Business communicationiscommunication that is intended to help a business achieve a fundamental goal, through information sharing between employees as well as people outside the company.[1][2] It includes the process of creating, sharing, listening and understanding messages between different groups of people through written and verbal formats.[3] The way that people communicate and operate within a business is very vital to how successful the company will be in the business world. Business communication occurs internally, employee to employee or externally, business to business or business to consumer. This internal and external communication can happen through verbal or non-verbal communication methods.
Overview/History
The word communication has been derived from the Latin word communis which implies common. Thus communication may be defined as interchange of thoughts and information to bring about mutual understanding.
Communication in general is valued even more in international business communications to allow for the understanding of cultures and overall morale of the operation.[4]
Business communication focuses primarily on achieving goals/aims and, in the case of a public company or organization, increasing dividends of shareholders.[5]
Types of Business communication
Internal
Business to employee communication also known as workplace communication is the process of exchanging information between one person or a group within an organization. This sort of communication builds a sense of trust as well as increases productivity[6]
This type of business communication is based on the flow of information from one level of the business hierarchy to another. Communications which flow from the top of the hierarchy to the bottom, also called top-down communication, and has been shown to decrease the stress levels of employees as it provides clarification and reassurance to the worker.[7] The amount of information shared in this way is often dependent on a "need to know" basis.[2] This communication may take the form of memos and other internal documents.[8] Although a certain level of communication is necessary, too much communication can be seen as micromanaging by the employee. Upward communication is any communication within the business that is passed up through the business hierarchy from the bottom up.[2]Suggestion boxes, which allow low-level workers to communicate with management anonymously, are one example of upward communication. Horizontal communication occurs between individuals who are on the same level in the business hierarchy.[2]
External
Business to Business communication is the process of understanding and sharing information between one or more other companies, often done to benefit both parties. Business communication helps the company achieve its fundamental goal by informing, persuading and building good relations with other companies to reach mutual goals.[9]
Business to consumer communication also known as direct to consumer is when a company directly communicates with one or more of its consumers about product details or company information. It is also when a consumer leaves reviews on a product so that the company knows where and what they should improve on.
Methods of business communication
These internal and external types of business communications occur through verbal and non-verbal methods of communications.[3]
Face-to-face meetings and presentations are popular methods of communication between employees within an organization, which increasingly feature audiovisual material, like copies of reports, or material prepared in Microsoft PowerPointorAdobe Flash. Means such as telephone conference and letters allows for communication over long distances.[8] In the 21st Century, computer-mediated communication, such as video conferencing and email, has become increasingly prevalent in business. Formal reports are also important in documenting the activities of any department.
Barriers to business communication
There are several barriers that a business might experience when they are communicating with people they conduct business with.[10][11][12][13]
These often arise because of differences in the states of mind, body and perspective between sender and receiver, which are a result of how encoding or decoding processes occur.[14][15]
Business communication studies
Higher learning institutions offer communication courses and many are now offering business communication courses. These courses teach students how to communicate more effectively.[16][17] Attending these courses help students understand the communication barriers they might experience when communicating with others. It is suggested that 93% of employers believe that clear communication skills are more important than the students actual major area of study.[18] Communication competence is an ability that is sought after by employers and often leads to professional success.[19][20]
Managing negative news
In a business communicating a negative news is unavoidable. At one point or the other it had to be done. It may be about giving the employees some constructive feedbacks on their works or informing them that they are being laid down. It may have serious effect on them based on how you choose to deliver those messages.
while communicating negative news, if possible, at first provide some good news, express gratitude, have agreement or understanding, and then discuss and explain the reasons that led to the decision. while communicating negative news, we must be non-judgmental and use non-discriminatory language while doing so. We must be compassionate and fair to them. The next step is to explain the bad news clearly without overemphasizing it, avoid using negative language, and end the communication on a positive and friendly note[21]
Organizations
Founded in 1936 by Shankar is the Association for Business Communication (ABC),[22] originally called the Association of College Teachers of Business Writing, is "an international, interdisciplinary organization committed to advancing business communication research, education, and practice."
The IEEE Professional Communication Society (PCS) [1] is dedicated to understanding and promoting effective communication in engineering, scientific, and other environments, including business environments. PCS's academic journal,[23] is one of the premier journals in Europe communication. The journal’s readers are engineers, writers, information designers, managers, and others working as scholars, educators, and practitioners who share an interest in the effective communication of technical and business information.
The Society for Technical Communication is a professional association dedicated to the advancement of the theory and practice of technical communication. With membership of more than 6,000 technical communicators, it's the largest organization of its type in North America.
