Hrm 742 Group Assignment For Second Group
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Seneca College *
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742
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Communications
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Jan 9, 2024
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Hrm 742 Group Assignment From Group 2
By Tsung-Yu Ho
David Jones Svetlana Matyukhina
Shais Naveed
Jesse Ridgley Alyx Vandenakker
Submitted To: Professor. Jocelyn Purchase
Summited Date: 11/25/2023
1. Explain in detail how the theories relating to communication in general and more specifically to non-verbal communication, impact the effectiveness of electronic communication (i.e. email, text, etc.) as a communication medium within organizations.
A: The textbook emphasizes that electronic communications lead to a lack of emotional expression, a lack of courtesy and respect, a lack of ability to manage ambiguous, intricate, and unfamiliar situations, and exacerbate the issue of information overload. (McShane, page 238)Emotional miscommunication occurs when a tone or tone of voice is misconstrued or misunderstood because of the lack of nonverbal cues in a face-to-face conversation. For example, an email might say, “Please bring more handouts to this week’s meeting, we don’t need a repeat from last week.” The recipient might misinterpret this as a hostile message, thinking the sender was accusing them of not having enough handouts when in fact the sender was joking and making a mistake. A face-to-face conversation would have detected the sarcasm immediately and prevented any misunderstandings. With the rise of electronic communications over the past few decades, many people have been looking for better ways to express emotions in their communications. Senders are now using expressive language (“I’m so glad to hear you!”), highlighting phrases in bold/quotation marks, and using graphic faces (“emojis & emoticons”) to convey the desired emotion. (McShane, 2021)
In a face-to-face conversation, people react based on their gut reactions. In an email exchange, people have more space to think about what they are going to say, which leads to a
more thoughtful response. The lack of social interaction in electronic communications has a huge impact on the closeness between people. The emotional connection that people feel in a face-to-face setting is lost when they communicate electronically, which reduces the desired emotional impact on others. When the purpose of the conversation is to empathize with another person or group of people, a communication channel’s social presence effect becomes critical. People are more likely to listen and help others when there’s a sense of connection or human connection. (McShane, 2021)
The effectiveness of electronic communication is also affected by social acceptance. Social acceptance refers to how well a communication channel is accepted and supported by colleagues, teams, the organization, and society. (McShane, 2021)This could lead to issues if some team members only use text messages or instant chat for the little things that need urgent attention, while the rest of the employees only use phone calls or rarely check their phones while on the job. This could result in information being missed or urgent matters being missed because everyone is uncomfortable using the same channels. There is also the question of what is appropriate across generations. Some communication channels are seen as
impersonal while others as more personal. Some are seen as professional while others are casual. Some are considered "cool" while others are considered old-school. (McShane, 2021)
The new emerging workforce is made up of the millennial generation, who grew up in a technological age. They tend to prefer texting and instant chats in their day-to-day communication, even in professional contexts. Baby boomers, on the other hand, who are slowly retiring from the workforce, consider phone calls to be the standard of communication. Email is reserved for non-emergency professional matters. Social acceptance
norms also play a role in this generational difference. While the younger generation is comfortable with the older generation’s communication style, they recognize their preference for something different. The older generation sees the new communication methods as unprofessional, disrespectful, and less tolerant of changing trends. Language and phrasing also have a significant impact on how employees are presented with messages. Language barriers can cause a lot of problems when communicating electronically, especially if one of the employees is not speaking English fluently. Different languages have similar words that overlap but differ significantly in meaning. Some phrases may be considered inappropriate or
rude in one language, but not in the other. English, like other languages, has many
circumlocutions. (McShane, 2021) Vocabulary refers to phrases or “code words” that are associated with specific topics. For example, doctors use medical terminology, contractors use construction terminology, and Starbucks employees use customer support vocabulary. If you’re not familiar with those topics, interpreting information can be very challenging when you don’t understand half the words the person is saying. It’s even more challenging when you’re communicating electronically because you can’t ask for clarification right away. Instead, you need to read the message, ask for more information, then wait for the response. These types of conversations are best handled in person.
2. Describe communication situations in an organizational setting, where you think email should be used and where email should not be used as the primary medium of
communication. Explain your answer
A: Email is suitable when the sender doesn’t need an immediate reply. For example, the sender may need a reply by the end of the day or the end of the week. This can be specified in
the message. Email is suitable when you don’t need a response. For example, if you’re sending a message that doesn’t require a response. E-mail is a communication channel that can be used in one-way or two-way communications. Digital messages are extremely effective in well-defined contexts. For example, you can use email to confirm the location of your meeting or to provide basic instructions for a routine activity. (McShane, 2021)Email is not suitable for discussion of a sensitive subject, such as an altercation or dispute, as tone and
emotion can be misinterpreted.
The issue lies in the fact that we use facial expressions and other nonverbal signals to comprehend the emotional content of words, while digital test-based communication lacks this parallel channel. (McShane, 2021)When discussing a sensitive subject, it is advisable to do so in person or online, as there is limited opportunity to express one's emotions or receive a message in an inappropriate context. Furthermore, individuals are more likely to react disrespectfully or angrily without calmly considering their response when communicating via
email. One of the reasons for this is that digital media is more impersonal than most other forms of communication, which diminishes the sender's ability to be empathetic when creating a message. Additionally, digital messages can be sent and received before the sender's emotional state has subsided. (McShane,2021)These communications are most effective when conducted face-to-face, allowing participants to reflect on their responses and fully comprehend their position on the information before replying.
Wilson Brothers has developed a policy statement outlining the guidelines and standards for internal and external communication through email and other electronic media. The policy stipulates that internal communications must comply with the company's internal policies and
procedures, such as anti-harassment, anti-violence, and anti-discrimination policies. All communications must also be professional and suitable for a workplace environment. Information shared or stored on internal servers is subject to surveillance and is considered company property. Text messages or instant chat groups can be used for urgent matters when phone calls are inappropriate or unavailable. External communications, including those on internal company servers, including those for personal use, are governed by the same confidentiality policy as internal communications. Personal communications should be conducted on personal time (break times or after hours) unless authorized otherwise.
It is essential to ensure the proper use of email and other forms of electronic communication in the workplace to avoid any disputes or legal repercussions. For urgent matters, it is recommended to use text messages or instant chat. However, it is important to be mindful of
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the confidentiality of internal corporate server communications and to limit personal communications to periods of personal time. Furthermore, it is essential to limit the use of non-work-related messaging and chat groups, as well as to avoid the use of company resources for inappropriate activities, such as illegal activities or explicit content. Additionally, it is advised to avoid sending inappropriate content to colleagues. These recommendations are intended to protect employees and protect the company.
The most effective way to ensure the safety of both employees and the company is to remain up-to-date with the ever-evolving technology and understand how to effectively utilize it in the workplace. For the company, establishing clear guidelines on the use of electronic communication can help to protect itself from potential legal action in the future. For instance, if a confidentiality policy is in place that highlights the company's ownership of data
transmitted through its servers and is subject to monitoring, the company can protect itself from any misuse of company email by its employees. Furthermore, if an employee wishes to file a suit against the company for invasion of privacy, the company can defend itself by citing the confidentiality policy that it acknowledged when hiring the employee. From the employee's perspective, understanding what constitutes good practice for the use of company communications will enable the employee to meet the expectations of the company from the outset. If the employee is unaware of the proper use of company communications, they may unknowingly violate company policies and be subject to disciplinary action. Therefore, both the employee and the employer must understand how to utilize company communications to avoid misunderstandings and legal disputes.
4. Outline how the guidelines you established in question 3 above will impact the organization. A: By using email as the primary method of electronic communication, Wilson Brother’s employees can easily send and receive data efficiently and effectively. Since email is an asynchronous method of communication, there is no need to schedule a meeting with two or more staff members to discuss non-urgent or confidential matters.
(McShane, Tasa, Steen.2021). By eliminating this obstacle, electronic communication will enable the WilsonBrother’s employees to communicate more quickly. Email also ensures consistency in communication as each employee receives the same version of information that they can save
as a reference. This solves a major issue of verbal communication known as corporate grapevine. Corporate grapevine refers to how information can be distorted as it is shared verbally between multiple employees because some details are erased and others are exaggerated. (McShane, Tasa, Steen.2021)By communicating electronically, all employees receive the information simultaneously, which eliminates this problem. According to our guidelines, emails should not be sent to more than two people per topic, and emails should be
sent only to those you need to know. The goal is to prevent employees from being inundated with job information that exceeds their capacity, resulting in information overload. (McShane, Tasa, Steen. 2021)When employees are confronted with an excessive amount of data, they are more prone to experiencing stress and misinterpreting information, resulting in inadequate decision-making. Wilson Brothers's electronic communication guidelines are designed to ensure that the communication employees receive is within their capacity to process information and respond appropriately. The guidelines are specific and reasonable, as
they specify when and how a communication method should be used, thus facilitating timely and effective communication across the organization. Additionally, the guidelines provide appropriate timelines for responding to emails, voicemails, and other forms of
communication, as well as external etiquette that encourages quick, dependable, and effective
communication.
The guidelines define what constitutes “inappropriate electronic communications” for the Wilson Brothers. This includes communications that are offensive, discriminatory, or pornographic, as well as communications that take place on company property and the use of company time to communicate with friends and family about personal matters via email and social media. The guidelines make it clear that the company will not tolerate employees who engage in inappropriate behavior. Having an official document that outlines Wilson Brother’s
electronic communication policies is essential for human resources. Failing to follow the guidelines is grounds for discipline or termination of employment. The guidelines are expected to encourage appropriate and respectful use of electronic communications among employees and to prevent employees from wasting company time discussing personal matters. Having an official written document that outlines standards and expectations gives the Wilson Brothers cause to discipline any employee who fails to follow the guidelines.
By implementing the best communication practices at Wilson Brothers we anticipate that communication processes will become more efficient and that the information being exchanged will become more precise. This will lead to an increase in knowledge among employees, which in turn will lead to increased company productivity. Sticking to the best practices guidelines is important because “frequency, timeliness, and accuracy” are the primary means by which workers and work units effectively coordinate their work. (McShane, Tasa, Steen. 248). In conclusion, we expect the new communication strategies to encourage fast and effective communication between the Wilson Brother’s team members that will improve overall company efficiency.
Reference
1. MCSHANE,.(CANADIAN EDITION) CANADIAN ORGANIZATIONAL BEHAVIOUR Available from: VitalSource Bookshelf, (11th Edition). McGraw-Hill Ryerson, 2021
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