Organizational Communication

Organizational communication (OC) is very complex and fragmented. Many organizations deal with the overwhelming risk of high employee turn around as a result of failure to communicate effectively. Lack of effective OC often result in low company morale, decreased productivity performance, and/or decrease in revenue. In any event, OC is an exceedingly comprehensive process that must be strategically implemented if an organization is going to reduce turn around and increase productivity and performance.

For years researchers have developed theories and philosophies that would formulate an adequate definition as to what organizational communication is, however in more simplistic terms OC can be defined as a collection of input/output, feedback, and innovative collaboration from within an organizational hierarchical framework consisting of staff members, executives, lower-mid-high level employees, and team members with the sole purpose of achieving an organizations primary objective. Communicators within organizations are required to provide information and resources to members within the organization as a method of invoking change initiatives, motivating staff, and encouraging forward progression. Successful communication relies heavily on a two-sided collaborative function of active listening and proactive communicating.

There are various methods of communication that are currently employed by managerial decision makers and executives that include; "meetings face-to-face, and via teleconferences, memos, letters, emails, reports, etc." (Baker, 2002). According to Katherine Baker (2002) OC is categorized into the following sections:

? Interpersonal Communication-is one of the most important facets of communication for the reason that it gives management the opportunity to relate to their staff members and to encourage constructive feedback, and innovative concepts. Management must be able to relate to lower to mid level employees. This level of communication enables management to gain further insight as to what organizations can do to make employees satisfied with day-to-day interoffice activities as well as developing new methods of enhancing customer service. For the most part, interpersonal communication is a form of communication that produces an interactive mode of change implementation from within the internal environment through appropriate external modes of functioning.

? Group Level Communication-this model of communication contains a form of interpersonal interaction however, the purpose of group level communication is to build a consensus within the confines of the team in order to display a unified approach to task oriented responsibilities. Groups within an organization contribute a systematic approach to meeting organizational goals and advanced performance measures.