Employee communication programs are important as they enable the flow of information across the organization. Different organizational departments ought to communicate effectively so that the general organizational objectives can be realized. It is reported that the top companies listed in Fortune 100 Companies have developed effective communication programs across their departments and this is a factor that contributes to their success.
Effective communication is that which runs across all organizational levels and not just top management. The contribution of every member of staff is important in the overall success of any organization. The organizations that have realized this have become prosperous and are listed in the highly ranked companies. Leaders of firms listed in the Fortune 100 Best Companies recognize that excellent internal communication should be part of the organizational culture and not something did occasionally.
Strategically, communication programs can be utilized in organizations to create higher levels of synergy and harmonization of efforts. Synergy enables the organization to unify its members so that their strengths can be utilized to benefit everyone. If there is effective communication, it is easier for different departments to coordinate with each other so that organizational operations run smoothly. A good internal communication program makes administration easier in large companies and this gives them an edge over competitors.
Communication programs can therefore be used as a source of competitive advantage because many organizations struggle to create harmony among different departments. Interdepartmental conflict is common in large organizations and so a company that can create harmony and understanding between members from different departments gains mileage in the achievement of organizational objectives (Gargiulo, 2005).
Employee communication programs can be used by senior management to motivate employees (Frahm & Brown, 2006). Personnel is motivated by different factors. For instance, the sales team is motivated by higher commissions while research and development can be motivated if given new equipment which boosts their innovativeness. Communication programs can be used by management to establish the secret needs of employees. Effective communication is a two-way process whereby there is the sending and receiving of messages.
If this model of communication can be adopted in the organizational setup, employees will be free to air their opinions on how they think improvements can be done. Hence, employee programs will enable the employees’ needs to be revealed and met by management in a manner that leads to increased performance. Therefore, employee communication programs enable management to engage a diversified workforce, motivate employees towards organizational success, and explain compensation packages.
Employee communication programs for multinationals face the challenge of cultural diversity. Multinationals operate in many countries in different regions of the world. It thus becomes difficult for HR personnel to develop programs that will be accepted in all the culture HR personnel have to put into consideration the cultural differences that exist in different regions when coming up with the communication programs. Implementing these programs becomes difficult in regions where the local culture conflicts with the organizational policies.
For instance, if the recommended communication program advocates for equality in the workplace, some members of staff might find this difficult to uphold if their cultural teachings hold that men are superior to women. Implementing a communication program in such a region becomes difficult since male employees will consider the opinions of their female counterparts to be inferior to theirs.
References
Frahm, J. & Brown, K. (2006). “Developing Communicative Competencies for a Learning Organization”. The Journal of Management Development, 25: 201-213.
Gargiulo, T. L. (2005). The Strategic Use Of Stories in Organizational Communication and Learning, Armonk, NY: M.E. Sharpe.