Communication Audit Surveys

Introduction

Communication audits are a collection of tools employed to assess the perceptions of workers about communication processes within their organization (Downs & Adrian, 2012). This process entails the communication auditor researching the organization climate through multiple research methodologies and a wide range of techniques. The methods that communication auditors employ include questionnaires, survey, observation, interview, measurement, and comparison.  A survey using a paper questionnaire was conducted. The questionnaire was submitted to the participant who was randomly selected for the study. Twenty people participated in the study. The employees were randomly selected across the various department within the organization. 8 female and 12 males participated in the study. Out of people interviewed, 4 were supervisors and managers. The participants were conducted through telephone one week prior to the survey to ensure their commitment to the study. The survey questionnaire was sent to them and requested to verify if they understood all the questions. Once that was done, they were asked to fill in the form.  The questionnaire questions covered five main part of organization communication: sending of information, information received, sources of information, communication channels, and information timeliness.

Survey results

5 participants recorded that their receiving of information from others has been great with 15 respondents citing only getting average details on how well they are doing their work and duties, organization policies, pay and benefits, and the way technology changes influence their jobs. 15 respondents cited to receive less information about the failure and mistakes of their organization and how they are being judged.  In relation to the information sending 15 of the participant cited very great, 4 great, and 1 some. The participant agreed to be sending information about what they are doing, what they think their jobs require,  reporting about their job problems, requesting for clear work instructions, and information needed to do their job.  In relation to the source of information theme, 12 indicated to receive a great source of information from immediate supervisors, middle management, department meetings, people in other departments and units, a co-worker in their department, and top management.  4 participants reported receiving little information about various issues. 4 other respondents cite some information. In relation to the time of information, 18 respondents cited great in all areas, receiving timely information from top management, middle management immediate supervisor, co-workers, and other employees more promptly.  Two respondent cited very great.  In relation to the channel of communication, the common communication channels that were used by employee included face-to-facecommunication, telephone, and written letter and memos, which recorded very great by 18 of the participants.  Eternal media, internal publications, internal audio and bulletin boards recorded some by 15 participants.

The major communication issue identified in the survey:Receiving information from others

This area performed poorly during the survey process.  Majority of employees strongly felt that they were not getting feedback on most of the issues including those related to performance, job roles.

It was evident that there is a lack of feedback for various activities within the organization. Feedback is normally employed to describe useful information or criticize earlier behavior or action from a person, communicated to another group or person who can utilize the information to adjust as well as enhance current and future behaviors and actions.  Feedback usually takes place when an environment react to behaviors or actions (Downs & Adrian, 2012).

Effective feedback both negative and positive is very useful. Feedback is valuable information that can be utilized to make critical and important decisions. Top performing organizations are top on the list because these companies are in constant search for ways and techniques to improve their best. For top performing organizations, continuous improvement is not merely a showy catchphrase but a spot-on focus based on feedback especially from all the department and outside the company—stakeholders, suppliers, employees, clients, vendors, and customer (Clampitt, 2010).  Top performing organizations are good at both accepting and asking for feedback. And they appreciate feedback if it can highlight both strengths and weaknesses.  The main purpose of creating feedback in an organization is to support empowerment, transparency, retention rate, accountability, program improvement, monitoring, and evaluation, and give early warning about the looming danger (Clampitt, 2010).

Recommendations

Recommendation 1: Dedicate more resources to support the feedback model

The company should dedicate more resources to support the feedback mechanism. Based on study reports, the way feedback policies are implemented at the bottom greatly depend on the competence and availability of human and financial resources.  Feedback structures need to be designed to reduce access barriers by providing an access point and means of providing feedback. General employees meeting can be used to collect comments and suggestions, but separate sessions can be a plan for employees of every department to encourage the respondent to speak freely.  The feedback structure should be regular and secure (Alnajjar & Peter 2016)

Recommendation 2: Enhance and improve internal communication

Workers who are involved and informed function more effectively as well as being supportive of any role. When issues or problems surfaces, it is essential or when the company wants to communicate a decision, it is critical the process of communication starts with employees (Smith et al., 2008).  Based on the study survey, the majority of employees feel out of the loot regarding decision making, unclear about the vision, and mission of the company. Involve employees in things that affect them. Employee morale hinges on whether they believe their grievances are being heard as well as respected.

Managers can solicit their input through focus groups, surveys, and committees.  It is critical to explain to employees that a certain decision is usually made with consulting employees. However, with critical decisions that will have a notable effect on staff, it is imperative to look for effective ways to include them in the process.

The company should also develop a mechanism that can present important messages in, multiple ways and multiple times.  Increase in face-to-face communication between employees and managers is important.  Employees often feel disconnected from administrators, especially when the primary modes of communication are letters, telephone, and emails, or memos.

 

References

Alnajjar, J., & Peter Lang GmbH. (2016). Communication audit in globally integrated R et D project teams: A linguistic perspective.

Clampitt, P. G. (2010). Communicating for managerial effectiveness. London: Sage Publications.

Downs, C. W., & Adrian, A. D. (2012). Assessing organizational communication: Strategic communication audits. New York: Guilford.

Smith, L., Mounter, P., & Kogan Page. (2008). Effective internal communication. London: Kogan Page.

 

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