Intermediate1/2 Administration

Communication

Communication

An Admin Assistant needs to communicate with lots of people everyday. Communication can happen in many different ways – letter telephone conversation, email, instant messaging etc.

Communication is any method which involves passing information from one person to another

Internal communication

This is communication which happens between people who work in in the same organisation.

In a large organisation there could be hundreds of people. Therefore it is important to ensure that communication is efficient to allow work to flow and people receive the right information at the right time.

External Communication

This takes place with people who do not work for the organisation eg customers, suppliers.

External communication is important because it can help portray a good image of the company to the outside world.

Informal/forma communication

Informal communication is less structured eg memos or emails.

Formal communication is more professional and structured eg business letters, presentations, reports

Features of good communication

Accurate – the information should be correct and true Complete – there should be no facts missing Timely – must be delivered on time and be up to date Relevant – it must meet the needs of the audience (the

people receiving the information) – it must be useful to them

Cost effective – preparing information costs time and money – so it should not cost more than it benefits the company

Meaningful – it must use suitable language and be the most appropriate method – it should be easy to understand and be appropriate to the audience

Methods of Communication

2 main categories – Oral communication eg meetings,

interviews, presentation and via the telephone

Written – letters, memos, adverts, job descriptions

Oral Communication

Strengths Information is given faster than

writing It can be cheaper than writing

or using technology It allows for 2-way discussion –

questions can be asked There is instant feedback The message can be changed

if the person receiving the info does not understand

Appropriate for personal messages and delicate situations

Weaknesses There is no permanent record

– information can be forgotten or disagreements about what had been said

Not structured and consistent Personalities and emotions

can create a barrier to oral communication eg if people dislike each other

Difficult to control oral communication especially if there are large numbers of people

Written Communication

Strengths It provides a permanent

record for the future It can more structured

and consistent than oral communication

If there are many points to be covered it is better to write them down

Can be looked at when convenient and at a later date

Weaknesses It can take longer to

prepare It is inflexible there is not

immediate feedback or interaction

Sender cannot use non-verbal cues such as body language so it is difficult to gauge the tone

Some people unable to access written communication eg those with learning difficulties

Barriers to communication

Distortion – where a message is not accurately stated eg using inappropriate language, typing errors or unclear explanations

Noise – physical noise eg traffic, road works – technical noise eg bad phone connection, faulty line, noisy printers etc

Differences in perception – people of different ages, cultures, education and personality interpret situations differently

Jumping to conclusions – hearing or seeing what you expect or think you hear or see – so you miss the actual message

Lack of interest – the sender does not relay the message in the best way, so receiver does not engage with the communication and may ignore it

Information overload – too much information can cause confusion Bias and selectivity – where you only receive part of the message

as you choose to ignore the rest Lack of feedback – if a message is sent and there is no response

then it may be the message has not been received or understood.

Effects of poor communication

On the individual Poor staff performance as

the person may not have understood the instructions

Damaged working relationships

Frustration may lead to stress

Low morale and low self confidence

On the organisation Increased costs Poor employee

relationships with customers and suppliers

Lowered productivity Increased staff turnover