Business communication

Business A2 · Human resource management. The idea in plain words, the rules to remember, the mistake to avoid and a worked example, written and checked by Mega Lecture.

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The idea

Communication is the passing of a message from a sender to a receiver through a medium, with feedback to show it was understood. It is essential whenever people must act on information: giving instructions, announcing change, handling a safety problem, coordinating departments, dealing with customers.

The methods are spoken, written, electronic and visual. Each has strengths and weaknesses, so the choice depends on the message: how urgent, how detailed, how sensitive, and whether a record is needed.

Messages can be one-way or two-way, vertical (up and down the hierarchy) or horizontal (between people at the same level), formal or informal. Anything that stops a message being received and understood is a barrier, and managers have to remove it.

Rules to remember

One-way communication = no feedback from the receiver (fast, but understanding is not checked). Two-way communication = the receiver can reply (slower, but more accurate and more motivating).
Vertical = between levels of the hierarchy, downward or upward. Horizontal = between people or departments at the same level.
Spoken: immediate feedback and body language, but no permanent record. Written: a permanent record and good for detail, but slow feedback.
Electronic: fast and cheap over distance, but can cause information overload. Visual (charts, signs, diagrams): quick impact, but little detail.
Barriers: jargon or language, noise, information overload, too many levels in the chain (the message is distorted and delayed), poor choice of medium, lack of feedback, low motivation or trust.
Informal communication (the grapevine) is fast and shows how staff feel, but it can spread inaccurate rumours.
Poor communication causes mistakes, duplicated work, delay and demotivation, so costs rise and efficiency falls.

Common mistake

Students pick the fastest or cheapest method without looking at the message. First ask what the message needs (a record, detail, speed, feedback, privacy), then match the method to it. Often the best answer combines two methods.

Worked example

A manager must tell 30 employees at one site that their shift pattern will change next month. Staff are likely to be worried and to have questions, and each will need to check the new times later. Which method of communication is most suitable?

The news is sensitive and staff will have questions, so two-way communication with immediate feedback is needed: a spoken, face-to-face meeting.
Staff must be able to look up the new times later, so a permanent record is also needed: a written notice or email.
An email alone would be one-way and could cause rumours; a meeting alone leaves no record.

Answer: A face-to-face meeting, followed by written confirmation of the new shift times.

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