Transcript CHAPTER 1Introduction: Definitions and History

CHAPTER 10
Communication
in the Workplace
Introduction to
Industrial/Organizational
Psychology by Ronald E. Riggio
The Communication Process:
A Definition and Model

Communication is the passage of
information between one person or group to
another person or group.



The sender (or encoder) is the originator of
the communication; the receiver (decoder)
is the recipient.
Encoding is the process of preparing a
message for transmission by putting it into
some kind of code (language or other form).
The channel is the vehicle through which a
message flows from sender to receiver.
The Communication Process:
A Definition and Model




Decoding is the processing of translating a
message so that it can be understood.
When the receiver has decoded the
message, he/she responds with feedback
an acknowledgement that a message has
been received and understood.
Different communication channels have
various advantages and disadvantages.
Noise involves any physical or psychological
distractions that disrupt the effective flow of
communication.
The Communication Process:
A Definition and Model

Research on the communication
process has focused on several
factors.

Source factors are characteristics of
the sender that influence the
effectiveness of a communication.
• Source factors include organizational
status, credibility, and encoding skills.
The Communication Process:
A Definition and Model

Channel factors are characteristics of the
vehicle of transmission of a message that
affect communication.
• Semantic problems are common channel
factors that can lead to communication
breakdown.
• Semantic problems may arise through the
use of jargon, special language
developed in connection with certain jobs.
• Channel selection can also influence job
outcomes like job satisfaction (e.g., the
frequency of face-to-face interactions with
supervisors).
The Communication Process:
A Definition and Model

Audience factors are characteristics
of the receiver that influence
effectiveness of communication.
• Audience ability and attention are crucial
in delivering effective messages.
• The receiver’s relationship to the sender
(e.g., superior or subordinate) can also
affect communication.
• Decoding skills of the receiver, including
listening skills, may also affect
communication effectiveness.
The Communication Process:
A Definition and Model

Nonverbal communication are messages
sent and received through means other
than the spoken or written word.


Sender’s use nonverbal communication as
substitutes for verbal communication; to
enhance verbal messages; to convey
underlying feelings.
Nonverbal communication can result in the
Pygmalion effect, when a sender
communicates expectations to a receiver,
thereby influencing his/her behavior.
The Communication Process:
A Definition and Model

For receivers of a message, nonverbal
cues can serve two important
functions:
• They provide additional information (i.e.,
when communication is limited or when
the receiver mistrusts the verbal
message).
• They are used in person perception, or
making judgments about a person’s
attitudes, personality, and competence.
The Flow of Communication
in Work Organizations

Communication flow in work
organizations can be downward or
upward through the organizational
hierarchy; or lateral, from colleague to
colleague.

Downward communication flows from
superiors to subordinates; upward
communication flows from
subordinates to superiors.
The Flow of Communication
in Work Organizations

Barriers to the effective flow of
communication in organizations can involve:

Filtering, the selective presentation of the
content of communication.
• Filtering includes the “MUM effect,” when a
message is not forwarded to others because it
involves bad news.

Exaggeration involves distortion of
information by elaborating, overestimating,
or minimizing parts of the message.
The Flow of Communication
in Work Organizations

Communication networks are systematic
lines of communication among various
senders and receivers.

Communication networks can be
centralized (networks in which the flow of
communication is directed through certain
members), or decentralized (networks in
which messages can originate at any point
and need not be directed through specific
group members).
The Flow of Communication
in Work Organizations

Centralized networks include:



The chain, a status hierarchy where a
message originates at the bottom or top of
the chain and works its way up or down
through the different links.
The Y, a hierarchy representing different
levels of status, with the last link involving
communication to more than one person.
The wheel involves two status levels: a
higher-status member and lower-level
members; the higher-status member is the
hub, through which all communication must
pass (there is no direct communication
between lower-status members).
The Flow of Communication
in Work Organizations

Decentralized networks include:
The circle, with communication
occurring between members who are
immediately accessible to each other
(e.g., workers side-by-side on an
assembly line).
 Communication within a circle network
is quick, but it can be difficult to trace
the source of a message because any
member can initiate communication.

The Flow of Communication
in Work Organizations

Decentralized networks
In all-channel or comcon networks
there is complete freedom among
communication links (each member
can communicate with any or all other
members).
 Examples include boards of directors,
task forces, employees working in
teams.
 Communication is rapid with
maximum opportunity for feedback.

The Flow of Communication
in Work Organizations

Different communication networks have
various advantages and disadvantages.
 Centralized networks are faster and
make fewer errors in dealing with simple,
repetitive tasks.
 Decentralized networks are better for
complex or creative tasks.
 Because of communication restrictions,
noncentral workers in centralized
networks tend to have lower job
satisfaction.
The Flow of Communication
in Work Organizations

Lines of organizational communication can
be either formal or informal.
 An organigram is a diagram of an
organization’s hierarchy representing the
formal lines of communication.
 The grapevine is the informal
communication network in an
organization.
 A sociogram is a diagram of the informal
lines of communication among
organizational members.
The Flow of Communication
in Work Organizations

Three factors determine the pattern of
communication links that form the
grapevine (Baird, 1977).
 Friendship determines who
communication with whom.
 Usage means that people who are
communication links in formal lines of
communication are also likely to be links
within the grapevine.
 The grapevine often develops because it
is more efficient for sharing information
than formal lines.
The Flow of Communication
in Work Organizations



The grapevine is vital for maintaining
social relationships among employees,
encouraging unity and commitment to the
work group.
Rumors, or information that is presented
as fact, but which actually may not be
true, may occur within the grapevine.
False rumors usually result when
organizational members lack information
about a topic that concerns them.
Organizational Communication
and Work Outcomes


Research indicates that more
communication in organizations,
particularly lateral communication within
work groups, and better supervisor
communication skills are related to
employee performance (Snyder and
Morris, 1984).
Other research indicates that employees
are more productive when they are
satisfied with the amount and quality of
organizational communication (Clampitt
and Downs, 1993).
Organizational Communication
and Work Outcomes



Lower-level workers have higher job
satisfaction with greater amounts of
upward organizational communication
(Koehler et al., 1981).
Employees who receive a great deal of
information about the organization
through downward communication have
higher job satisfaction and organizational
commitment (Ng et al., 2006).
Serving as a communication source is
also linked to higher job satisfaction
(Muchinsky, 1977).
Organizational Communication
and Work Outcomes
 Keeping
downward and upward
communication flowing is
considered a crucial best practice
when effectively managing major
organizational changes like
downsizing (Marks, 2007).
 Open communication among
employees may result in a
“snowball effect,” where employees
quit their jobs in clusters.