The Nature of
Workplace
Communication
Lesson 6
GOALS
At the end of the lesson, you should be able to:
define and discuss workplace communication
and its dynamics, forms, and types;
demonstrate understanding of the concepts of
workplace communication
perform the importance of ethics in a
workplace.
01
Workplace
Communication
Definition
Workplace Communication
● The process of exchanging information, either
verbally or non-verbally, between one person or
group and another person or group within an
organization or in any social environment.
● In any organizational structure, communication is
the force that maintains its operations from the top
up to the middle and bottom level.
● It includes e-mails, video conferencing, text
messages, notes, calls, etc.
02
Things to
consider in a
workplace
Things to consider in a workplace:
Purpose Audience
Am I writing to create a Who will read what one has written?
record, to request, to What are their job titles and /or areas of
provide information, or responsibility?
What do they know about the situation?
to persuade?
Why do they need this information?
What am I trying to
What do I want them to do as a result of
say? receiving it?
What factors might influence their
response?
Things to consider in a workplace:
Tone
It will set how the target audience will
accept what one is trying to say.
One doesn’t have to sound tough,
demanding, or condescending in your
discourse especially in sensitive
subjects or issues
03
Workplace
Dynamics
Workplace Dynamics:
Diversity in the Workplace
Multigenerational workforce - employee classification composed of:
Pre-Boomers (1925 and 1945) – Silent generation or
traditionalists
Baby boomers (1946-1965)
Generation X (1966-1976)
Generation Y or the Millennials (1977-1994)
Generation Z or Post-millennials (1995 – onwards) - iGeneration
Workplace Dynamics:
Diversity in the Workplace
Organizational culture (Quintanilla & Wahl, 2011) - the way
an organization operates, the attitudes the employees have,
and the overall tone and approach to any given operation.
Multiplicity of Identities- differences in gender, ethnicity,
language, beliefs, and other attributes.
Mutual respect for the perceived or real differences in the
attributes of the people in the organization is a virtue to
practice at all times.
Workplace Dynamics:
Co-worker Relationship
Time spent at work is greater than time spent at home for
many in the active employment workforce. It is urgent then from
the moment of hiring to immediate designation to a particular post
to establish pleasant relations with fellow workers. Informal
networking within the workplace creates better opportunities to
attain the long-term communication goals of the organization.
Workplace Dynamics:
Shared Leadership
The distribution of leadership responsibilities within a team can
influence the functionality of its members.
Positions cease to exist where there are no team members to
work on assigned tasks by the team leaders.
Leadership is not simply taking command of the ship but of
sailing the course with the rest in the ship. The definition of
task and relationship roles in the workplace requires
communication in order for these roles to be carried out
efficiently.
Workplace Dynamics:
Team Building
Formal and informal gatherings help build a strong team.
Task roles - roles that help the team carry out tasks and get
the work done (e.g., initiator, information giver, information
seeker, opinion giver, opinion seeker, coordinator,
procedural developer, summarizer-evaluator)
Relationship roles - roles that strengthen or maintain team
relationships (e.g., supporter, harmonizer, gatekeeper)
Self-centered roles - roles that interfere with the team's
ability to complete tasks (e.g., blocker, dominator, attacker,
clown)
04
Forms of
Communication
Forms of Communication: Verbal Communication
One-on-one meetings Conversations with a group
also known as check-ins, 121s, Open group meetings include the entire
1:1s, one-to-ones team in an open forum.
occurs between an employee Video conferencing is a meeting with
and the manager to connect on two or more participants who are
work, career development and participating from different
Calls
growth.
help some team members Presentations and speeches
understand instructions more Presentations and speeches can help teach
clearly, especially if the team members new skills, inform people
individual is more introverted about future plans for the company and
and uncomfortable in a group more.
setting.
Forms of Communication
Non-verbal Visual
Communication Communication
Gestures Graphics, images and
Facial expressions. videos
Paralanguage Data representations
Forms of Communication:
Written Communication
Text message - a short message sent electronically
usually from one cell phone to another locations.
Email - the method of exchanging messages from one
system to another.
Notes and letters
Newsletters and memos
Social media
05
Types of
Communication
Types of Communication
Internal External
Communication Communication
the transmission of information within
the transmission of information
an organization. between two organizations.
a lifeline of a business.
occurs between a business and
occurs between an employer and an
another person in the exterior to the
employee. company (clients, dealers,
can be formal or informal.
customers, government officials or
use informal or not so formal
authorities etc.)
language with colleagues.
A customer’s feedback
Use formal when communicating
with the head of the company
Two Types of External
Communication
Inward Outward
Communication Communication
When all messages When all messages that go
received by the out of an organization
organization from outside Examples: telegram form,
Examples: telephone calls, letter form
reports
Types of Communication Direction:
Upward Communication
Involves passing of information from the employee
levels to administration.
Purpose: to relay feedback and how well things
are going.
Serves essentially two purposes in an
organization.
Can take the form of progress reports, budget
reports, profit and loss statements, requests for
grants, etc Example: a response to a letter from
your manager them all
Types of Communication Direction:
Downward Communication
Involves the dissemination of information from
superiors to the immediate subordinates in the
form of orders and directions.
Includes directives and messages which are
issued by top management to employees at the
lower levels.
Different methods include circulars, notice
boards, posters, house magazine, face to face
conversations, policies, procedures,
memoranda, bulletins, handbooks etc.
Types of Communication Direction:
Horizontal / Lateral Communication
The flow of communication amongst personnel at the same level of the hierarchy in an
organization.
Purpose: to promote job coordination or teamwork.
Instead of contacting him through administrator, the communication takes place directly
between two persons having equal ranks in the managerial hierarchy or between two
subordinates under the same manager.
Workplace communication will fail if it is
corrupted by any of the following tactics
(Searles, 2014):
o Suppression/Withholding of information
o Falsification or fabrication
o Overstatement or understatement
o Selective misquoting
o Conflict of interest
o Plagiarism
References:
https://papertyari.com/general-awareness/management/communication-types/
https://www.slideshare.net/LeahSoposo/module-7-communication-for-work-
purposes
Ambida, R. S. et al. 2019. Purposive Communication. C&E Publishing, Inc.
Performance Task: Written by Mr. Clark Arthur A. Robles, LPT, MAT
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