UNIT 15 ORGANIZATION’S INTERNAL COMMUNICATION

STRUCTURE
o Introduction – Meeting socialization distance

o Communicating through Positions and contingent situations

o Vertical communication – Communication with higher levels

o Vertical Communication- downward direction

o Horizontal communication- communication with colleagues

o Diagonal relations

o Contribute to Team Spirit

o Towards standardizing organizational communication

o Home Bulletin or House Journal

o Organizing events

o Case Study

o Summary

o Keywords

INTRODUCTION – MEETING SOCIALIZATION DISTANCE

We spend, as employee, more time in communicating with insiders. This covers number

of departments, sections and number of employees. We also communicate with bosses,

subordinates and colleagues spread over all the organization. Besides we talk to various

geographical units of the organization spread nationally or internationally. We may have internal

phone system, errand boy system, E-Mail system which we can use for internal contact purposes.

The use of computer to communicate internally and see for such messages on computer is a

familiar site.

The computer information can be seen, if so arranged, by many people at a time. Two

ways, multiple way and mass contacts are possible through computer system. The increasing role

of home offices and business outsourcing has in fact changed the concept of internal organization.
It need not be under one roof. The work be down loaded at home and we can work from home,

what we termed as home office. Thus the distance between internal staff is increasing and the

whole concept of communication within is changing.

The audio-video conferences and in near future video phones which are going to take

over face to face relations even with distance staff. The pressure of work against time is increasing

and we have no time to get out of our seat and have face to face contact. Thus the process of

socialization is becoming distance oriented. Then the most important is how do we communicate

within modern organizations?

COMMUNICATING THROUGH POSITIONS AND CONTINGENT

SITUATIONS
Communicating within organization is more difficult since people are conscious of their

organizational authority and level. Both the communicating parties have to understand their

respective positions before communicating. Only one tone or one type of addressing is not

sufficient. Even people remaining the same, we may have to change the tone according to

circumstances. In order to impress the urgency I have seen the bosses shouting even though in the

heart of heart they would ordinarily dislike such communication.

Since most of the positions we pre-recognized, being part of such organizations it is our

natural inclination to change tone according to position and need. The expression which you will

use within your face to face colleagues would be different when you speak to colleagues in

distance department with whom you are not very familiar. Certain profession also impact

communications. One will not see people in accounts department as friendly as perhaps in

marketing department. To speak on the factory floor do require more loud talking since there is

noise disturbance all the time.

Thus communications within organization have lot of considerations in terms of position

and situation under which it is done.

VERTICAL COMMUNICATION – C O M M U N I C A T I O N W I T H HIGHER
LEVELS
In organization parlance it is upward communication that dominates. Bosses also

seeking information, actions, compliance etc. from the subordinates and this feedback becomes an

upward vertical communication. Generally it is not addressed to a person but for the attention of

some one. It is preferred to put his designation as well. If you are addressing a communication

which is purely because you are employee on personal ground like asking for leave, you are

addressing to a boss, it should be better addressed as Sir but in no case Dear Sir. We can express

gratitude but not other emotions.

Since there are possibilities of such communication being heard or seen by others some

fixed decorum must be observed. The informal organization relations should not be used for formal

organization communication one should write or speak about the action taken and hope that it will

be considered ‘in order’.

If you are communicating with do not pose questions instead suggest alternatives and

let him make a choice. When anyone confronts a problem the boss generally looks to it as nuisance

since the responsibility of finding solutions passes on to him. It is assistant’s job to comfort bosses

but not to confront them. It also makes a habit to think in terms of solutions. The contents should be

as brief as possible. Language should be submissive.

If one has complaint about someone else working in organization the best way is to talk

with the boss and ask his opinion whether you should put this in writing. If you are not happy with

what boss suggests, you can take a risk of over-ruling his wishes. Remember risk taking in human

relations is a part of managerial life. You always see that all this is in organization’s interest and not

in your self-interest. Endure so long as you can. Circumstances do change and your turn may

come.
VERTICAL COMMUNICATION- DOWNWARD DIRECTION
This is done with subordinates at different positions and in different situations. Mostly

one directs through such communication. The bosses who are magnanimous in attitude and

supportive are generally liked and obeyed by people. If one does not keep communication line

open with subordinates, the bosses are likely to miss important feedback on which they depend for

execution. No one minds if boss is unduly autocratic some time when need be. It is understood by

the subordinates.

It is demonstrative capacity of bosses to show that what they talk they implement is

generally appreciated. The principled leadership is appreciated. What really goes wrong with such

styles are these are adopted as success models and used without selective approach. We always

appreciate our task master teachers even after schooling days are over. Task oriented bosses are

also liked especially in the long run. If one wants to inform in general interest of subordinates do it

through circulars, meetings and direct as far as possible. One should not show that one favors a

particular individual.

Thus one should be careful in giving out information. Give subordinates opportunity to

think, seek your guidance and if possible mentor his way to career. Bosses should act as

depositories of trust of subordinates. Again be open and transparent. Do not speak behind anyone.

Walls have eyes and ears. Respecting individuals as humans irrespective of positions is important

to give a feeling of equity and security.

HORIZONTAL COMMUNICATION- COMMUNICATION WITH

COLLEAGUES
Much of the communication is with colleagues not who are in face to face relation with

you but also spread over other departments, section, branches etc. One should treat these

relations as customers for exchange of knowledge and information. The spirit of behavior should be

directed as Customer service. Your willingness to serve is very important to have goodwill and get

the work done from others. These relations many times are taken for granted and promises made
to them are forgotten. Whatever information you have promised must be delivered in time. Thus

more than your intelligence timely helps count quite a lot on horizontal level.

Again it must be noted here, avoid being too close, always carry respectable distance so

that one can say ‘no’ when one needs it to be said. Do not encourage a system which encourages

giving information not in tune with work discipline. For some time you may collect friends but slowly

you will start losing trust. In any team work ‘trust’ is the most important quality one should nurture

through communication.

DIAGONAL RELATIONS
These relations are with all those who do not really in vertical line or horizontal line and

cross the levels in organization. Some other department’s boss may ask you something as

information when he is not your boss. There is no reason why such contacts should be avoided. All

that one should report to his line above that such and such information was given. Business likes

speed more than organizational hierarchy.

CONTRIBUTE TO TEAM SPIRIT

The organization communication should be such that it contributes to team spirit. The

essence of team spirit is going out of normal communication lines and supporting a broader cause

of organization. The organization must be on talking terms. In times of difficulties you assume

someone else’s responsibility for the same of organization that you are showing team spirit. Over

all your relations in organization should be guided by customers’ relations approach and team

spirit. Team spirit suggests giving importance to organization’s interest than self-interest, to show

willingness to play role, sometime accepting leadership and at some other times ‘follower-ship’.
TOWARDS STANDARDIZING ORGANIZATIONAL
COMMUNICATION
Very large portion of office communication arises out of ignorance of

policies, procedures, rules, precedents etc. and enquiries related to that. Internal

communication at least should be standardized so that no personal presentation is

involved. One important tool to do this is prepare work manual so that it contains

updated information on all aspects of working including replies to frequently asked

questions. This will avoid lot of internal communication. It can also standardize all

reporting formats so that it would require ‘fill in’ or tick mark approach. Individual

personality need not reflect in routine internal communication. With the intra net and

availability of computes one can post the information on a screen so as to reduce

enquiries and communication because of lack of information. Message slips can be

standardized, ‘post it’ type of notes can be attached to documents and standardized

circular formats can be developed.

This also goes true to standardized procedures like suggestions scheme,

grievance procedure, and communication procedures etc. so that almost all exceptional

occasions can be brought to a level of standardization. The effort here is to avoid

perplexing questions about style to be adopted in communication. For example we may

draft special documents for upward communication to avoid protocols involved.

HOME BULLETIN OR HOUSE JOURNAL

This is specialized communication on fixed term basis developed for hi-

lighting achievements of employees and organization. This can be made something like

a Gazette so that it can act as a common reference to notifications issued during the
period till manuals are updated. One can also issue page insertion service to a manual

for keeping it updated. The circular format has to be developed accordingly.

House journals are styled for communicating with employees and employees

families and encouraging their talents in terms of performing arts. It is good

communication to promote participation and raise morale of organization.

One can also establish site for organization employees on internet and do

the same activity so as to avoid its printing provided workers are encouraged to have

their own computers.

ORGANIZING EVENTS
One of the principal reason for organizing social occasion is to enable

people to mix socially establishing informal links in communication There is every fear

that organization will follow communication lines as per positions but must not overlook

the fact that it is social organization which needs informal communication to work as a

team. Promoting such events can be done through arranging sports, entertainment,

exhibitions etc. In fact organization requires new clusters to take people out of defined

organization departments. In short we encourage informal social organization to

support formal organization. There are many hidden talents which organization does

not know of its members due to defined work scope. One may find someone as a good

drawing artist and can switch him to advertisement department to take advantage of his

knowledge and encourage creativity.

They can also be used to do socially useful activities like participate in social

campaign like literacy movement and devote some time to social work. This imbibes a
spirit of social work and makes them socially useful citizens. We have instances that

such workers have become municipal members. This gives .eyes and ears to

organization for communication.

Home visits of socio-medical workers and others can be organized to take note of

problems of individual employees and ascertaining their problems in time by taking

preventive measures. This involves communication with the home and organization on

social footing. One should not forget that people work to earn money and thus family is

very much dependent on organization.

SUMMARY
Employees spend more time in internal communication. This communication

is with variety of sections, departments, branches and at different levels like bosses

subordinates and colleagues. Distance between employees is increasing because of

concepts like outsourcing and home offices. .Meeting personally has almost become a

rarity. Position consciousness creates problem in internal communication giving need to

variety of tones to be used within same organization in communication. This also

changes with situations. Communication with bosses should be submissive more in the

nature of offering alternatives than showing helplessness. Open line attitude should be

used with subordinates. The communication in organization should support team spirit.

Standardization of all routine communication is aimed at to eliminate individual

preferences.

KEYWORDS

 Formal organization – expressly build for the purpose

 Informal organization – informal relational organization coming out of

formal organization.