LEARNING OBJECTIVES: of this chapter students should be able to: = ® the nature of change in the organisation . the differences between leading and managing . the factors that may lead to resistance to ® the strategies to manage change the importance of communication in the ement of change ze is probably one of the most feared activities ome businesses. This is especially difficult when ployees have become accustomed to doing their particular way or have served many years in an on and have developed a specific culture. In any ion change is inevitable and so the inain concems © how change will affect the business and how the stakeholders (managers, employees and customers) mail will sespond 10 it Factors that may cause change in the organisation There are 2 number of factors that may cause change in an organisation. These can be categorised as either internal or external, Internal influences Internal influences may arise as a result of management Policies or employees’ attitudes, These factors can be controlled by the management of the firm. Internal influences include: ® The development of a new product ~ this may require change in the staff composition or general processes that are necessary to introduce the product to the market ® Mergers and takeovers ~ inevitably, once there is a takeover or merger of two entities there will be changes in management and staff, On many occasions Management of Change a merger or takeover results in staff cuts and addition to the existing management team. In recent times the Caribbean has seen mergers such as Royal Bank of Trinidad and Tobago and the Royal Bank of Canada and takeovers such as Columbus Communication (Flow Jamaica Lid) and other cable providers in Jamaica © Control systems ~ this will be discussed further in the Unit 2 section of the book. As firms seek to improve the quality of their product and the service offered, there may have to be some changes in the way things are done © Customer service ~ this is very important, especially in these times when a number of firms are becoming customer focused in order to remain competitive, As the tastes and lifestyles of the consumers change, it ‘may spur changes in the way the firm carries out its activities. External influences These result from factors that are outside of the control of, the firm, External factors include: rechnological Thisis probably the fastest-changing external variable. Wehave seen vast improvements in technology over the past decade or so. There have been changes in computer technology. communication technology and the use of attificially Intelligent robots in factories and olfices. This improvement may be used 10 cut labour costs or employees may have to be retrained to operate the new technology or redeployed. Economical Some of the major economic variables include inflation rates, exchange rates, interest unemployment rowth and development. Changes in one or rates, economic oF more of the above variables will bring about changes Ce in the financial viability of the business or in the lives of the ss. The recent recession and global meltdown have employs pod cially worse ty pope a ee an oe i id i to be laid off than before, t product has decreased and soon people will have (1, Some workers may even be asked (0 take a pay cut inorder to preserve their jobs. This can lead to insecurity and uncertainty, Demographic This concept relat a sense of job es to the characteristics and structure of @ Population. Demographical factors include age, size of families, marital status, sex, income and occupation. As the size and structure of the population change there will be changes in individuals’ consumption pattern firms will have to modify their activities to a changes in the consumption patter of the Modification may include chan; the firm does business Eventually, dapt to the population. ges in the product or how Social These changes include modification to society, lifestyle of People and the environment. Social factors may also include SoGelys attitude to work and leisure and the increasing ‘numbers of women at work. Chan, of society will in turn affect the ‘change also. Legal (political) The legal environment includes legislation and other iment policies that will have an impact on the way the does business. Some pieces of legislation that should be of concem to the firm include health and safety laws, Consumer protection laws, environmental protection laws and taxation policy. A change in any of the aforementioned egal factors will impact on the firm and its employees _ Another issue that cannot be overlooked is the political ‘environment in which the firm operates. Where there . instability the firm may have to go through ges. Some firms have to make changes as its economic policy or if there is a ment itself, ges in the social structure firm which will have to Speiiteo en leading and managing manage the process. On the other hand, managing act of bringing people together to achieve objectives. Managing the change involves actions on ty part of lower-level management to implement an the change while evaluating the of such change. is the @ common goal oy id oversee Progress and effectiveness The people leading the change are those who decide on What changes to make in the organisation. In | leading the change, there has to be a strategic plan which details the timing of the change and the people who have responsibly {or its implementation. As the global environment changes senior management has to envision the necessary changes that should be made to remain competitive and gain an edge over rivals. It is important to point out, though, that the success of these changes might depend on the effectiveness of the management team which im iplements and manages them. The way in which these changes are implemented will lead to either acceptance or resistance. Resistance to change Resistance to change is any action of non-conformance taken by employees because of a perception that a change will bea threat to them. The extent to which employees may resist change may depend on whether or not the change will bebeneficial to them. There are several factors that may kal toa resistance to change, as seen below: Fear Uncertainty a5 to the possible impacts of change on the lives of employees creates a sense of fear. The fear of the unknown may prevent employees from accepting change® the organisation, Disrupted habits ‘There is a tendency for us to become “creatures of habit’. 10 any given day there are at least a few things that we do the become good at doing them. It's company phone ina spe ‘cified way may find it difficult © deal with a name change Loss of contro! and confidence: Trust is probably one of the hardest things to build oa usually takes time. Over ume, employees may the management of the fiem am ‘such a relationship is essential, especially when a change ® - 10 happen. However, if employees feel that their trustAchange is coming to HLD Ltd Ttwas aso company had purchased 65 times but thought th; left many of the employees in a daze It is quite obvious th hhad to the recessic trigne ahi he struggl tiers within the country. and employ ‘at the downtum in the world’s economy affected the medium-sized Caribb * austerity measures as stipulated by the IMF when it secured a deal for balance of payment support. Since “employment in the country has risen by more than 10 per cent coupled with rising inflation rates which were Ke i oll prices, As a result, the domestic market has been shrinking and the export market has not Toming for employees of HLD Ltd. This came after news broke the night before that a giant Irish multinational Per cent of its shares. The employees knew that the company was going through tough financial fat management would have ridden it out as it did once before. A takeover has come as a surprise and has in company. The country very of the company were worsened by the government’ taxing policy which is seeking to take more fram ‘unique via the local news suggests that the takeover and full changeover wil be completed in another two months wll be extensive changes. It is quite evident that management was fully aware of the change but did not prepare *°s for what was communicated via the media. Now everyone waits with bated breath as the events unfold 2. Describe one (1) internal factor and two (2) external factors that caused the change in HLD Ltd. (9 marks) 2 What would be a better way to communicate the change that is about to take place at the company? Substantiate your answer, (G marks) 3, Differentiate between managing a change and leading the change. (3 marks) 4. Giving one (2) reason, would you say that management is managing the change or leading the change that is coming to HLD Ltd? (3 marks) Total 18 marks been betrayed or they have lost confidence in management then there will be resistance to change. Poor trai ing Ignorance can lead to uneasiness and thus resistance to ® change that will require a certain level of competence beyond one’s training. Unless people are properly trained to deal w h different situations, e change in job requitements and asks may spur serious resistance. Redistribution of workload Over time, people will have become comfortable with their Workload and the tasks they have to complete on a daily basis. Where the firn redistribute the decides to shufle staff members or workload, it may lead to severe resistance Some people may feel that they are being unlairly treated as {eis Workload is greater than that of others, even though they are equally qualified. Lack of purpose Employees need to know what the purpose of any change ‘hat occurs in the organisation is. Once employees ate Hot clear on the purpose of a change they will be reluctant to support it. This is perpetuated by poor communication. People who are particularly keen, in terms of having a clear vision of where they are going and how to get there, may resist any change that is not properly communicated or does not have a clear and defined purpose. Loss of power In some situations any change that will result in people losing autonomy or the power to make certain decisions will be met by resistance. The resistance might even be greater if the employee once had a supervisory role and is now being asked to accept a lower position or one with no authority Lack of communication Ignorance is probably one of the most conteibuting factors to resistance to change. People are more willing 10 accept something about which they have sufficient Lack of or poor communicati normation. fon an upeoming change ay result in serious resistance. This is magnilied especially Where management has an autocratic leadership styleveir subordinates to over hange. Prolonged periods of resistance may lead to conflict between management and subordinates. The following are some of the tactics available to management to overcome resistance to change. Educate employees and communicate the change It is often said that within the organisation resist change because they are Knowledge is power’. Some people not aware of the benefits to be derived from changing or they lack the necessary skills and training to deal with the change. Educating the employees about the changes that are necessary and how they coincide with the goalsand objectives of the firm can nullify the resistance being experienced Workers should not be kept in the dark since, in most Situations, the resistance is as a result of misinformation and Poor communication. Therefore, upcoming changes should be communicated in an effective manner depending on the nature of the change for example, the use of memos, one-on-one discussion, letters or group presentation, Allow employees to participate in the change process Hf we really think about it, people may find it difficult to resist a decision for change that they were involved in making. With this tactic, employees would be consulted Prior to the change and meaningful discussion undertaken, This gives each person a chance to voice their opposition and work to find an amicable solution before the change 55 implemented. If this is successful, the organisation could benefit from reduced resistance, increased commitment from staff and increased quality in the change decision. The Negotiate with r employees until a : This tactic gives possible resisters an process during the barg when a change m: for example, a In addition, this tactic is often used where some individuals stand to lose change influence the chan; Negotiation is particularly effective cause a trade union to become involved decision to downsize the organisation significantly as a result of the change and have the power to put up resistance, In such situation negotiation may help to lessen the resistance. However, the act of tailoring the e t0 suit some people may spill over into the rest of the organisation and employees may feel that they too ean force management to modify the change. In very serious situations it could even lead to blackmail Play a supportive role In order to lessen resistance from those employees who are fearful or who lack the requisite skills to deal with change the organisation may play a supportive role. In doing so, management may provide skills taining or counselling séssions to deal with fear and anxiety. However, this tacic tends to be very expensive and time consuming, Coerce employees to comply This tactic is probably the lea: management threatenin, transfers or dismissal ‘st popular of all. It involves 'g employees with loss of promotion,Stonewalled Nobody kes change, especially wh Hack and H ® they have become used to a particular pattern of d aD Fr reser imoroveeficincy and output, the two partners decided to make some Wn aha sauts mean ft These changes willbe implemented at the being oft eee oe hemes with staff, held last month, the employees were told to look out Mics svoia be unonaea ful” Computerised, from order to detvery. Sales personnel are to Foemloves wit te carat Mal sistem every evening. Two ofthe departments wl be rerge we eee he or her job rae te $0 other areas ofthe business. The company has commited itself oth job in the change process Notice of the upcomi This feell amin changes has left some employees feeling jittery as they anticipate what t! (ney waked fas fecat tersened by management's pronouncement that the total change process has nat yt been fn os eedback on the pending changes, most employees voiced their resistance, saying that things have bee ine so far and so should be left the way they are, new-look be is fi ‘three (3) possible factors that could have caused resistance to change in Hack and Hill (12 marks 2 a ss three (3) possible strategies that can be used, under the present circumstances, to minimise the resistance : to change (12 marks} 3. In your estimation, was the medium used to communicate information about the pending changes arpropriate? Give one (1) reason for your answer. 4. If pot done properly, how could the pending changes affect the employees and performance of the firm? Use numerous methods of communication ~ there is no one best way to communicate information regarding change. Management should then utilise as many methods of communication as possible that will enable an effective way of communicating the necessary The importance of communication in the management process Efiecive communication is one of the key components of the management of people. Communication is also important in the change process. There is a tendency for cs to resist change where they are not informed !Nlormation employ Sr entenformed, The onus is therefore on management ™ Important information must be communicated = al to ensure that the change is communicated properly and iNformation of importance must be communicated to 7 eflectively, and in a timely manner. The following are some E™loyees Nothing should be withheld, as this may a to speculation and the spread of fabsitied information generally accepted ‘rules of thumb’ that should be followed when communicating a change in organisations: © The message should be unambiguous - since the impact ® Pay attention noujit 1 quantity but to ne of the change may be very great, itis imperative that information ~ in communicating falienaton ea the inlormation being communicated can be understood 4 Change, management bul nok peta - by everyone, The message about organisational change at the quality of sue should be simple and clear to all employees information. © Give employees opportuni © Information should be given in a timely manne! formation will just which may be damning to the change process amount of information but ties to share feedback ~ as really out in Chapter 9, communication was pointed has been feedback. Ibis delaying the communication of Seales eer add to the possibility of resistance to change. Therelore, Fr ahat eployes be sien scent formation should be communicated as soon as therelore para eS puiicatit opportunities to voice their concer” timely manner i possible and th, eitimely’ changes in the organisation.LEARNING OBJECTIVES: chapter stucents should be able t ‘communication’ ie ‘jor functions of communication within the communication » the use of diagrams, the communication se the different communication channels s that influence the choice of ammuti channel int methods of communicating or fiow of communication barriers to effective communication -m can reduce the barriers to effective imunicate every day ~ or do we? Is our \unication effective? Have you ever stopped ¥ nk about what communication is? In this explore the meaning and process of commu- concept is by far one of the most important chap nicatic conce have 5 but if they are not communicated properly it may de! purpose. Think about this: how would you feel if a person you an 2 number of business organisations. A firm may arkable goals and objectives that are achievable at the only ever gives you instructions without giving opportunity to respond or provide feedback? The truth is that there has not been any real communication there, So What, then, is communication? Communication may be defined as a two-way process Which enables information to be disseminated between Wve or more people. It involves the exchange of ideas, facts and jons of cr to these emotions by individuals. There are different deli communication and it would good for you to rel other definitions. [1 must be pointed out, though, that ne communication must ler matter which definition is used, involve a message which will be transmitted [rom the se to the receiver. Communication in Business Communication has four distinct functions within an organisation: ® Provision of information = Control = Motivation of staff = Facilitation of interaction Types of communication ® Verbal ~ this is communication that uses words. Verbal communication may be spoken (oral) or written. This would include telephone or face-to-face conversations, meetings, e-mails and letters Non-verbal ~ this is communication without words (speech or written). It includes body language, gestures and pictures Formal - the use of the established channels of communication in the organisation © Informal - this does not take established channels of the firms into consideration but instead communication is done through the channels of the employees. This type of communication makes good use of the “grape The communication process The communication process illustrates the successive steps that occur bewer and when itis received by the receiver. Figure 11-1 shows a simple communication process and the possible barriers to 1 when a sender (source) sends a message effective communication, Feedback ts Figure 11.1; The communication processhis is the person sending the message or, in the initiator of the message his is the process by which the message into a symbolic form to facilitate on. The Way a message is encoded may be {ected by the level of skills, attitudes, knowledge and the socio-cultural system of the sender, These factors may also affect both partes rad imerchange of information and feed can be given immediately. It is a very good ch use when information has to be trans Oral communication is by,© Written communication often cts 10 the point, since the sender has time to organise the message 10 be communicated, Disadvantages of ccritten communication & Written communication tends 10 be time consuming, especially in its preparation & Feedback is usually delayed of very slow © Can be very impersonal & The transmission of messages can be cry expensive especially where communicating parties are far apart ® Does not offer the opportunity for immediate clarification of messages that are not understood, Visual communication Visual communication is the transmission of information na form that can be read or seen, Research has shown that people ren Aber more of what they see than what they beat. Therelore. for some communications, a visual message ‘very important. Imagine a sales manager trying to present formation on the business's performance and predictions based on trends without using some form of visual aid, This presentation would more than likely be on the failing side since people want to see the trend being spoken of. There ere a number of options available to the organisation for visual communication, including films, videos, graphs and PowerPoint presentations. Advantages of visual communication © Helps to simplify both oral and written communication Suitable for communication over long distances People tend to remember visual images over audio Enables complex information, such as statistical data, to be communicated effectively. Disadvantages of visual communication © Visuals may be difficult to understand if they are not accompanied by other methods of « ® Tends to be expensive mmunication © ts preparation may be time consuming, Electronic communication We will all agree that the world hay changed drastically when logy. These changes have aflected the way we communicate, The internet has opened up a myriad of opportu iL comes to how we use tech icate via electronic Means. Electronic communication involves the sending, of written, oral or visual messages by electronic for examph increasingly developing, and expanding their network capability. ‘This. facilitates intranet messages which reduce the amount of paper in the office and the time it takes for a written message to be communicated. There has also been an increase in the use of satellite communication systems, Advantages of electronic communication © Usually a very quick way to transmit information © Other than the initial se P cost, it ollers a low-cost way to communicate Receiver can give instant feedback Allows employe sto work from home Gives the sender a variety of way to communicate ~ for example fax, e-mail, video conferencing. Disadvantages of electronic communication = Can be expensive to maintain equipment © There is an increase in security risks, such as hacking and computer viruses © There are privacy issues which may prevent the transmission of certain information ® Unable to retrieve information once it is sent. Non-verbal communication As was stated earlier in the chapter, non-verbal communication is the type that takes place without words. (speech or written), It is very difficult for us to transmit a verbal message without non-verbal clues. As a result, it is very important that we consider the non-verbal aspects of communication, The sender of the message must be aware that the way he/she looks, li ns and moves sends a signal to other people. This signal can be used to judge whether or not he/she cares, is being truthful or is actively listening. Once the sender's non-verbal signals match with their verbal communication then it can build trust transparency and good relationships, The reverse could lead 10 a series of distrust, anxiety, misunderstandings and creating bad relationships. As we communicate we must be mindful that the non-verbal clues that we are using could be contradicting, repeating, complementing, substituting or accenting our verbal comin nication, Some of the popular non-verbal clues o signals that are: used include: Bye contact ~ the eyes say a lot of things that are not spoken, Maintain is impor truttitulness eye contact during communication nt as it shows interest, eontidence and Touch — some humans tend 16 touch during communication. This may include a pat on the back, & be a distracting non-verbal communication, especially ulshake, a hug or a cub of the head, Touching can16 when the person on he receiving end is uncomfortable with the touch, However, it can also be rea suring or be used as encouragement Body movements ~ the way you sit, walk or stand up can send signals, We communicate through our posture and subtle movements. Our body movements could be saying ‘Iam comfortable communicating with you or cannot wait for this to be over’ Gestures ~ the way we gesticulate can obstruct or enhance our messages. Over-gesticulation is often distracting. For some people, what is being gesticulated and what is being said are two opposites Facial expressions — our facial expressions say a lot about our interest in the conversation. We can therefore communicate a message that we are not aware of, depending on our reaction to what we hear or what we say Physical distance ~ some people are very protective of ‘their personal space and will become uncomfortable ‘once they feel that that space is being invaded. However, people are willing to share their space with or no communication others with whom they are comfortable or share a good relationship, |= Intonation ~ this is where emphasis is placed on certain words, thus changing the meaning of the message Factors influencing the choice of channel used ‘There are pros and cons for each communication channel available to transmit information between the sender and receiver. The type of communication method (see Table 11.1) used is dependent on, but not limited to, the following factors: & The nature of the message - this may be influenced by the importance and level of confidentiality. For example, a caution from management to an employee would necessitate a medium that is confidential and leaves a record of the contents = The line of communication — where communication is flowing upwards, ie. from subordinates to aff, called an impromptu meeting and told them what you told me and left.’ These were the words of the Human ond was unprofessional, if not rude. The workers believe that such information regard hhave been done in a more formal manner. These were her words: I know some of you told me to tell you that the department will be reshuffled and some of you will id reassign some of the members came as a result of the firm’s thrust to imple- ‘What could have been a very good gesture and a motivational strategy has lager had met with all department heads and told them to approach ». He had expected that they would return with some feedback so that he uss the changes and give the reasons for them. Now he may have to do 3assy, a5 she recounts the task given to her by the General Manager of the firm, Mr Flex. The informa- e and feedback would have been welcomed. ‘members of the Human Resource Department are disgruntled about the manner in which things were nl Mrs Sassy as an autocratic leader and one who doesn’t listen to their concerns. They felt that or nce that she had some information to give them, give thei formation and then just walk he (3 marks) cation process, did communication take place? (9 marks) : (3 marks) (S marks) Total 20 marksrm ra Vara? anount of information vilespre ath Can be used to promote the product © Passibility of information leakages Can send pictures and videos © Threat of viruses |e. Costomers can interface with the firm o ll Ema ‘Message reaches receiver relatively quickly May not receive immediate feedback Convenient to use © Eliminates social interfac Can send information to a group of individuals at |» Depends on access to computers and internet the same time © Personal information right be hacked into | Theve ‘sno limit on the length of the message | Allows for the attachment of files zs 4 ttachme ae a | intra. Can share confidential information © There are still some security concerns | Easy communication with employees Initial set-up cost can be high | Can lead to improvements in teamwork © Needs computers and internet access Increased collaboration between employees and | Facsimile Allows written information to be sent over a Needs telephone lines | telephone line © Lines might be busy | It Is sometimes regarded as being more official Can only send limited information | than an e-mail © Information sent might not be very secure | © Uses lot of printed papers which may lead to | storage problems Video conferencing + There is no time constraint since it can be done at |” High initial set-up costs any time Sayes time and money in terms of travelling | Oifers face-to-face interaction Facilitates meeting with people in different locations | © Information can be shared and received at the |_same time from all participants © Needs technical expertise = Risks of the equipment breaking down Table 11.1: An evaluation of communication methods management, only some methods can be used. In Lines of communication addition, management will decide on certain methods Lines of communication reters to the flow or direction of when communicating to subordinates communication from the sender to the receiver. The lines © Cost —as discussed earlier, some methods of of communication can further be broken down into formal communication tend to be expensive. Organisations will channels. A formal communication channel is one that is weigh the pros and cons of each medium and decide clearly defined by the organisation and follows the chain “hich is most cost effective ® The Jevel of urgency ~ this is based on how soon the out by jader wants the message to be communicated. In the cove of an emergency the sender would want to use a_—_-vertical formation to the receiver as method that will get the of command. The responsibilities and tasks to be carried each individual are also clearly outlined. Formal communication channels allow information to tlow in a (downward or upward) or horizontal manner. See gure 11.2 (p 118), quickly as possible ii oa Downward channels © Length of mnessage ~ lengthy messages tend to require some form of written communication, as itis difficult for the receiver to remember all the information © Record requirement ~ earlier, we discussed that recorded using some form of electronic device, Por ihe le ot eppieunekaeetireetinll a co i re a record is iinportant (lor ), then the manager would ication wh boards. example, a stall meetin choose a more appropriate method, to be passed down from top man, The effect of such communication may depend on how the information is oral communication Lacks record uniless iL was im ie the intended information ina number of ways, ine This type of communication channel allows information nent 1 subordinates. mnsmitted. Management can communicate ing nos and bulletin Downward communication is atten used to achieve the following:factical level that Coordinate the activities at the & will result in the achievement of the organisation's, objectives Disseminatefe there isa strong need [or socialisation whieh is not wilitated by the formal chan fe The use of the geapevine 1 ay also be used 19 spre nti or 10 gossips, HEthese: rum HOF pieces of possipy get ont of control it Gan be da the finn. They ean spread throughout the or ganisation uncontrollably, and theretore should be of concern to manage nent | channels of communication have contributed to the operation of the organisation and carry the following henetits and drawhacks: Inform Advantages of informal channels of communication They tend to be less intimidating and so are good channels to use to share plans and new ideas to benefit the tire = May be used to motivate workers since it is personal wild team spirit and camaraderie = Usually verbal and facilitate two-way communication » Informe! communication may be used to supplement onication when formal channels fail. and c con Disadvwntages of informal channels of communication = The organisation cannot control what is communicated therefore people might be misinformed © Where 2 rumour is spread it can be very difficult to effect damage control © Employees may sacrifice productivity for socialisation \l sharing. information © Classified information may be circulated that may have serious repercussions, Barriers to effective communication The communication process is at times interrupted by various barriers to communication. These barriers may distort the message being sent and how itis perceived by the receiver, Below are some of the main barriers to effective communication Selective perceptions Since we are all unique individuals, our interpretations of messages will differ. Messages are sometimes misinterpreted because of the receiver's own perception of what was communicated. The preconceptions of what a person may be saying may impede the message that is being communicated, How employees perceive each other also amounts 10 barriers being created. One’s perception of another may be influenced by past experiences, distrust social background, poor relationships with the sender and other personal characteristics. 1 A flourishing grapevine m’— that is what she is called in som al PAs; jnisation once one person gets win jn their groups in the lunch roor often the instigator done everyat In recent times management has recognised that communicated behind closed doors. Upon investigation, t the organisation. Since it is very difficult to minimise t it to their benefit. 0 1. In relation to communication, what i 2. Describe the two (2) potential types of damage that this flour’ 3. Management are exploring the option of using the grapevine beneficial to the firrn. 1m. This creates a grand opportunity for information t of this grapevine. It is astonishing how she keeps getting access e in the lunch room will be informed before leaving. the employees are quite informed about information that would have been hey have come to realise that there is a flourishing grapevine within the success of this channel of communication, they are considering using is meant by the term ‘grapevine”? ishing grapevine can cause the org in their favour, Discuss two (2) way’ 1e spheres. It is amazing how information quickly spreads throughout dof it. The social structure of the organisation is very close knit and workers often sit 0 circulate within minutes. Ms Outspoken is to information but she does and once this is (2 marks) janisation. (6 marks) sin which this could be (g marks) Total 16 marksAttitudes The level of camaraderie in an organisation may influence how a message is interpreted. It is more likely to have attitudinal barriers to communication when employees do not have good working relationships. For example where there is a lack of trust between two people it may be very difficult for them to have confidence in what is communicated between them. Attitudinal barriers may be Drought about by factors such as: '® Poor management | Personality clashes Lack of consultation with employees “® Lack of motivation __-® Resistance to change. ‘Noise : ‘Simply put, ‘noise’ is any interference that occurs between ‘when a message was sent and when itis received. Noise can __ be intemal or external (physical). Internal noise is affected __ bya person’s background, experiences or perceptions. These influences cause a person to interpret a communicated ‘Message in a particular way. In contrast, external noise ‘includes physical sounds that will impede communication. | External noise can come from a noisy environment or ‘even a faulty telephone cable. Whatever the source of the noise, the important thing is that noise prevents effective communication from occurring. Sag et. -. about a different set of barriers to ‘communication. The culture of a country influences the ‘see and hear things, think and interpret the ‘this end, the same words could have an entirely Jn another culture. For example, ‘pants’ in ns ‘underpants’ but in the United States it means can also think of the different examples in. ‘even your country. Other factors that ‘culture and create barriers to effective ide age, sodal position, economic distractions such as poor working conditions or backgroung noise can also prevent effective communication from taking place. Filtering This is where the sender manipulates the information being sent so that it appears more favourable to the receiver, This practice is widely done in organisations ~ and even among you you what you want to hear’? Well, if you have, itis the same thing as filtering, The sender of the message may ‘tweak’ the information so that it is not read into deeply by the receiver but taken at ‘face value’ and the desired feedback is given, For example, in organisations with a number of hierarchical levels, information may be filtered before it gets to senior management in order to encourage the desired decision, nd your peers, Have you ever heard the term “telling Non-verbal signal Some people gesticulate a lot during communication, While gestures and body language can enhance communication, they sometimes becomea barrier toeffective communication This is especially true when a person’s body language is contradicting what is being spoken. For example, imagine sharing what should be exciting information with a straight and sulky face. Reducing barriers to communication Ensure clear message A problem that is faced by some receivers is the lack of understanding of what was communicated by the sender. ‘Messages that are vague often present a serious challenge and may lead to misinterpretation and misunderstanding In order to reduce this barrier to communication, the sender should ensure that the message is unambiguous and communicates what was intended. The onus is therefore on the sender to keep the message simple and free of Jargon of which the receiver may not be aware. Sending a clear message will increase the chance of the receiver understanding the message and giving feedback. Choice of channel Good messages can be distorted at times because of the channel that is used by the sender. In order to reduce the barrier to communication, the sender should analyse the message and use the most appropriate channel (© ‘communicate it. While some messages can be communicated _ orally, other important messages may have to be writer Knowing the audience is also important in choosing th >ght channel 10 communicate the message. Some people are auditory. while others might be visual. This should be ind when co mu homme in cating, since using a channel hat suits the receiver should bring about hetter feedback Managing feedback There isa common notion that communication has not taken place if there is no ecdback, Unless there is feedback, there is no guarantee that the receiver of the message has totally understood what was trans grow and remain competitiv ted. For any organisation to HI stakeholders must be aware of its goals and objectives. Management needs to ensure that these goals and objectives are clearly communicated and employees given sufficient feedback as evidence that shey are clear on what is required of them. To this end, the management of the organisation must implement strategies 1 manage feedback to get the desired result. The feedback received will give an indication of how well communication has taken place ‘The management of the organisation can obiain feedback ‘n of the staff, e-mail or ‘open door’ policies. from evaluat Poe I manages jot satisfied with the feedback received, it may need 0 revise the Communication process as there might have heen barriers which prevented the message from being, properly transn tied. A keen manager will use id strategies to improve the feedback to plan programmes a ability of subordinates, Improving physical conditions As discussed above, the working serious challenges for effective working conditions will create both internal and external ‘noise’ which will impede communication. Management should create the right environment which is conducive to work. It should ensure that the working environment is safe and ergonomically arranged. The environment should be free of health hazards, with proper lighting and space. The right environment will allow employees to feel comfortable, thus reducing the barriers such as noise or physical barriers Table 11.2 summarises the ways in which barriers to communication might be overcome. vironment can pose for communication. Poor Communicate the message clearly and free of misleading information ie f Create good emplayer-employee relationships \Very important information should be communicated preferably when people are at their optimum, i, 2 _rested and alert ‘Attitudes | Be empathetic and analyse the possible effect of the message on the receiver's feelings Build good labour-management relations Give informati Assist people Speak in a clear language fr Gather information about th Use technology to commut Improve or replace old equipment Provide a good working environment Minimise or eliminate the ‘noise’ Be honest in the communication of Put information in writing s Cultural bias | Physical barriers ‘Filtering Interact with staff regularly so as to build trust ‘Minimise or eliminate ‘noise’ in the environment gn in fragments to prevent information overload ‘with their problems that may be causing internal ‘noise’ ee of jargon that may be culture-specific fe receiver's culture before formulating the message mnjeate effectively across physical barriers in the environment f the message by not withholding vital information from the receiver ‘0 as to maintain its quality when it reaches the receiver sticulate Reduce the number of ge Ensure that the gestures Non-verbal clues Table 11.2: Methods of overcoming barriers to communication stures that are u being used coinci ised during communication, i.e. do not over-ges ide with what is being communicated