as bulletin boards, intranets, newsletters and e-mail are an efficient
mode of communication for certain messages, the power of face-to-face communication cannot
be underestimated. Media such as reports and letters are less effective for information
exchange than "dynamic" channels--such as one-on-one conversations, corridor chats and
small-group meetings--that incorporate dialogue in the workplace. (21) For example, CEO
meetings with employees help to build affinity and trust. Luncheons, roundtables and cross-
depart mental work groups facilitate communication among employees. To encourage face-to-
face communication, HR and top management" can work together to enable supervisors to be
key communicators in the organization.

Organizational communication is also essential on a routine basis. It provides updates, such as

progress on fulfilling organizational goals or reasons for policy changes. Ongoing reports from
HR and senior management on business strategy and policies, for example, demonstrate
respect for the employee role in the company's success, provide direction and foster trust. (22)
In addition, new communication techniques help to improve sharing and retention of information.
Message maps, for instance, are one-page summaries of a change process, assembled by the
leadership team, that create clarity and consistency of the message transmitted by top
management. (23) Additionally, the mission statement is a key communication channel, both
internally and externally focused. Recent research highlights that Fortune 1000 organizations
use the mission statement as a business strategy to build corporate identities, good will, public
image and organizational values. The findings note that high-performing organizations use their
mission statement, within the context of good will, to reach out to employees, shareholders and
communities. (24) Whatever communication channel is selected, it is important to be upfront
and transparent about both positive and negative issues.

However, in today's age of continuous connectivity, a common problem is information overload.

Research shows that people typically remember only three to five points from any
communication, so a good message will make those points stand out. (25) Clear, concise and
precise messages help employees focus on relevant information and ensure that staff will pay
attention to them. Intricate presentations of strategy may prevent employees from
understanding and correctly implementing the company's communications.

For 98% of business communication conducted worldwide, e-mail has become the primary
communication channel. (26) According to SHRM's 2008 Workplace Forecast, one of the top
trends is the use of electronic media such as e-mail and video conferencing to eliminate
geographic barriers. (27) At the same time, e-mail--while efficient--poses a number of
challenges. Due to the nature of e-mail, employees are less likely to communicate face-to-face,
even when in physical proximity of each other. A recent study suggests that e-mail messages
can come across to the reader as negative or presenting emotion that was not intended by the
sender. (28) Other research discusses e-mail as a cause for concern around health, well-being
and productivity on the job. Specifically, e-mail can lead to negative personal and organizational
consequences, such as work overload, increased errors in work, resentment, misunderstanding,
lower decision quality, and greater susceptibility of negative moods and evaluations. (29) HR
and organizational leaders need to be aware of the drawbacks of e-mail in the workplace.

A unique aspect of today's business environment is the virtual workplace. Virtual workplaces are
comprised of employees connected through information and communication technologies, often
working from different geographic locations. Research indicates that working virtually can
negatively affect communication and interpersonal interactions. One study looked at an
organization that made the change from a traditional (face-to-face) office setting to one with
both traditional and virtual employees. The purpose of the research was to compare levels of
communication satisfaction of traditional and virtual office workers one year after the virtual
workplace was implemented. Surprisingly, the findings showed that virtual employees
experienced higher levels of communication satisfaction than traditional workers on all factors,
including personal feedback, relationship with supervisors, and horizontal and informal
communication. Researchers proposed that these positive results may be due to the company's
effective implementation of the virtual workforce. The organization provided virtual employees
with appropriate technology, training and technical support. It also restructured rewards systems
to accommodate its new virtual workplace. Moreover, to reduce the alienation of virtual
employees, the company established regular formal communications as well as informal virtual
meeting places (c-cafes, chat rooms, etc.). The study suggests that when properly implemented
and supported by the organization, virtual environments can be very successful. (30)

Finally, another function of organizational communication is reaching people in times of crisis.

As highlighted in the SHRM Research Quarterly titled "Crisis Management in Today's Business
Environment," organizations use e-mail and the company intranet to reach their workforce in a
crisis. (31) Increasingly, technology is used to provide crisis information to key stakeholders,
help to inform and safeguard the workforce, and protect the organization's reputation. In fact,
with the widespread use of cell phones and personal computers, technology has become a
preferred organizational communication channel to facilitate two-way communication. A recent
case study demonstrates this practice, where technology' was used to inform students, staff and
the public during a faculty strike at a university. While corporate communications will no doubt
continue to rely on the media as a communication channel, organizations will likely also use the
corporate web site, e-mails and instant messaging. These new dynamics challenge HR and
organizational leaders to create thoughtful and timely messages in times of crisis, knowing that
they will be scrutinized, and responded to, by many. (32)

Interpersonal Communication Skills

All organizations can benefit from effective communication, and all deal with challenges along
the way. Organizational communication can be divided into four different levels: (33)

* Overall organizational communication.

* Inter-organizational communication.

* Group-level communication.

* Interpersonal communication.

A discussion of organizational communication would not be complete without an emphasis on

the basics--interpersonal communication. Each individual can always improve his or her
communication skills, which in turn contributes to effective communication at all organizational
levels. Interpersonal communication ranges from grammar, writing and listening to speaking,
coaching and presentation skills. Sending and receiving communication can be challenging (sec
Figure 3), and simply being aware of these points is an important step toward improving
interpersonal communication. As this topic is very broad, two specific, aspects arc selected:
active listening and mindful communication.

Figure 3 Communication Challenges

Challenge How to overcome the Challenge

Sender's Role Receiver's Role

Attention (e.g., receiver * Make the importance * Listen openly

pays only selective of the message
clear

* Minimize * Ignore
environmental distractions
distractions

* Look for elements

 of personal Value

Reception (e.g., receiver * Choose the best * Focus on the

seems not to understand) possible time message not the
and place speaker

* Speak clearly * Withhold judgment

* Use visual aids * Take notes

Interpretation (e.g., * Present-ideas * Extract key ideas

receiver makes improper, effectively and and summarize main
incorrect, inappropriate reinforce them points
or unintended responses)

* Use multiple * Ask questions

modes

* Learn about the * Try to understand

receiver and adapt the sender's point of
the message view

Adapted from: Cecil, R. D., & Rothwell, W. J. (2007). Next generation

management development: The complete guide and resources. Son
Francisco: Pfeiffer.
Whether one is the sender or the receiver--manager or employee--active listening is essential in
the workplace. Although listening may appear to be passive, it is not. In fact, active listening
demonstrates respect for the speaker. It also requires responsibility on the part of the listener to
hear the message as well as the underlying feeling or attitude. Yet, not all cues are verbal.
Active listening also means being aware of different kinds of communication, such as body
language, posture, hand and eye movements, facial expressions, and even breathing. In the
workplace, active listening can improve productivity, confidence and employee morale. (34)

Another key factor of interpersonal communication is "mindful communication." To effectively

send and receive messages, it is helpful for individuals to share a common understanding.
Mindfulness refers to internal assumptions, emotions and cognitions. It is the ability to see
behavior or information presented from various perspectives. Being mindful also means that we
are open to interact with people who are different from ourselves. However, when we have
mistaken assumption, we can easily misread/misinterpret/misunderstand. Competence in
mindfulness increases with knowledge and development of communication skills. (35) Given
today's increasingly virtual and diverse workplace, the skill of mindful communication has
become very important for interpersonal skills and organizational communication.

Change Management Communication

Successful change is highly dependent on effective organizational communication. HR leaders

can help top management get employee buy-in by ensuring that communication about change
is clear, continual and consistent. In fact, communication largely determines how well change
initiatives are received and supported. As noted in the SHRM 2007 Change Management
Survey Report, HR involvement in change management is substantial. For example, 73% of HR
respondents said they were involved prior to the change being introduced, 22% during
implementation and 5% after the change went into effect. Eighty-eight percent reported that the
HR department was the point of contact for questions and concerns to assist employees in the
transition, 76% coordinated meetings and communications, and 11% were responsible for
calculating the post-implementation return on investment for major organizational change. Key
areas of HR involvement included clearly communicating plans and goals regarding change
initiatives, giving people the opportunity to be involved in change processes and making each
interaction with internal clients a positive experience. (36)

Mergers and acquisitions (M&As) are fraught with communication challenges. Employees
become very focused on their salary, benefits, job location, reporting relationships, and
company policies and procedures. When uncertainty drags on without being addressed--or
when employees do not have a good understanding about the change process or new work
roles and standards--it can impede productivity and performance. For example, when Hewlett
Packard (HP) announced its merger with Compaq, employees became focused on seeming
their jobs instead of serving customers. Consequently, HP lost customers to competitors. (37)
Given that change is inevitable when two organizations are combined, HR can communicate
upfront about what will happen to help prepare employees for change.

Having a well-planned communication strategy in place is critical in the M&A process. Yet, more
than 50% of HR professionals indicate that having a well-executed employee communication
program is either extremely challenging or somewhat challenging. Effective communication
involves providing information on 1) the shared vision for the new company; 2) the nature and
progress of the integration and the anticipated benefits; and 3) the outcomes and a rough time
frame for future decisions. (38) Communicating clear, consistent and up-to-date information will
not only give employees a sense of control by keeping them informed, it can also increase the
coping abilities of employees and minimize the impact of the integration on performance. The
following steps highlight the components of a successful organizational communication program
for M&As: (39)

* Establish multiple routes of communication (e.g., one-on-one meetings, group sessions,

newsletters, intranet updates).

* Focus on themes of change and progress by highlighting projects that arc going well and
action items that arc being delivered on time.

* Repeat the common themes of the M&A to increase employee understanding of the rationale
behind the transaction.

* Provide opportunities for employee involvement and feedback.

* Ensure that employees understand there will be problems; give them a commitment that the
problems will be identified and addressed as early as possible.

Whether HR is involved in organizational communication of an M&A or another change initiative,

it is important to promote transparency. The following mini-case study portrays what can go
wrong as a result of poor organizational communication.

Mini-Case Study: Developing Communication Competencies (40)

Organizational communication plays a central role in managing

organizational change. This case study followed the communication
challenges of a company throughout its change management initiative
to transform into a "learning" organization. The transformation
consisted of major cultural and structural changes such as
downsizing, team work and the introduction of 360-degree feedback
Analysis shows that successful change was hampered by a mismatch
between the employees' communication expectations and management
delivery of communication. While the CEO was open and approachable,
 formal communication was lacking. The information stream from top
management to employees, delivered solely through e-mail, did not
provide the opportunity for staff to clarify, challenge and interpret
messages. Management did not create a forum for feedback and dialogue
among employees (such as intranet boards, group meetings, etc.).
Although the employees were committed to change, these communication
issues jeopardized the success of the change process. Therefore, the
case study authors suggest that communication during change must not
be seen only as "communicating the change" (i.e., a one-way, top-down
communication). Rather, to achieve a common understanding of the
change process, the company needs to create the setting for feedback
and discussion.
As demonstrated in this mini-case study, organizational communication is not always effective.
This change initiative included numerous changes, which increased the potential for
misunderstandings and/or employee concern. In this case, HR could have taken the lead, been
more proactive and provided appropriate communication channels, This case study provides a
good example of opportunities for learning and areas for improvement.

Calculating ROI on Internal Communications

Research suggests that effective communication is a leading indicator of financial performance:

shareholder returns of companies with effective communication strategies have been found to
be more than 57% higher than the returns of less effective communicators. (41) For example,
effective communication can have a profound impact on minimizing expenses incurred by
employee turnover, customer turnover, decreased product quality, sexual harassment and
workplace discrimination, among others. If a communication program can save the company
even 1 % to 5% of these costs, it will easily justify the time and resources required. (42)
However, trying to pinpoint the benefits of specific communication programs can be a difficult
task. A recent study that analyzed companies with effective employee communication offers the
following suggestions: (43)

1. Develop a formal communications program based on a documented strategy. It should

include regular opinion surveys, internal branding efforts and communication between all
employee groups.

2. Follow up on employee suggestions by incorporating them in future strategy or explaining to

all staff why they are not feasible at that time.
3. Use compensation and bonuses to create the company image. Ensure that employees
understand the benefits program and compensation packages.

4. Leverage technology through the use of blogs, podcasts and/or intranets.

5. Communicate openly to employees about matters that affect them by sharing financial
information, business plans and strategic goals.

To calculate the return on investment for employee communication programs, it is essential to

first develop a coherent communication strategy. Strategy development starts with an evaluation
of the current state of organizational communication (i.e., an audit revealing strengths and
weaknesses). Based on evaluation results, the organization constructs an appropriate
communication framework that contains implementation steps and clearly defined goals and
objectives (e.g., "deliver clear and consistent messages," "increase employee engagement").
The impact of these deliverables can be measured through employee scorecards, surveys,
focus groups and interviews. (44)

Language and Organizational Communication

Language is a key factor in effective organizational communication. Yet, communication can

quickly become complicated between people of different cultures, even when their native
language is the same. Challenges may be related to differences in cross-cultural communication
styles, values, protocol or expectations, among others (see Figure 4). This is important,
because in many cultures, doing business requires building rapport. The use of language in a
business setting determines first impressions and can open or close doors. Establishing rapport
and communicating politeness in global business relationships also requires an understanding
of the basics of meeting and greeting in other languages. Consequently, making the effort to
greet others in their own language is an important step toward effective intercultural relations.
(45)

Figure 4 | Challenges as a Result of Language Barriers

Challenges Strategies to Overcome Challenges

1. Time requirement 1. Allow sufficient time for

communications
2. Communicating through e-mail 2. Engage in one-on-one interactions
or phone when possible

3. Use of online materials 3. Print materials are easily

shared with family

4. Translations that can send 4. Hire a professional translator

wrong messages when possible

5. Assumption that the message 5. Always ask questions to clarify

is understood meanings

6. Lack of cultural awareness 6. Use culturally informed

professionals

7. Language fluency 7. Develop language skills.

8. First meeting--establish 8. Ask basic questions in the other

language

Adapted from: Author compilation from several sources. (46)

At the same time, it is also useful to realize that background distractions can contribute to
misunderstandings. Referred to as "cross-en I rural noise," they may not have anything directly
to do with the message itself. For example, factors such as gestures, facial expressions,
personal proximity and even office surroundings can cause distractions. On the other hand, the
lack of such nonverbal gestures in organizational communication, as occurs with the use of
technology, can also cause misunderstandings. For example, when writing e-mails, it is
important to remember that communication in this venue is open to misinterpretation because it
lacks body language and voice intonation. Valuable information, in the form of background and
context provided to the reader, will increase the possibility of the message being better
understood. (47)

Regarding language, differences between direct and indirect communication can illustrate how
disconnects, incorrect interpretations and misunderstandings occur. In general, North
Americans--from individualistic cultures--prefer a more direct style of communication, while
people from collectivist cultures (for example, Asian countries) generally use indirect styles.
Those from collectivist cultures often experience the direct style as blunt and insensitive. (48)
Here is an example of a cross-cultural dialogue in a workplace setting that portrays an example
of direct and indirect communication and the resulting lack of communication. (49)

Ms. Wright: "Miss Chung. What can I do for you?"

Miss Chung: "Excuse me. I need some help with this new machine."

Ms. Wright: "Of course. Let me explain it again."

Miss Chung: "I asked Li, but she couldn't help me."

Ms. Wright: "No, she hasn't tried it yet."

Miss Chung: "it's a little bit complicated."

Ms. Wright: "It's very complicated, but after I explained it to you and asked if you understood,
you said yes."

Miss Chung: "Yes. Please excuse me."

When mergers and acquisitions bring together organizations from different countries where the
workforce speaks different languages, organizational communication can result to
misunderstanding, confusion and even hostility, A recent study explored the language barrier
and its implications for headquarters and subsidiary relationships. 'The authors also considered
social identity theory, in which individuals derive some of their identity from the social groups to
which they relate, as reasons for why language barriers play an important role in multilingual
group relationships, such as in a multinational corporation. Among the barriers identified were 1)
second language users do not often have a high proficiency to be effective to communication; 2)
even with a very high level of fluency, there is often a loss of understanding regarding
sensitivity, humor, persuasion, symbolism and motivation; and 3) there may be a power-
authority distortion, depending on whether the bead-quarters or subsidiary are native speakers
of the majority' language (e.g., English). Such language barriers have implications for strategic
decision-making, global integration strategies, staffing selection, and autonomy and control
procedures. (50) This study provides useful insights to HR in its role to foster effective
organizational communication.

As discussed, differences in cross-cultural communication can result in confusion,

misunderstandings and potentially can even damage business relationships. It takes time,
intention and learning to become more adept at organizational communication with language
differences. By becoming educated about these differences, HR can provide guidance and
counsel for organizational lenders and employees toward more effective organizational
communication.

In Closing

In today's business world, achieving of effective organizational communication is not a simple

matter. Transparency in communication in the workplace, trust and respect between employees
and senior management, as well as the use of appropriate communication channels to facilitate
top-down and upward communication in the company and openness to employee voice, arc
some of the most critical factors that can cither contribute to or detract from effective
organizational communication. No matter the level of communication within the company, HR is
one of the "owners" of organizational communication and therefore has the responsibility to
provide opportunities to foster strong interpersonal communication skills and
employee/management communication by partnering with both employees and organizational
leaders in these endeavors.