HRM ASSIGNMENT

Communication is one of the basic functions of management in any organization and its importance can
hardly be overemphasized. It is a process of transmitting information, ideas, thoughts, opinions and plans
between various parts of an organization. 

It is not possible to have human relations without communication. However, good and effective
communication is required not only for good human relations but also for good and successful business.

Effective communication is required at various levels and for various aspects in an organization such
as–

For manager – employee relations:

Effective communication of information and decision is an essential component for management-employee
relations. The manager cannot get the work done from employees unless they are communicated effectively
of what he wants to be done? He should also be sure of some basic facts such as how to communicate and
what results can be expected from that communication. Most of management problems arise because of lack
of effective communication. Chances of misunderstanding and misrepresentation can be minimized with
proper communication system.

For motivation and employee morale:

Communication is also a basic tool for motivation, which can improve morale of the employees in an
organization. Inappropriate or faulty communication among employees or between manager and his
subordinates is the major cause of conflict and low morale at work. Manager should clarify to employees
about what is to be done, how well they doing and what are can be done for better performance to improve
their motivation. He can prepare a written statement, clearly outlining the relationship between company
objectives and personal objectives and integrating the interest of the two.

For increase productivity:

With effective communication, you can maintain a good human relation in the organization and by
encouraging ideas or suggestions from employees or workers and implementing them whenever possible,
you can also increase production at low cost.

For employees:
It is through the communication that employees submit their work reports, comments, grievances and
suggestions to their seniors or management. Organization should have effective and speedy communication
policy and procedures to avoid delays, misunderstandings, confusion or distortions of facts and to establish
harmony among all the concerned people and departments.
Importance of written communication:
Communication may be made through oral or written. In oral communication, listeners can make out what
speakers is trying to say, but in written communication, text matter in the message is a reflection of your
thinking. So, written communication or message should be clear, purposeful and concise with correct
words, to avoid any misinterpretation of your message. Written communications provides a permanent
record for future use and it also gives an opportunity to employees to put up their comments or suggestions
in writing.
Human resource management holds an essential role in maintaining a positive and efficient experience
for employees. HRM is responsible for hiring and firing, addressing issues that arise in a business and
dealing with the daily logistics of payroll, overtime and other employee needs. HRM is contingent on
effective communication for productivity. Without proper communication there can be confusion and lack
of direction, which causes a decrease in motivation, purpose andproductivity.

Gives Clear Instruction

Clear instructions are crucial for anyone to follow a process or procedure accurately. For example, if
employees are required to turn in time cards before 2 p.m. on Fridays but the only form of communication is
a sign on the HR door, it is inevitable that many of the employees will not receive the message. Effective
communication avoids unclear situations and provides the proper steps to achieve the desired result of a
procedure.

Empowers people
Effective communication empowers people. When people know a clear goal and the steps necessary
for the goal, the more motivated they will be. When a person is motivated he will naturally be more
productive because he will experience satisfaction and achievement. Proper communication provides a safe
environment for the employees where they feel taken care of and understood.

Clears up Confusion
Misunderstandings are one of the most common breakdowns with HRM. For example, a memo may
be sent out to the employees, but one of the points on the memo is vague, leaving everyone to interpret it
themselves. When this scenario transpires there is room for misunderstanding. When misunderstandings
take place, productivity is the first aspect to suffer.

Provides a Healthy Culture

Effective communication in HRM creates a positive work environment. When employees like
the culture of where they work, they will naturally be more productive. Just like in any relationship, where
there is effective communication, there is a sense of respect, appreciation and loyalty. The opposite is true
as well. Lack of effective communication can create an undesirable environment, which affects the will to
be productive.

Promotes Accountability
Clear, concise and effectively communicated HRM provides the proper information to everyone
involved. Knowing exactly what is expected and the steps required to achieve an end goal will create a level
of accountability within the business or organization. The more people know what to do, the more they will
hold each other accountable to reach the common goal.

Effective Communication in the Workplace

The costs to your business of poor employee communication include:

 increased employee turnover

 increased absenteeism
 dissatisfied customers from poor customer service
 higher product defect rates
 lack of focus on business objectives
Many people think that communicating is easy.

It is after all something we've done all our lives.

There is some truth in this simplistic view.

Communicating is straightforward.

What makes it complex, difficult, and frustrating are the barriers we put in the way.

Here are the 7 top barriers.

1. Physical barriers

Physical barriers in the workplace include:

 marked out territories, empires and fiefdoms into which strangers are not allowed

 closed office doors, barrier screens, separate areas for people of different status

 large working areas or working in one unit that is physically separate from others.

Research shows that one of the most important factors in building cohesive teams is
proximity. As long as people still have a personal space that they can call their own, nearness
to others aids communication because it helps us get to know one another.

2. Perceptual barriers

The problem with communicating with others is that we all see the world differently. If we
didn't, we would have no need to communicate: something like extrasensory perception
would take its place.

The following anecdote is a reminder of how our thoughts, assumptions and perceptions
shape our own realities:

A traveller was walking down a road when he met a man from the next town. "Excuse me,"
he said. "I am hoping to stay in the next town tonight. Can you tell me what the townspeople
are like?"

"Well," said the townsman, "how did you find the people in the last town you visited?"

"Oh, they were an irascible bunch. Kept to themselves. Took me for a fool. Over-charged me
for what I got. Gave me very poor service."

"Well, then," said the townsman, "you'll find them pretty much the same here."

3. Emotional barriers

One of the chief barriers to open and free communications is the emotional barrier. It is
comprised mainly of fear, mistrust and suspicion. The roots of our emotional mistrust of
others lie in our childhood and infancy when we were taught to be careful what we said to
others.

"Mind your P's and Q's"; "Don't speak until you're spoken to"; "Children should be seen and
not heard". As a result many people hold back from communicating their thoughts and
feelings to others.

They feel vulnerable. While some caution may be wise in certain relationships, excessive fear
of what others might think of us can stunt our development as effective communicators and
our ability to form meaningful relationships.

4. Cultural barriers

When we join a group and wish to remain in it, sooner or later we need to adopt the behavior
patterns of the group. These are the behaviors that the group accept as signs of belonging.

The group rewards such behavior through acts of recognition, approval and inclusion. In
groups which are happy to accept you and where you are happy to conform, there is a
mutuality of interest and a high level of win-win contact.

Where, however, there are barriers to your membership of a group, a high level of game-
playing replaces good communication.

5. Language barriers

Language that describes what we want to say in our terms may present barriers to others
who are not familiar with our expressions, buzz-words and jargon. When we couch our
communication in such language, it is a way of excluding others. In a global market place the
greatest compliment we can pay another person is to talk in their language.
One of the more chilling memories of the Cold War was the threat by the Soviet leader Nikita
Khruschev saying to the Americans at the United Nations: "We will bury you!" This was taken
to mean a threat of nuclear annihilation.

However, a more accurate reading of Khruschev's words would have been: "We will overtake
you!" meaning economic superiority. It was not just the language, but the fear and suspicion
that the West had of the Soviet Union that led to the more alarmist and sinister
interpretation.

6. Gender barriers

There are distinct differences between the speech patterns in a man and those in a woman. A
woman speaks between 22,000 and 25,000 words a day whereas a man speaks between
7,000 and 10,000. In childhood, girls speak earlier than boys and at the age of three, have a
vocabulary twice that of boys.

The reason for this lies in the wiring of a man's and woman's brains. When a man talks, his
speech is located in the left side of the brain but in no specific area. When a woman talks,
the speech is located in both hemispheres and in two specific locations.

This means that a man talks in a linear, logical and compartmentalized way, features of left-
brain thinking; whereas a woman talks more freely mixing logic and emotion, features of
both sides of the brain. It also explains why women talk for much longer than men each day.

Non verbal communication

People tend to believe actions more than words!

Categories and Features

G. W. Porter divides non-verbal communication into four broad categories:

Physical. This is the personal type of communication. It includes facial expressions, tone of voice,
sense of touch, sense of smell, and body motions.

Aesthetic. This is the type of communication that takes place through creative expressions: playing
instrumental music, dancing, painting and sculpturing.
Signs. This is the mechanical type of communication, which includes the use of signal flags, the 21-
gun salute, horns, and sirens.

Symbolic. This is the type of communication that makes use of religious, status, or ego-building
symbols.

Our concern here will be with what Porter has called the physical method of non-verbal
communication.

Static Features

Distance.

Distance. The distance one stands from another frequently conveys a non-verbal message. In some
cultures it is a sign of attraction, while in others it may reflect status or the intensity of the exchange.

Orientation. People may present themselves in various ways: face-to-face, side-to-side, or even
back-to-back. For example, cooperating people are likely to sit side-by-side while competitors
frequently face one another.

Posture. Obviously one can be lying down, seated, or standing. These are not the elements of posture
that convey messages. Are we slouched or erect ? Are our legs crossed or our arms folded ? Such
postures convey a degree of formality and the degree of relaxation in the communication exchange.

Physical Contact. Shaking hands, touching, holding, embracing, pushing, or patting on the back all
convey messages. They reflect an element of intimacy or a feeling of (or lack of) attraction.

Dynamic Features

Facial Expressions.

Facial Expressions. A smile, frown, raised eyebrow, yawn, and sneer all convey information. Facial
expressions continually change during interaction and are monitored constantly by the recipient. There
is evidence that the meaning of these expressions may be similar across cultures.

Gestures. One of the most frequently observed, but least understood, cues is a hand movement. Most
people use hand movements regularly when talking. While some gestures (e.g., a clenched fist) have
universal meanings, most of the others are individually learned and idiosyncratic.

Looking. A major feature of social communication is eye contact. It can convey emotion, signal when
to talk or finish, or aversion. The frequency of contact may suggest either interest or boredom.

The above list shows that both static features and dynamic features transmit important information
from the sender to the receiver.

Let's review these non-linguistic ways of exchanging messages in more detail.

Forward and Backward Movements. If you extend a hand straight forward during an interview or
tend to lean forward, Lamb considers you to be an "operator"- good for an organization requiring an
infusion of energy or dramatic change of course.

Vertical Movements. If you tend to draw yourself up to your tallest during the handshake, Lamb
considers you to be a "presenter." You are a master at selling yourself or the organization in which you
are employed.

Side-to-Side Movements. If you take a lot of space while talking by moving your arms about, you
are a good informer and good listener. You are best suited for an organization

We have had a look as to how important communication is and what role does it basically plays in carrying
the business to new horizons. The coming part is a guide to human resource in an organization as in how to
carry out the communication between the employees and how to make them efficient.

Guiding Principles
Good communication can help you:

 Improve relationships and teamwork

 Improve performance and productivity
 Foster an open, creative environment
 Solve problems effectively 

Becoming a Better Communicator

Your responsibility as a supervisor is to communicate clearly and concisely to all employees and create an
environment conducive to openness for others. As the staff becomes more diverse, you may have to take
extra time and effort to communicate to all staff members. To become a better communicator:

 Create an open communication environment in your unit. Encourage employees to talk about
work issues; listen carefully and respond to questions or concerns with actions or answers. If an
issue is outside your authority, pass it along to the appropriate person; then be sure to follow up.

 Conduct regular staff meetings. Tell your staff about decisions that may affect them or the work
they do and the reasons for those decisions. Use staff meetings to encourage feedback, generate
ideas, solve problems, and gain support.

 Set up individual meetings. Set some time aside periodically to meet one-on-one with employees.
 Group staff meetings are important; however, meeting separately with your employees shows
concern about their individual work issues.

Effective Listening
An important ingredient that runs through all good communication is listening. Listening is a skill that can
be practiced and learned. Your goal as a listener is to fully understand your employee's experience and point
of view. Give the employee a chance to talk for a while before you say anything.

 Use non-verbal communication. Be aware of what you communicate with your body; your posture
and expressions can convey your attitudes toward a speaker even before you say one word. Use
body language to show the speaker that you are engaged in the conversation and open to hearing.

 Listen to understand the underlying feelings. Use your heart as well as your mind to understand
the speaker. Notice how something is said as well as the actual words used.

 Don't interrupt: Be sure you think carefully before you speak. As a listener, your job is to help the
speaker express himself.

 Don't judge the person: A speaker who feels you are making judgments will feel defensive. Avoid
making judgments and instead try to empathize and understand the speaker's perspective.

 Do not give advice: Keep in mind that the best resolutions are those that people arrive at
themselves, not what someone else tells them to do. If you feel it is appropriate, and only after you
have encouraged the person to talk, offer some ideas and discuss them.