When I think about organizational communication the
first five words that come to mind are language (verbal & non-verbal),
messages, interpretation, internal & external. So, what exactly is organizational
communication? In practical terms, I would define organizational communication
as all communication between an organization and its stakeholders.
Effective communication is essential for organizational
success. “Effective internal communication helps increase employee engagement, productivity,
commitment, trust and revenues” (Institute for Public Relations, 2019) . Whereas, effective
external communication can help organizations build strong relationships with
customers/clients, other organizations, and the public.
Being able to effectively communicate is also key for
individual success in the workplace. For example, my success in sales is dependent
on my ability to build rapport, understand my client’s needs, and recommend the
appropriate products and services. To communicate effectively, I must really
listen (not hear) to what my client is saying. By listening, asking the right questions,
and empathizing with my clients, I can build rapport because they feel valued and understood. This in turn increases their receptiveness to my
recommendations.
As technology has become increasing complex, more communication
problems have developed. (Koschmann,
2012). For example, social media is a double-edged sword. On one hand, social
media can increase organizational visibility and make it easier for organizations
to communicate and with others. On the other hand, if an employee shares
inappropriate content on social media or if negative information is shared about
an organization or one of its members, the organization is at risk of
developing a bad reputation.
Two examples of damaging communication on social media
are the Justine Sacco case study and more recently the resurfacing of
controversial “trophy hunting” photos of Jimmy Johns. Justine Sacco was a
senior level employee at IAC. On her way to Africa, she tweeted a culturally
and racially insensitive message that could have damaged IAC’s public image; instead,
she ended damaging her own. Not only did she receive worldwide backlash on
Twitter, she was immediately fired.
In the case of Jimmy Johns, some controversial old photos
resurfaced on Twitter of the founder of Jimmy Johns posing with “trophy kills” of
exotic animals (Van Hagen, 2019). Even though the photos were old, re-posting them
rekindled the anger of some Twitter users and the hashtag #BoycottJimmyJohns quickly
spread.
Because we live in a digital world, a lot of our
personal and professional interactions are on public display and are highly
scrutinized by others. When you choose to join an organization you automatically
become a representative of the organization. Your actions both on and off the clock, have
the power to help or hurt your career and damage the public image of an organization.
As a professional, it is important to think about how your words and
interactions could affect others.
References
Institute for Public Relations. (2019). Retrieved
from Organizational Communication Research Center:
https://instituteforpr.org/organizational-communication-research/about/
Koschmann,
M. (2012). What is Organizational Communication? [Video File].
Retrieved from
Van Hagen, I. (2019, August 8). Jimmy John's
trends after old photo of owner with elephant he killed goes viral again.
Retrieved from Newsweek:
https://www.newsweek.com/jimmy-johns-trends-after-old-photo-owner-elephant-he-killed-goes-viral-again-1455872
