Communication as a social process

The word communication itself derives from the Latin verb communicare, meaning “to make common,” which in turn derives from the adjective communis, meaning common, giving rise to the word commune, community."[1]

Communication is one of the most important aspects in the functioning of a company, it is through communication that all levels can function properly. Prompt communication allows the flow of information in the company's departments to reduce the time of the activities performed, and to ensure that the efficiency of the activities performed in it is improved. “On the other hand, according to Cheryl Hamilton: “communication is the process by which people share thoughts, ideas and feelings with each other in a way that is universally understood."[2]

Features of communication

Communication is characterized by a number of key aspects. Some of them are presented below.

- Communication is a social process, it refers to at least two people and its course occurs in a social environment.

- It takes place in a defined social context, which is determined by the number and nature of the participants. It can be a group, interpersonal, public, mass, multicultural context.

- Communication is a creative process.

- It is a symbolic process, using signs and symbols.

- It is dynamic in nature, involving the assimilation, understanding and interpretation of information.

- It is a continuous and interactive process.

- Communication is characterized by complexity, it is multi-phase and multi-element. [3]

Direct communication

Direct communication, otherwise known as “face-to-face,” is a conversation involving mostly two people, with no intermediaries between them. Individuals communicate in the same place and at the same time, and remain in dynamic contact, receiving auditory stimuli (words) as well as visual stimuli (body language). [4]

The undoubted advantage of direct communication in business is instant feedback from the interlocutor. Even the absence of a response, is a response, because we are sure that the message has arrived. The interlocutor must specify here and now, there is no possibility of bypassing the message on our part.

Communication in an organization

The basic functions of management, i.e. planning, organizing, motivating and controlling, are closely related to communication in the organization.

In planning, it is essential to have the ability to communicate, during forecasting, programming and at the stage of creating the actual plan. Planning focuses on a sequence of questions and finding the right answers to them, by consulting any issues with other employees, not just a designated group of people. Every manager should have the opportunity to participate in the planning process, the cooperation of the entire team is important.

Motivating employees requires supervisors' listening skills and empathy. It helps achieve the outlined goals of the organization and contributes to efficiency, effectiveness and productivity. The essence of a motivation system is to inspire employees to achieve rather than to exert pressure and require predetermined responses. [5] Active communication is necessary to effectively influence subordinates. It involves communicating the intended and necessary information at a given time orally or in writing.

For controlling employees to be effective there should be close cooperation between cells. The realization of this management function requires objectivity on the part of those providing information and the avoidance of any evaluative wording that imposes subjectivity in advance. “The realization of the basic functions of management thus requires communication. How it is carried out determines the functioning of employee groups and, consequently, the results of their work.” [6]

In order for a team to function properly, there needs to be good communication between departments within a company. It is responsible for the proper transmission of information and the stabilization of data transfer within the company. Good communication is the key to the development of the company, because employees with the free transmission of information increase their efficiency which is transferred to a definite increase in the activities performed, the time spent on a given task is reduced which allows the next task to start in a shorter time.

“The main purpose of communication in the work environment is to create the right conditions to: - stimulating the creativity and effectiveness of the organization's members, - developing an organizational culture based on universally accepted values and principles, - sensitizing managers to the needs and comments of employees, - improving communication and building a climate of understanding between superiors and subordinates and between employees themselves, - increasing employee motivation through the transmission of understandable, truthful information, - reducing employee resistance to change by preparing them for it and understanding them."[3].

To understand how important communication is, it is worth using the implementation of principles, and conditions, which we can include:

- Development of creativity

- Development of efficiency

- Motivation of employees

- Clear presentation of benefits

- Building relationships between employees

- Setting goals

- Presenting the needs of managers and employees at lower levels

Proper communication also has a huge impact on the functioning of the company in terms of the atmosphere that exists between employees and the relevant levels. Employees with the right knowledge, and relevant information that comes to them on a regular basis are able to work much faster and more efficiently. To a great extent, this translates into their motivation to perform their activities. It is also important to set goals which, in the case of adequate and rapid implementation, will result in a bonus, or an increase in the rate of pay for a given employee or level. In the case of a single employee will try to work to his account to a great extent, while if the reward will be for all employees of a given level, the work will function quickly and will develop in a significant and short degree, which results in a huge potential in the future development of a given enterprise, “ to facilitate and improve this dimension of communication, managers should eliminate such barriers as high specialization, strong rivalry, lack of motivation, information overload or physical barriers.”[4]

There can be three types of communication in companies, these are:

- horizontal communication

- vertical communication

- network communication

To vertical communication, we can include communication or exchange of information between a superior and a subordinate employee, or the other way around, when a lower-level person passes information to his superior.

Horizontal communication we can include the exchange of information between employees of the same level, most often such information is transmitted during the performance of a particular activity assigned by the superior.

Network communication takes place in a similar way to horizontal communication with the exception that information is passed between positions from different departments in a given company.

Communication most often occurs in the course of a conversation between two or more people, the conversation is also a factor that increases peace in the company, while the possibility of a free dialogue can be taken by lower-level employees with a superior as a motivation to work, and in the eyes of the employee minimizes the difference between levels, although it is maintained to the same degree. Unfortunately, in many companies there is a lack of adequate and calm conversation, which mostly results in a bad atmosphere, and a decrease in the efficiency rate when performing employee activities. If a group does not have an adequate flow of information its future is at risk and most likely will not survive. It is very often the case that adequate communication cannot occur due to the different views of employees and their attitudes towards each other, and the lack of imagination of a given situation in which each of them could be placed.

Nowadays, we can distinguish two basic methods of communication such as the traditional method of communication, and the modern method of communication. Of course, it is well known that the most commonly used method of communication is a live conversation, or a conversation via a cell phone or other electronic device. To both types of communication we can include many methods such as:

Among the traditional methods of communication, we can include:

- meetings

- Conversations

- telephone contact

- paper documentation

- wall charts

- online meetings

Modern communication methods include:

- e-mail

- Instant messaging

- Audioconferencing

- Videoconferencing

- Project blogs

- project portal

- group calendar

- virtual whiteboards

“In order to improve communication between group members, the following guidelines should be taken into account: - group work should start with face-to-face meetings (gatherings) of the group, if possible; - each group member should be acquainted with the professional skills of colleagues (e.g. skills catalog available online); - the group should be regularly informed of the team's progress and successes; - members should participate in coaching and training sessions; - meetings should be well organized and should end with some form of written summary; - video conferencing and similar should be used to increase cooperation and the level of trust between group members; - cross-cultural differences should be taken into account."[5]

Team members who are well informed about their team's performance and progress increase efficiency. It is important that they receive appropriate training and coaching. A company that wants to pursue its goals must familiarize all employees with the company's specialties, and communicate all information about the positions that are held and used. One of the most important aspects of good communication is to have training and training sessions. These should be held regularly and should be mandatory for all employees. In cases where such training is not held, the most common mistakes during work are caused by lack of concentration and motivation of employees, and insufficient flow of information. Such mistakes can include, among others:

- Criticizing employees

- Passing on

- Making the wrong diagnosis

- Ordering

- Threatening

- Moralizing

- Asking too many questions

- Giving inappropriate advice

- Distraction

In summary, proper communication in a company is essential for its development and expansion. It is very important that every employee feels confident and motivated to work. Proper and prompt communication will help to achieve the set goals in a timely manner.

Etiquette in the workplace - valuable principles

Business etiquette, especially in the place of employment, is needed for one very important reason - to feel at ease and to be confident in dealing with people. Often the first of the problems is to introduce yourself. If a third party introduces someone at work, they must be of higher rank than the person being introduced (never the other way around). To switch to the so-called “you” with a superior can only be done on his initiative, with a co-worker it is an individual issue and you should rely on your intuition.

Eye contact is one of the most important elements of non-verbal communication. Sight is able to tell us more than hearing or speech. By looking, we are able to judge a person's character, mood, intentions. In business dealings, the gaze should fall directly into the eyes or around the eyes of the interlocutor. This conveys that our intentions are sincere, that we have nothing to hide, and that we have no concerns, whereas “if two people with very different personality strengths are having a conversation, the person with the weaker psyche and personality will not be able to withstand direct eye contact.” [7]

The issue of dress is also extremely important. If a specific style is imposed in advance, we must adhere to it - there are no exceptions to this rule. On the other hand, if there are no clearly defined requirements for the clothes to be worn, we must remember that the outfit should never be sporty, too “loose” or defiant. Particular caution should be exercised when meeting with clients, as we are the business card of our company and our attire has a great impact on other people's perception of us.

Remembering first and last names is another important rule that positively affects relationships and also makes us more professional in the eyes of the other person. People who have trouble remembering and associating faces with names are recommended to take notes and make associations. It is also helpful to repeat aloud the personalities heard.

Summary

Summarizing the above, knowing the rules of communication brings many benefits and helps build healthy relationships with co-workers, customers, superiors. It positively influences public perception. In stressful situations, a professional who knows the rules and puts them into practice performs much better and more effectively, and is able to respond appropriately in all circumstances.

The correct operation of internal communication fundamentally affects the overall communication activities, so also outside the company. The success of the whole therefore begins and largely depends on the commitment and motivation of employees.

It is believed that good internal communication reflects the company's philosophy and organizational culture, effectively motivates employees to carry out assigned tasks, while focusing on continuous improvement of working conditions and development. Since employees' attitudes are often seen as the company's best business card, taking care of their needs is a valid starting point.

Bibliography

Adair J.: Anatomia Biznesu. Komunikacja. Studio EMKA, Warszawa 2000, s. 17.

Hamilton C., Skuteczna komunikacja w biznesie, Wyd. PWN, Warszawa 2011, s. 26

A. Olsztyńska, Komunikacja wewnętrzna w przedsiębiorstwie, [w:] Komunikowanie się w biznesie, red. H. Mruk, Wyd. AE w Poznaniu, Poznań 2002, s. 168.

J. Stankiewicz, Komunikowanie się w organizacji, Wyd. PZ, Zielona Góra 1998, s. 25-29

A. Jashapara, Zarządzanie wiedzą. Zintegrowane podejście, PWE, Warszawa 2006, s. 253-254.

A. Grzegorczyk, Contemporary aspects of relations and communication, Wyższa Szkoła Promocji, Mediów i Show Businessu, Zeszyty Naukowe WSP, No. 3/2018, Warsaw, 2018.

J. Stankiewicz, Communicating in organizations, ASTRUM, Wrocław, 2006, p.17

I. Kamińska-Radomska, Etykieta biznesu, czyli międzynarodowy język kurtuazji, Studio EMKA, Warsaw, 2003, p.25.

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