by Communication is neither the transmission of a message nor the message itself. It is the mutual exchange of understanding, originating with the receiver. Communication needs to be effective in business. Communication is the essence of management. The basic functions of management (Planning, Organizing, Staffing, Directing and Controlling) cannot be performed well without effective communication.
Business communication involves constant flow of information. Feedback is integral part of business communication. Organizations these days are verly large and involve large number of people. There are various levels of hierarchy in an organization. Greater the number of levels, the more difficult is the job of managing the organization. Communication here plays a very important role in process of directing and controlling the people in the organization. Immediate feedback can be obtained and misunderstandings if any can be avoided. There should be effective communication between superiors and subordinated in an organization, between organization and society at large (for example between management and trade unions). It is essential for success and growth of an organization. Communication gaps should not occur in any organization.
Business Communication is goal oriented. The rules, regulations and policies of a company have to be communicated to people within and outside the organization. Business Communication is regulated by certain rules and norms. In early times, business communication was limited to paper-work, telephone calls etc. But now with advent of technology, we have cell phones, video conferencing, emails, satellite communication to support business communication. Effective business communication helps in building goodwill of an organization.
Business Communication can be of two types:
(i) Oral Communication
An oral communication can be formal or informal. Generally business communication is a formal means of communication, like: meetings, interviews, group discussion, speeches etc. An example of Informal business communication would be Grapevine.
(ii) Written Communication
Written means of business communication includes – agenda, reports, manuals etc.
Communication isn’t about the way the message is transmitted. It’s isn’t even about the message itself. Communication is about understanding, and how it is mutually transmitted between a sender and a receiver. That said, if there is no such mutual understanding, then communication isn’t happening.
The importance of communication in business cannot be overstated and, as such, it needs to be effective for the business to run smoothly. In fact, communication is an essential aspect of the management of a business. The basic functions of a manager cannot be done if there is no effective communication between the manager and the employees.
The kind of communication that happens in business is known as business communication, and it involves the flow of information back and forth between the higher-ups and the lower-downs, as well as side to side. What that means, basically, is that information will flow down ranks within a company as well as across them. Managers need to communicate with supervisors who need to communicate with their teams. Colleagues need to communicate with each other. All of this needs to happen seamlessly or else havoc and chaos will reign in the business.
Organizations are growing larger and larger by the day, with some of the largest in the world having hundreds of thousands of employees. With the growing size of an organization, the number of hierarchies to be observed, as well as the complexity of the organizational structure only increases. In the process, the job of managing the organization becomes harder and harder.
In a large organization, perhaps even more so than in a small one, effective business communication is necessary to direct the day to day activities of the organization. It makes it possible to get immediate feedback and to avoid any misunderstandings that may arise.
Communication isn’t supposed to just happen within the organization, either. It should also happen without it. The organization should be able to communicate with the society around it to make the society run in a better way that benefits all of the parties involved. For any team, organization, or society to grow, communication gaps should be filled in before they grow too big.
Purpose of Communication in Business
Business communication is important to managers as it helps them carry out their basic functions within the organization. They should have all the information pertaining to the specific tasks as well as the entire organization and must then seek to communicate this information to the employees of the organization. They should seek to communicate their goals to their subordinates in order to make sure every member of the organization is working to achieve the goals of the organization.
A great part of the time spent by a manager in an organization is devoted to communication. Whether that communication is face to face or using some other channel, it takes up a healthy chunk out of the manager’s day.
The purpose of business communication can be summarized into a few main functions:
(i) Motivation
Managers need to communicate to employees the tasks they need to carry out, the timelines of these tasks, and the manner in which the tasks should be carried out. However, communication isn’t just about allowing them to do this. It is also about allowing them to do it in a way that motivates the employees to work harder and better. A good communicator knows how to lace their message with just the right amount of motivation to make the receiver genuinely want to accept the message.
(ii) The Sharing of Information
Communication represents the cogs in the wheels of an organization that allow information to flow from one place to another. In order for decisions to be made more effectively within the organization, there should first be a smooth flow of information. That way, the major decision-makers know that the decisions they are making have taken all of the facts into consideration and are up to date.
(iii) Socialization
Business isn’t all about work. Sometimes it is also about play and getting people to open up and simmer down. Communication helps with the socialization aspect of business as well. It is a normal part of human nature that we will always want to open up and communicate when we are in the presence of other individuals. Whether it is regular banter between employees or socialization for the purpose of networking at business parties, communication makes it possible for business people to talk to each other casually in social settings and is involved in creating goodwill in business communication.
(iv) Control
One of the key functions of a manager is control. Typically, a manager will want to control the behaviors and actions of the employees within an organization. However, these employees are not robots, and they cannot be controlled or be coerced to do anything. That is where communication comes in. To get your employees to do anything, you have to communicate what you want to your employees.
(v) Communication Brings Business Alive
While you’re thinking about the bottom line for your business, think as well about communication. You may find that communication is the crucial factor in deciding the future of your business. As long as it is effective, everything else will work out well.
