Communications in a Business Environment

1.1 Analyse the communication needs of internal and external stakeholders

Internal stakeholders are individuals within a company, i.e. employees, managers, directors, investors; alternatively, external stakeholders are those that are outside of but care/benefit from the performance of the company, i.e. consumers, regulators, investors, suppliers, etc. The communications of these groups differ and have different objectives;

• Internal: Communication internally can be less formal – due to familiarity between members of a team – if between colleagues. However, it is typically informative in nature, i.e. regarding sales processes, business requirements/needs, or performance. Internal communications will be more honest than external due to the need to maintain and improve business performance on realistic figures.
• External: This type of communication is varies largely on what the business wants/needs from its external audience. In terms of investors, a company would be more honest with figures than it would with customers/consumers, i.e. margin profits or company performance, in order to secure money from individuals. Similarly, with regulators companies will be honest in terms of relevant documents/information due to avoid legal issues. Comparatively, customers and suppliers will have limited information. Customers will be allowed information to ensure interest in transaction/inclusion but be limited to internal figures or processes as to avoid others recreating company ideas, processes, or revealing information that would decrease sales figures. Similarly, suppliers are offered only information related to transaction of the business. Other information is irrelevant to suppliers and may drive away their business, i.e. profits or company performance in comparison to competitors.

1.2 Analyse the different communication models that support administration

Communication is a key element to business success both internally and externally. There have been multiple models which explore how people communicate to enhance their ability to transfer messages;

• Shannon and Weaver Model Of Communication (1948) –

This is one of the earliest models of communication and lays out the process of conversation to evidence what could go wrong from ‘source’ to ‘receiver’ as a message is ‘encoded’ and ‘decoded’ by two people.

Schramm’s Model (1954) alters this simplistic model, showing that encoding and decoding is not a one-sided process and that by converting ideas into words humans are constantly encoding and decoding messages to be decoded and encoded again.

• Berlo’s Model (1960) further alters Shannon and Weaver’s model – stressing the relationship between the sender and receiver of messages by highlighting the communication skills and perceptions which allow people to encode and decode messages as they do.

In this case, the model includes their senses, attitudes, and structuring of the message – in my work tone is very important in conversation with clients and candidates as it is the best indication of emotion and intention, particularly over the phone, and alongside structuring ensures understanding through emphasis of key points for roles or candidates.

1.3 Evaluate the effectiveness of different communication systems 

There are a range of different communication systems/methods which are used within business:

• Telephone–Telephone calls are one of the most common forms of communication used in business. In my work this is one of the most valuable forms of communication as by using tone I can ensure clients/candidates understand the messages discussed, as well as ask more questions for quick and comprehensible answers – helping me in my work. Telephone calls are an effective communication method in business due to the ability to structure messages simplistically and employ tone to ensure understanding between both parties as well as to better understand intention.
• Email–Comparatively to telephone calls, email is entirely written, resulting in a lack of verbal ques and limited understanding of objectives such as personality or attitudes. Consequently, smaller questions or details can be missed as a result of the limitation of this communication method. However, from my experience in recruitment, written messages allow for a large amount of information to be offered to a party and appropriate information to be gathered. As a result, some facts/important points will be missed, i.e. in my case this is commonly the case with interviews – particularly details relating to the structure and content of the interview.
• Face-to-face–Meeting external stakeholders is an important way to create a relationship with important business relations. People create their perspectives of others through body language and therefore meeting clients in person can create a lasting impression which supersedes relations with others forged over telephone calls or email. While the most effective in creating a lasting impression, closely followed by telephone calls, face-to-face communication limits the amount of information available to two parties as they are disconnected from their businesses and records – this means that these meetings are typically about one subject, i.e. roles, hires, candidates, ideas, business growth.

More forms of communication include letters or internet/social media i.e. LinkedIn. These communication forms have similar effects and structuring to email.

1.4 Explain the factors that affect the choice of communication media

When deciding which communication media to use it is important to consider what message we are trying to get across/receive. For large amounts of information email is the best choice as it is able to hold a large amount of written text and some documentation. When looking to describe and to discuss, telephone or face-to-face are better choices as they allow the use of senses within conversation i.e. tone (hearing), body language (visual), as well as ensuring the understanding of both parties due to quick feedback. Telephone calls are typically better when looking to discuss large amounts of information or to save time. Face-to-face meetings are good with clients for initial meetings, or candidates following interviews, to gather key information and make a lasting impression.

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1.5 Explain the importance of using correct grammar, sentence structure, punctuation, spelling and conventions in business communications

Business communications are important to the impressions made between internal and external stakeholders as well as the messages expressed. A key example of this in my role would be email communications I use to first introduce appropriate candidates to roles. These emails must be engaging, as to grab the attention of the reader, structured comprehensibly to include key information, formal in nature and written in good English – including spelling and grammar – as to make a good impression and a clear message for the reader. If unclear of details, a candidate may be turned off by a role or time may be wasted clarifying information – typically appropriate candidates will get a lot of emails/messages daily and so it is important that time is spent making it clear for them to assess if they should return contact through the structuring and content of the first email sent to them. This importance carries through to other methods of communication with similar reasoning – the most important thing is to ensure the correct message is expressed.

1.6 Explain the factors to be taken into account in planning and structuring different communication media

When planning and structuring different communication media it is important to consider how the message you are offering will be taken in. A key consideration is the ability of the receiver to take on your message i.e. your message should be clear for a reader who may find reading English difficult – who might have English as a second language or suffer from a reading disability. Consequently, it is important to make sure that any message is as succinct as possible – only relevant and necessary information included within emails or conversations. Other considerations include the formality of language choices involved in portraying ideas, i.e. conversations with clients, and the desired outcome of communication. Planning and structuring communication is key to increasing the likelihood the receiver will understand the intended message.

1.7 Explain ways of overcoming barriers to communication

There are many barriers to communication – overcoming them is important to ensure successful business communications. These barriers consist of:

• Understanding – There are many reasons that a receiver may find it difficult to understand a message. In order to decrease the likelihood of difficulties, it is important that communication is clear, with minimal use of dialect or strong accents, and that for those with disabilities or English is their second language. This is typically important to my role when discussing roles with candidates initially as there are a lot of details to discuss, sometimes with candidates where English is their second language, and so it is important I relay details to them clearly and ensure they understand my message.
• Difference in perception – Over the phone and particularly over email it can be difficult to ensure that the receiver has understood a message as intended, furthermore, they can disagree on certain elements and so it is important to address these ideas to ensure understanding between both parties.
• Cultural differences – Differences in cultural backgrounds typically alter body language, attitudes, and tone of voice in response to ideas. In my role, it is important to stay open minded, as not to discriminate, and to ask questions to candidates/clients to ensure understanding, i.e. asking to a party clarify/expand on ideas – asking questions such as this makes sure that you will understand the viewpoint of the other party.

1.8 Explain the use of communications theories and body language

Berlo’s theory of communication takes into account the importance of senses, and therefore body language as viewed by a receiver, in the deliverance of a message. Similarly, it can be argued that the ‘interference’ of Schramm’s model could include such things as body language. In my work, I understand that body language, similarly to tone in a telephone conversation, is a key aspect to how a message is created and taken in. For example, closed body language can suggest that someone is uncomfortable, nervous, or judgemental, i.e. hunching, crossing arms, etc., whereas, open body language is a good indication of agreement, honesty, and friendliness, i.e. expressive hand gestures, a lack of physical barriers, and relaxed body positioning. Using open body language in meetings with clients/candidates is important as it helps to portray an honest and friendly message – something key to creating the foundations for a good business relationship.

1.9 Explain proof-reading techniques for business communications

There are many proof-reading techniques used in business: key examples include peer review, software review, and self-evaluation. Proof-reading is important in business as communications are commonly the foundation for the opinion of a client or candidate of you and your business – therefore, creating a professional message is important to ensure positive feedback. During my role, I commit many emails to candidates and clients. At first these were reviewed by my mentor to ensure I understood the quality expected in the emails and attached documents. Once I understood the standard required for these documents and communications, I reviewed my own work – using Word Spellcheck and Grammarly (spelling & grammar reviewing software) to assist and ensure I am communicating clearly to external stakeholders.

References

• Atkinson I – FT Essential Guide to Business Writing: How to Write to Engage, Persuade and Sell, 1st edition (Pearson, 2012) ISBN 9780273761136
• Butterfield J – Illustrated Course Guides: Verbal Communication, 2nd edition (Cengage Learning, 2012) ISBN 9781133526520

Websites

• www.data-protection-act.co.uk – data Protection Act made easy
• qualifications.pearson.com – Pearson webpages, which provide guidance for Functional Skills English; Essential Skills Wales Communication; Core Skills (Scotland) Communication
• www.skillsscfa.org – the Council for Administration