Communicating

• The achievement of the objectives of the engineering organization will depend on the performance of the human and non-human elements attached to it. The task of management is to program these elements correctly so that each will respond accordingly to their assigned tasks. Standard programming methods have already been adapted by technologists for most machines and equipment.
• FUNCTIONS OF COMMUNICATION

  Communication may be used to serve any of the following functions:

  (1) Information function

  (2) Motivation function

  (3) Control function

  (4) Emotive function
• Information function – information provided through communication may be used for decision- making at various work levels in the organization.
• Motivation function – communicating is also oftentimes used as a means to motivate employees to commit themselves to the organization’s objectives.
• Control function - when properly communicated, reports, policies, and plans define roles, clarify duties, authorities ad responsibilities, Effective control is, then facilitated.
• Emotive function – then feelings are repressed in the organization, employees are affected by anxiety, which, in turn affects performance.
• THE COMMUNICATION PROCESS

  Communication process consists of eight (8) steps which are as follows:

  (1) Develop an Idea

  (2) Encode

  (3) Transmit

  (4) Receive

  (5) Decode

  (6) Accept

  (7) Use

  (8) Provide Feedback
• Develop an Idea – The most important step in effective communication is developing an idea.
• Encode – The next step is to encode the idea into words, illustrations, figures or other symbols suitable for transmission.
• Transmit – After encoding, the message is now ready for transmission through the use of an appropriate communication channel.
• Receive – The next step is the communication process is the actual receiving of the message by the intended receiver.
• Decode – The next step, decoding means translating the message from the sender into a form that will have meaning to the recipient.
• Accept—The next step is for the receiver to accept or reject the message. Sometimes, acceptance (or rejection) is partial.
• Use – The next step is for the receiver to sue the information..
• Provide Feedback – The last step in the communication process is for the receiver to provide feedback to the sender.
• FORMS OF COMMUNICATION

  (1) Verbal Communication

  (a) Oral Communication

  (b) Written Communication

  (2) Non-verbal Communication
• Verbal Communication – are those transmitted through hearing or sight. These modes of transmission categorize verbal communication into two classes: oral and written.
• Oral Communication mostly involves hearing the words of the sender, although sometimes, opportunities are provided for seeing the senders body movements, facial expression, gesture, and eye contact.
• Written Communication where the sender seeks to communicate through the written word. The written communication is, of time and cost constraints.
• Non-verbal Communication – is a means of conveying message through body language , as well as the use of time, space, touch, clothing, appearance, and aesthetic elements.
• THE BARRIERS TO COMMUNICATION

  Various factors may impede the efficient flow of communication. Any or all of these factors may, at any point, derail the process. The barriers to communication may be classified general as:

  (1) Personal barriers

  (2) Physical barriers

  (3) Semantic Barriers
• Personal barriers - are hindrances to effective communication arising from a communicator’s characteristics as a person, such are emotions, values, poor listening habits, sex, age, race, socioeconomic status, religion, education, etc.
• Physical barriers refer to the interferences of affective communication occurring in the environment where the communication is undertaken.
• Semantic Barriers. Semantic is the study of meaning as expressed in symbols. Words, pictures or actions are symbols that suggest certain meanings.
• TECHNIQUES FOR COMMUNICATING IN ORGANIZATIONS

  Communication may be classified as to the types of flow of the message which are as follows: downward, upward or horizontal. Each of the types of message flow has its own purposes and techniques.

  (1) Downward Communication

  (2) Upward Communication

  (3) Horizontal Communication
• Downward Communication - refers to message flows from higher levels of authority to lower levels.

  Among the techniques used in downward communication are as follows:

  (a) Letters

  (b) Meetings and Telephone

  (c) Manuals

  (d) Handbooks

  (e) Newsletters
• Upward Communication – there is a need for management to provide employees with all the necessary material and non-material support it can give.

  Among the techniques used in upward communications are:

  (a) Formal Grievance Procedures.

  (b) Employee Attitude and Opinion Surveys.

  (c) Suggestion Systems.

  (d) Open-Door Policy

  (e) Informal Gripe Sessions

  (f) Task Force

  (g) Exit Interviews
• Horizontal Communication - refers to messages sent to individuals or groups from another of the same organizational level or position.