Effective Workplace Communication: Tone, Style, Structure, Confidentiality, Negotiation, Mediation, Conflict Resolution, Cross-Cultural Communication, Meeting Structure, Organizational Policies, And Evaluation

The Importance of Tone, Style, and Structure in Communication

Answer 1: Tone is defined as the way a person tends to speak to someone. It is the way to use voice communicatively. Style refers to the traits and ways a person projects while talking that can be attributed to personality; for example, aggressive, persuasive, calm, gentle are all types of communication styles. Structure refers to the framing of dialogues and the various ways a particular aspect is communicated. In other words, the ability to say something clearly and methodically is termed as structure. Tone, style and structure determine the way the person in the receiving end perceives a projected message. Tone, style and structure are all important to deliver a message to the targeted recipient. For example, in a meeting, the tone of the message should be polite and respectful, with formal style and corporate structure (Contreras, Dey and Hill 2019).

Answer 2: At work, confidentiality plays a key role in protecting an organisation’s intellectual property. Confidentiality is important to respect the privacy and value the integrity of various relevant parties within the organisation. For example, the various operational data, information about work structures and processes, and information about the personal details of employees, clients and related parties are some of the information that should be kept confidential. This ensures corporate integrity and principal confidentiality (Bradbury 2019).

Answer 3: Three ways for businesses to maintain confidentiality at work can be –

• Effective communication channels can transfer the right information to the right party.
• Preventing leakage and seepage of information by the employees and the organisation members by mitigating unethical practices.
• By creating policies and procedures that impose penalties and consequences to those who fail to abide by them (Behnam and Crabtree 2019).

Answer 4: The key principles of negotiation to reach agreements in the workplace are as follows –

1. It is important to identify the purpose and the principle of reciprocity to identify whether the situation can be reciprocated or not.
2. It is important to understand the various stakeholders associated with the negotiation and the various views they have on the matter.
3. It is important to build strategic and corporate trust and partnerships to Solidify Negotiation Grounds.
4. It is important to draw up a negotiation draft and proposal that benefits every segment of the involved parties alike and resonates ground for mutual agreeability.
5. The final step is to close the negotiation and build a strategic partnership from after that (Smagadi 2018).

Answer 5: Mediation is often ascribed to the position and purpose of resolution. In the case of mediation, a mediator is tasked with resolving conflicts and arriving at a mutually agreed-upon resolution (Ekowati et al. 2021). The three key principles to take into account while mediating in the workplace are as follows –

1. The first and foremost task is to understand the reason for conflict between the two parties and to develop an unbiased opinion on both the parties individually.
2. The next step is to find common ground for resolution between the two parties and align with the organisational needs and expectations.
3. The final step is to solidify on the common ground and propose resolution via effective solution delivery that benefits both the parties and is within the organisation’s threshold (Ekowati et al. 2021).

Answer 6: The three effective conflict resolution techniques are as follows –

• It is important to acknowledge the conflict within the organisation and gain substantiative clarity on the same to gain unbiased understanding and opinion on the same (Väyrynen 2019).
• The next step is to bring the relevant parties together to form an alliance and identify a viable solution. It is important to let the parties talk and provide their views and fundamentals on the situation. Based on the information, it is essential to draw up a common ground for conflict resolution for both parties best interests and in line with the organisational framework for governance (Ekowati et al. 2021).
• The final step is delivering the identified solution in response to the conflict and setting up guidelines and rules to prevent the situation from arising again in the future (Väyrynen 2019).

Answer 7: Key Steps to be followed to identify and resolve workplace problems –

• It is important to define the problem within the organisation and acknowledge its existence to venture to solve the problem. Analysis of the problem carefully and gathering all the facts and data is important.
• Identifying alternate solutions is important to provide feasible alternatives to the existing situation.
• Evaluation and selection of a solution are important to eradicate the conflict from the grassroots level and incorporate the proposed solution and measures to prevent deviations (Ekowati et al. 2021).

Answer 8: Effective communication techniques to de-escalate a situation are –

• It is important to involve a mediator who can follow direct lines of communication and communicate directly to the responsible parties and gather intel and data on the conflict and situation. This can considerably de-escalate the situation.
• It is important to involve the top-level management to establish authority and workplace ethics to de-escalate the current situation. This can be done via direct communication.
• It is important to use the existing communication channels effectively to deliver a relevant solution to the conflict, in turn de-escalating the scenario (Väyrynen 2019).

Answer 9: Effective strategies for cross-cultural communication are –

• It is important to acknowledge the diversity within the workplace and establish universal and diversified lines of communication to prevent communication and cultural gap.
• The employees need to be fully aware of the cross-cultural parameters and dimensions of the workplace to establish inclusivity, acceptance and unified means of communication.
• Relevant cross-cultural policies and diversity norms can establish cross0cultural communication at the operational level (Chung 2019).

Answer 10: Five considerations to ensure a meeting is structured are –

• The clarity in the agenda of the meeting.
• Establishment of meeting minutes and the relevant parties to the meeting.
• Providing clear instructions for successful conduction of the meeting.
• Methodically approaching the meeting agenda.
• To have sub-sections to allows effective interaction and communication (Smagadi 2018).

Answer 11: Five considerations to make a meeting inclusive are –

• To allow every member the chance to speak.
• To respect everyone’s opinions and viewpoints.
• To have an unbiased and universal agenda.
• To ask everyone for inputs and prevent interruptions.
• To acknowledge the contribution of all the concerned parties.

Answer 12: Organisational Policies and Procedures Address –

• Presenting and Negotiating: Suitable policies and procedures define the parameters for presenting and negotiation by establishing standardisation and ground rules (Väyrynen 2019).
• Leading and Participating in Meetings: Organisational policies and procedures identifies the relevant party to meetings and delegate the relevant leading authority (Ekowati et al. 2021).
• Making Presentations: Organisational policies and procedures ensure the parameters for presentation and provide the guidelines for the same (Väyrynen 2019).
• Confidentiality of Information: Organisational policies and procedures establish relevant models to ensure the confidentiality of information (Ekowati et al. 2021).

 Answer 13:

Subject: Change in Price of the Services and Products offered by OzHouse Clean

1. Original prices of the products and services.
2. New proposed prices of the products and services.
3. Advantage to stakeholders like investors, clients and the business.
4. Benefits to the employees.
5. Justification to the customers.
6. Preparation of new catalogues for Ozhouse Clean.
7. Price breakdown.
8. Evidences to support the price change and the breakdown.
9. Cost Benefit Ratio Analysis.

1. Implimentation of new prices.
2. Revamp of the existing catalogue for Ozhouse Clean.
3. Setting up of new rules and regulations.
4. Confidentiality of meeting details and minutes.
5. Strategies for rollout of new prices.

1. Non-disclosure Agreements.
2. Detailed price breakdown only to be shared with the top management.
3. All the information and data ae to be encrypted and stored in secure locations.

Subject: Change in Price of the Services and Products offered by OzHouse Clean

• New proposed prices of the products and services.
• Advantage and benefits to the employees.
• Justification to the customers.
• New catalogues for Ozhouse Clean.

• Implimentation of new prices.
• Revamp of the existing catalogue for Ozhouse Clean.
• Setting up of new rules and regulations.
• Informing employees on how to convey the message to the customers.
• Benefits to price ratio understanding.

Maintaining Confidentiality in the Workplace

Only the new price change and the new catalogues will be conveyed to the employees. No provision to share confidential data and information.

A survey will be used to collect feedbacks from the employees on nthe new prices and a similar survey will be given to customers to record their views on the price change.

The meeting with the top management was about the change in the price of the products and services of OzHouse Clean. The director, the CEO, the CFO, lead Managing Director, Head of Marketing and Sales, Lead HR attended the meeting to review the change in price. The various factors leading to the change in price, the newer offers and benefits to the customers, the management, the organisation and the stakeholders, the breakdown of the price and so on were discusses in the meeting. The meeting was subject to considerable amount of negotiations, with every member proposing a suitable and a more robust price structure, that was different than the originally set prices. At the end of the meeting the most suitable and feasible price regime was chosen based on everyones agreement and the new prices were set.

The meeting was with the employees of the organisation, Ozhouse Clean to inform them about the new prices and the distrivution of updated brochures. The meeting was with the staffs, the cleaners, the in-house employees and the operational team to let them know about the new price regime. The various price changes, revamped product catalogue and the customer pitch were discussed. No confidential materials were shared with the employees and the meeting was devoid of negotiations.

For both the Management and the Employees, the meeting materials were both distributed physically and an electronic copy was sent subsequently.

In case of the meeting with the Senior Mangement, the feedback was positive and they found the price change necessary and progressive. In case of the meeting with the employees, they had few queries and feedbacks which were resolved and taken up proactively.

The entire breakdown of the price change structure was well executed along with relevant evidences, as well as the new catalogues were well designed. The entire meeting was delivered well and systematically, following a structured manner.

Improvements can be made in the nature of the meeting. For example, the meeting could have been more participatory than it was, there could have been a better structure to deliver the message, the tone and style of the meeting was good but could have been more persuasuve and professional.

References

Behnam, N. and Crabtree, K., 2019. Big data, little ethics: confidentiality and consent. Forced Migration Review, (61), pp.4-6.

Bradbury, J., 2019. Statement on confidentiality and data access.

Chung, L.C., 2019. Crossing boundaries: Cross?cultural communication. Cross?cultural psychology: Contemporary themes and perspectives, pp.375-397.

Contreras, A., Dey, A. and Hill, C., 2019. Tone at the Top and the Communication of Corporate Values: Lost in Translation. Seattle UL Rev., 43, p.497.

Ekowati, V.M., Supriyanto, A.S., Fatmawati, Y.D. and Mukaffi, Z., 2021. An Empirical Effect of Workloads on Employee Satisfaction: Mediating by Work Environment. Journal of Southwest Jiaotong University, 56(1).

Smagadi, A., 2018. Effective Participation in MEA Negotiations: Negotiation principles, Etiquette and Language.

Väyrynen, R., 2019. From conflict resolution to conflict transformation: a critical review. The new agenda for peace research, pp.135-160.