How organizational communications can be used to support organizational behavior
Impact of Organizational Structure and Communication
How organizational structure influences organizational behavior
Organizational structure refers to the relationship between factors of production and how they are connected. On the other hand, organizational behavior is the study of how employees behave in an organization, the connection between the organizational context and human behavior, and the organization itself (Bratton, 2015). Organizational structures influence organizational behavior by creating environments that make employees develop specific behaviors. For instance, organizations with high hierarchy levels and low participation levels in decision-making create work environments that are loosely controlled, making employees experience less autonomy and loss of control. This may make employees behave negatively by engaging in unexpected behavior, such as failing to follow orders and showing up to work late. However, when employees are granted autonomy, they develop a sense of belonging and are more productive because they feel obliged to contribute to the organization’s success (Marasi et al., 2018).
Another organizational structure affecting organizational behavior is formalization. Formalization results in the creation of work policies and rules, motivating employees to engage in collaborative behaviors in line with organizational desires and expectations. On the other hand, lack of formalization is characterized by vague rules, thus making employees show no regard for authority and disrespect their superiors to the extent of failing to do what they are instructed to do. Unclear rules also result in the wastage of organizational resources because the consequences of such actions are not clearly outlined.
Communication is vital in every organization because it helps in ensuring that employees know what is expected of them. It also helps in the transmission and coordination of information and the sharing of feelings and emotions. Coordination is vital in ensuring that employees work towards meeting a common goal. Organizational communication can support organizational behavior by ensuring that employees know how the organization expects them to behave. For instance, if employees are not collaborating to meet a shared goal, communication can inform employees how they are required to behave and the punishments they may face when they fail to behave as needed. Communication can also be used to pass the information on rewards that employees will get for behaving according to the organization’s expectations.
Effective and ineffective communication methods
Effective communication methods ensure that the right information gets to the anticipated audience on time. Effective communication methods include verbal communication, one-on-one meetings, speeches and presentations, conversations with a group, written communication, nonverbal communication, and visual communication. In an organization, the most effective communication methods can be easily accessed by all employees and are not affected by physical communication barriers such as noise. The most formal and effective communication in organizations is written communication, mainly done using emails, memos, handbooks, and contracts. Verbal communication is used to establish strong relationships between employees to foster collaboration toward achieving a common goal. One-on-one meetings are used to discuss topics in the organization to generate ideas.
On the other hand, ineffective communication is characterized by failure to pass the intended message to its audience in the right way, leading to miscommunication. The main ineffective communication methods are using technical jargon and terms to pass a message using channels that are not easily accessible. Most organizations have an established communication plan that outlines the communication methods that should be used. If these methods are not used, most employees may not get the message. This may result in frustration and confusion. Technical jargon and terms may also create miscommunication because the audience may not understand the message.
References
Bratton, J. (2015). Introducing contemporary organizational behavior. Introduction to Work and Organizational Behaviour, 3-36. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-137-43206-3_1
Marasi, S., Bennett, R. J., & Budden, H. (2018). The Structure of an Organization: Does It Influence Workplace Deviance and Its’ Dimensions? And to What Extent? JOURNAL OF MANAGERIAL ISSUES, 30(1).