Importance Of Communication In Managing Changes In Organizations

Aims and Background of the Research

Discuss about the Professional Project.
 

In the area of management literature, “organizational change” has become the main section of concern. Regardless of growing research and significance, many of the efforts fail to formulate positive managerial results. Current studies have shown that changes in the efforts to secure management in organizations often suffer (Ulmer et al., 2013). Some research has indicated that failure rate of one third to two thirds of most important change proposals yielding more negative results suggest a increased rate of failure that may reach up to 80 to 90 percent or sometimes even worse (Cornelissen, 2014). The significance of “communication” during change has been agreed and evidenced among popular practitioners. Since organizational change means and includes disparity of tasks given to recruits, “communication of information” to these workers on future change is an important part of the plans to be included as part of the change (Evans et al., 2015). The purpose of the paper shall include the function of communication while managing changes in organizations. It gives appreciation to the need for communication during managerial change. In this research, the strategies and the need for change shall also be described (Cummings & Worley, 2014).

The aims of the research are as follows:

• The role of communication while managing changes within an organization
• Strategies to educate employees in making them understand the need of change within an organization
• Building of a communication model by identifying the variables which affect the process of communication

According to Cornelissen (2014), “organizational communication” is the process in which members gather and present related information about their association and the changes that are likely to occur within it. Ideally, organizational communication has two goals. The main purpose is to inform workfolks about the daily tasks and the policies of the association (Samovar et al., 2015). Hence, “organizational communication” may be defined as transfer of work related news from association to employees and through workers (Gonçalves et al., 2013). The second aim of “organizational communication” is to construct a community as part of the association ( DeNobile, 2016). 

A healthy and good communication within an organization educates and informs employees working at different levels and stimulates them to support the initiatives (Mohamad et al., 2014). This is vital as positive attitudes while a person is at work increase adaptability to change programs.

Simmons & Schoenmaker (2013) planned a theoretical structure to study communication in organization experiencing transformation. Six proposals were developed in this regard showing the readiness of employees towards change. The first proposal stated that decreased level of confrontation to change and increased level of willingness for change is a good pointer for effectual organizational change. The second proposal stated, that “communication” needs to make aware the managerial members about the change and how that change will modify the professional’s work. The third proposal supported the view that “communication” should be used to create a community that will amplify the identification, trust and commitment with the management and organization (Meehan, 2013). The fifth proposal prevented in creating situations that may make the employees insecure about their job and the last proposal was related to fourth and fifth proposition as per which communication shall show impact in feelings of uncertainty. Hence, the growing importance of communication within an organization and the need for incorporating changes within an organization can only suffice if employees understand the importance of communication. Based on the analysis of the researcher, it was identified that organizational communication at the time of changes within an organization is of utmost importance (Gonçalves et al., 2013). 

Significance of Good Communication in an Organization

Some of the significance of good communication in an organization are as follows:

Undertake queries of employees: “Communication” should address issues of employees and manage the change accordingly so that employees do not feel de motivated or left out within an organization (Cornelissen, 2014). Good communication means employees within an organization who are capable of understanding the need of each other at a professional level. It has been studied and analyzed in many countries that effective communication allows higher management to undertake queries of employees.

Generate a feeling of Unity: Good communication allows generation of unity amongst employees, as they are able to work in an environment where there is no communication barrier. This helps in the development of unity amongst employees (Evans et al., 2015).

Build Trust: High level of cooperation allows building of trust between employees. This factor does not only include trust between same levels of hierarchy however, it also involves trust and cooperation between higher levels of people in the management (Ulmer et al., 2013).  

Motivation of employees: “Motivation” is the authority or drive that causes us to perform in a particular way and it has been described as consisting of direction and sustainability. Good communication enhances level of communication amongst employees (Meehan, 2013).

Employee Commitment: Studies have indicated that employee commitment is linked with employee argumentativeness and employee communication. This involves freedom of speech to employees to voice out their opinions on certain factors. The commitment and efficiency of employees is largely dependent on the fact that employees are able to understand the strategies of the company. Communication needs to be managed well so that whenever there is any change that is in process, with the help of effective communication it is managed well (Mohamad et al., 2014).

Change communication should address issues of employees and provide a humanitarian touch. The researchers who conduct research on communication change have stated that the purpose of communication change in an organization helps in achieving the aims and objectives of the organization in a successful way. This study shall enable organizations to improve their employee satisfaction level by allowing them to be part of organizational change. The research has not gained importance recently, and not enough reports or journals have been conducted on this field of research and there is an urgent need of focusing on this area of business management so that working professionals and organizations recognize and execute the importance of good communication within an organization. The research will assist organizations to comprehend the implications and possibility of effective communication with regard to favorable employee perception that will enhance the loyalty of employees. However, from a wider perspective of national or international application of good communication, it remains a less researched and a less vouched issue amongst organizations. The issue shall come into proper identification only when organizations understand the need and implementation of good communication at all levels. Only when organizations realize the importance of good communication amongst employees at all level, the topic shall become widely known nationally, internationally and locally.

• What is the role of communication while managing changes in the organization?
• What are the strategies required to educate employees in making them understand the organizational change?
• What are the variables that affect the process of communication?

Activities	Week 1	Week 2	Week 3	Week 4 & 5	Week 6 & 7	Week 8
Selection of topic	ü
Preparation of literature review		ü
Research methodology			ü
Collection of primary data				ü
Collection of secondary data				ü
Results and findings					ü
Analysis and interpretation of data					ü
Conclusion and recommendation						ü
Final submission						ü

(Source: Created by Author)  

References:

Cummings, T. G., & Worley, C. G. (2014). Organization development and change. Cengage learning.

De Nobile, J. (2016). Organisational communication and its relationships with occupational stress of primary school staff in Western Australia. The Australian Educational Researcher, 43(2), 185-201.

Evans, D. R., Hearn, M. T., Uhlemann, M. R., & Ivey, A. E. (2015). Essential interviewing: A programmed approach to effective communication. Nelson Education.

Gonçalves, G. M. P., Somerville, I., & Melo, A. (2013). Organisational and strategic communication research: european perspectives. Universidade da Beira Interior, Labcom.

Meehan, A. A. (2013). The role of internal communication in the management of organisational uncertainty (Doctoral dissertation, University of Ulster).

Mohamad, B., Bakar, H. A., Halim, H., & Ismail, A. R. (2014). Corporate Communication Management (CCM) and Organisational Performance: A Review of the Current Literature, Conceptual Model and Research Propositions. Procedia-Social and Behavioral Sciences, 155, 115-122.

Samovar, L.A., Porter, R.E., McDaniel, E.R. and Roy, C.S., 2015.Communication between cultures. Nelson Education.

Simmons, P., & Schoenmaker, S. (2013). Effective Organisational Communication: Perspectives, Principles & Practices. Journal of Communication Management.

Ulmer, R. R., Sellnow, T. L., & Seeger, M. W. (2013). Effective crisis communication: Moving from crisis to opportunity. Sage PublicationsCornelissen, J. (2014). Corporate communication: A guide to theory and practice. Sage.