Communication climate and organizational effectiveness

Communication Climate at the Workplace
The communication climate at Digital Prints is supportive. This is mainly because the workplace is warm, supportive, and open. A supportive climate is encouraging to the subordinates as compared to the defensive climate that puts an individual on the guard. It is easy for an employee to talk to each other and understand one another. With an open exchange of ideas and everyone is open to listening and discussing projects it is easy for the employees to get work done. Employees are allowed to test out their ideas and the management is more accommodative. This support has been beneficial to the employees in terms of being open and sharing their perceptions. Communication at the workplace is supportive in that employees will respond to emails promptly and they will listen to one another without interruption (Mohammed & Hussein, 2008). The viewpoints of each other are considered and there is honest disagreement. Digital Prints has prided itself in allowing and encouraging its employees to be proactive and have cordial interactions with each other. The management has excellently managed to create an environment of collaboration. Work schedules are aimed at promoting interactions between employees. Employees feel more at home when they are at the office and they can openly hold conversations with each other. This aligns well with the results of our Communication Climate Inventory.
Supportive communication climates affect motivation and organizational/team commitment by keeping up with the six dimensions of success. Using these six dimensions to motivate the employees too. With a supportive communication climate, there is clarity and the employees know what they are required to do at any given time. Employees are also encouraged to ask questions in case they do not understand or if something is not clear. Employees are given goals that are challenging yet attainable and the responsible employees are given the authority to accomplish these tasks. Supportive climates do not have unnecessary rules, which can be demotivating for the employees. Too many rules and policies can be limiting to employees and they do not encourage them in any way (Ntoumanis, Quested, Reeve, & Cheon, 2017). Employees who are able to interact with each other openly and can hold conversations with one another without fearing that management will frown upon such communication will be motivated to work hard. Motivation is also achieved with clear responsibilities and straightforwardness. When there are no hidden agendas, employees are more willing to work and they will put in more effort to achieve the goals of the organization. Supportive communication climates encourage interactions with managers, subordinates, and co-workers via formal and informal communication channels like training sessions, team meetings, newsletter, and social events, which demonstrate agreement with organizational values. Employees have job satisfaction and are committed to the organization.
Improving the communication climate within an organization, department, or team would involve the creation of a climate of supportiveness, openness, trust, and participative decision making. Employees should be encouraged to share with each other. Management should create a trusting environment, where they build on employee’s ideas and encourage other employees to support the ideas of others. However, not all ideas should be entertained. In such instances, management should let the employees know that even though they have a good idea, it is not possible for it to be implemented within the organization at that particular moment. No idea should be dismissed without it being heard. Employees can be encouraged to listen to one another and not interrupt the one speaking. Active listening should be encouraged. Rules and policies that can be limiting to employee interactions with each other should also be removed. This will promote cordial working relations and empathy. Problem-solving can also be employed as a way of finding solutions instead of telling someone what they need to do (Al-Kahtani & Allam, 2015). When a person is allowed to solve a problem, they are motivated and collaboration is encouraged. Participative decision making will allow employees to interact with each other to come up with ideas and solve problems. One should be willing to explore other points of view. This flexibility and understanding are vital for improving an organization's communication climate.
The communication skills that I would like to improve upon are listening, open-mindedness, and respect. These skills are vital for creating a supportive communication climate. Supportive communication climates encourage good listeners and employees are required to listen to each other without interruption. Good listeners are able to understand what the speaker is saying and they can ask questions where necessary (Nordin, Sivapalan, Bhattacharyya, Ahmad, & Abdullah, 2014). Without proper listening skills, one will miss out on vital communication and the sender or speaker will become frustrated. Good listening skills will lead to greater productivity, better customer satisfaction, and increased information sharing. Open-mindedness allows one to learn and grow. Being open-minded means that one must admit they do not know everything and they are willing to receive new and different ideas. Being open to new ideas is beneficial in that one can increase their body of knowledge and they are flexible to new experiences and ideas. Cultivating an open mind is a valuable outcome of critical thinking and reasoning. There are numerous changes that are taking place in the world and one needs to be adaptive to these changes. This would only be possible with an open mind. Respect is demonstrated in the way one treats other employees. Learning to be aware of employees’ feelings and treating them with dignity in all manners. Respect is also demonstrated in how one listens to others.
References
Al-Kahtani, N. S., & Allam, Z. (2015). Mediating Effect of Role Ambiguity on Communication Climate: A Meta Analysis. Research Journal of Applied Sciences, Engineering and Technology, 10(3), 350-356.
Mohammed, R., & Hussein, A. (2008). Communication Climate and Organizational Performances: A Comparison Studies Between Two Public Organizations. The international conforence on Management Cambridge University.
Nordin, S. M., Sivapalan, S., Bhattacharyya, E., Ahmad, H. H. W. F. W., & Abdullah, A. (2014). Organizational communication climate and conflict management: communications management in an oil and gas company. Procedia-Social and Behavioral Sciences, 109, 1046-1058.
Ntoumanis, N., Quested, E., Reeve, J., & Cheon, S. H. (2017). Need supportive communication: implications for motivation in sport, exercise, and physical activity. Persuasion and communication in sport, exercise, and physical activity. Abingdon, UK: Routledge.