Exploring Breakdown In Global Virtual Teams

Discuss About The Exploring Breakdown In Global Virtual Teams?

Bloom et al. (2014) stated that communication plays a crucial role in the organization and through effective communication managers in the organizations perform their basic responsibilities. These responsibilities are leading and controlling people, planning strategies and organizing the resources in order to accomplish the organizational objectives. McChesney (2015) depict that communication promotes motivation as everyone can participate in a decision-making process. On the other hand, Den Hartog et al. (2013) affirm that communication helps people to share their concern with proper logic. Large firms use a different type of communication strategies like internal and external communication (Bloom et al., 2014). These companies also emphasize on both verbal and non-verbal communication approach for a better result.

The prime aim of this business report is to discuss the communication process in a larger firm. Relevant examples of both excellent and poor communications occurred in big forms will also discussed along with types or forms of communication used in these firms. Moreover, the nature of the communications used in the firms will be compared and the factors for the success and failure of the opted communication methods will also be illustrated. The discussion will also comprise of the details of the approaches through which each selected communication method for the betterment of the organization.  Lastly, an overall conclusion will be presented based on the entire discussion.

Hartley (2012) stated that in big firms the management should encourage every employee to share their concern. This will allow them to enhance their knowledge base and a best-optimized way to accomplish the organization objectives. Cornelissen and Cornelissen (2017) highlighted that conducting regular meeting is one of the most effective communication ways that is followed in big firms. This type of communication is also known as internal communication. The benefit of regular communication allows the employees to focus on the organizational goals and monitor their performance compared to that of the others.

Castells (2013) highlight that lack of justifications and poor approach through written communication medium, adverse result can be obtained. Taken for instance, in the year 2013, Yahoo’s HR department send a mail to all their employees that no employee will be allowed for work from home. These employees either have to join the office or quit. Daim et al. (2012) stated that this incident raises disappointment among the employee as no prior notice was sent to the employees. The CEO of the organization denied that the company does not prefer to discuss internal matters. However, two months later, the memo holding such decision leaked in public. Bovee et al. (2016) thus depict that poorly written emails can disrupts the communication by distorting the information. Castells (2013) suggested that in written communication medium all the details regarding a decision should have to be present along with the reason for taking such actions. 

Communication is the approach where a sender sends a message or information and then shares it with the receiver (Hartley, 2012).  However, these messages are transmitted through several form of communication medium that are discussed below:

Jiang et al. (2012) stated that this type of communication requires the physical presence of both sender and receiver and is also known as the oldest form of communication. This face-to-face communication can be accomplished through meetings, formal and informal gatherings.  Cornelissen and Cornelissen (2017) depict that the advantage of this type of communication ensures high level of mutual understanding.

Not all the communication between the managers and the employee are done verbally. McChesney (2015) portrays that in some cases written form like formal letters, bulletin boards, business memos and posters are formulated. These forms of communication are mainly used for one-way communication. Wright et al. (2013) however argued that, the choice of words plays an important role to convey the message. Pictorial representation can also be used in order to make every employee understand regarding the new policy or new approaches.

Kear et al. (2012) depict that this is a recent used technique for communication where employee in distant place or onsite client can be contacted. This type of communication is not a direct face-to-face communication but message are conveyed directly in form of words. Ellingson and Notbohm (2012) stated that larger firms like multi-national companies use this method to know the status of the work. In this way, the employee also sense the feeling of being valued and they get motivation to outperform.

Reilly and Hynan (2014) stated that in recent times, the traditional way to communicate with employee often fails due to lack of an easy way to connect together or communication breakdown among different departments. This adversity may also rise from missing documents during the process of communication and unclear orientation of the policy. Thus, larger firms like Vodafone use the concept of social intranet software that helps the organization to engage their employees through internet (Gustafsson et al., 2012).

This way of communication is different from formal talking. Coombs (2014) stated that informal medium of communication like chat tools and group messaging allow employees to collaborate effectively. This medium of communication also ensures the teamwork even after the office hours (Reilly & Hynan, 2014). Employees can share some ideas and solution to problem at anytime of the day with their team members.

Reilly and Hynan (2014) stated that face-to-face communication allow the people to share thoughts and ideas directly and a mutually agreed solution can be formed in real time. However, in case of mail or other written communication tool, there is a chance for employees to misunderstand the main motive behind the information. In such cases, the suggestion from other employees regarding the information and then reply from manager on the same took more time than face-to-face meetings. On the other hand, Bloom et al. (2014) stated that social media and personal chat system might allow employee to connect with the organization with interest. In this technological world, people spend 8 hours on average in social media sites as it promotes their interest to communicate with know people. However, McChesney (2015) argued that excess use of social media or personal chats and messaging tools might hamper the professionalism among the employees. 

Taken for instance, Yahoo’s employees felt disappointed when they received a sudden mail from their higher authorities without prior notice. These employees had been asked to shift to the office on the next day or the option for quitting the job was suggested to them. Coombs (2014) on the other hand highlight that companies like Vodafone developed social enterprise tool Circle. This circle allow the employee to share external behaviors in order to enhance the knowledge sharing. The benefit can be seen through the result that 15,000 unique users were identified over the next 12 months from the implementation of the circle. In recent times, Vodafone’s social enterprise tool Circle has 76,000 registered users (Kear et al., 2012).

The factors that did not work for the company Yahoo are giving less value to the employees, poor choice of words and lack of determination to follow the organizational culture. Moreover, the communication option through the social circle in case of Vodafone proved to be a great success because they emphasize on employee brand alignment, value the recent trend to communicate with team members, employee involvement and Vodafone’s ‘one team’ culture.

The use of only written communication can never bring success and it does not allow two-way communication. Bovee et al. (2016) thus stated that formal communication through e-mails, newsletters and bulletins does not allow employees to make a quick reply. Hartley (2012) furthermore depict that even if an employee desires to state some recommendations in the taken strategies, it takes huge time to research on those points and then implement on the same. This also shows the lack of meeting prior taking the decision. Coombs (2014) argued that this approach thus results in lack of employee motivation and they may not perform their job roles with responsibility. This will furthermore lead to lower productivity and low brand recognition.

On the other hand, considering employees will motivate them to remain associated with the organization. Involvement of employees in meetings or decision making process, allow them to feel an important asset for the organization (Wright et al., 2013). Jiang et al. (2012) also state that use of social media platform allows people to suggest ideas and encourage two-way communication. In this way, the employee will get the motivation to outperform and highlight them in front of other with effective ideas. This process also enhances the collaboration and work performance that further impacts the productivity.

Thus, it can be concluded from the above discussion that a communication method is considered to be effective in an organization if more employees are satisfied through the medium. The communication form should be a two-way communication so that active discussion can be made. Examples of Yahoo and Vodafone are taken into consideration, whereas in the first case, a strict e-mail drives disappointment among the employee and in the second case, employee feel motivated to present ideas that enhance their collaborative work. It can also be said that in order to make the employee more satisfied, larger firms should adopt a recent and most preferred mode of communication.

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