Lesson 5

Communication for Work

Purposes
Part 1. Oral Communication in the Workplace
“₁₉...let every person be quick to hear,
slow to speak, slow to anger; ₂₀ for
the anger of man does not produce
the righteousness of God.”
— James 1:19-20
 Table of Contents

01 02
Oral Communication in Pressing Challenges in
the Workplace Workplace Communication

03
Top Communication
Issues
Learning Outcomes
At the end of the lesson, you are expected to achieve
the following:

1. Discuss the importance of oral communication

skills in the workplace.
2. Describe the pressing challenges encountered by
business communicators
3. Expound on the fundamentals of online
interviews.
4. Discuss the essentials of physical and virtual
meetings.
5. Observe the etiquette of face-to-face and online
meetings.
6. Show the ability to communicate through
independent and group communicative learning
activities.
 Oral Communication in
the Workplace
The importance of oral
communication skill at the
workplace is evident in various
researches conducted among
organization executives, managers,
employees and trainees. These
researches have revealed that
effective oral communication skill
takes the top place among the
business skills needed in the
company for its quality
performance.
 Oral communication skill in business is highly valued. Without exception, everybody in business
needs it to communicate details of information, discuss strategies, map out plans, close business
agreements, work in teams, and deal with managers, employees, business partners, guests or clients.
To improve yourself, you also need communication skill to help you initiate personal plans, lead project
undertakings, and solve pressing problems. Executives and managers need good communication skills
to demonstrate effective leadership, efficient transaction, quality performance, and excellent
productivity.
Successful businesses have gained their good reputation because strong communication skill is
fully recognized and developed among employees. However, some companies’ need for employees
with effective communication skill is all too often unfulfilled. Some business transactions miss the
mark as business people fail to convey proper course of communication.
 Pressing Challenges in
Workplace Communication
Communication has always been essential in any
business’ growth and development. As effective
communication is needed to be able to operate and become
successful, pressing challenges do interfere and are likely to
affect your work and communication in the future.
 Business communicators have always encountered communication problems.
Some of these problems are sometimes hard to avoid or deal with. Andrea Campbell, author
of Top 10 Team Communication Issues and How to Avoid Them, believe that poor
communication skills create business problems.
 One of these is the team communication issues and
problems among people at work. Common cases being
encountered are those with coworkers:

01 02 03
losing trust with poor cooperation the disapproval or
others among team disrespect from
members, and colleagues or
sometimes immediate superior.
 The said problems are considered communication challenges.
The terms refer to the problem when the manager does not provide
feedback or coaching. If there is no feedback, it means there is no
communication. Campbell echoed the idea of Leigh Branham, the
author of 7 Hidden Reasons Employees Leave. She said, as quoted,
that the root problems of this issue are managers' inattention to
people they supervise. They provide irregular or nonexistent
feedback. People get criticisms instead of praise. Worse is that
feedback is not valued or valuable at all.
To avoid or solve the issue, Branham
suggested:

improving coaching and feedback

especially among the new
recruits;

setting up mentoring programs

with experienced employees; and

requiring managers to provide

feedback.
Top Communication Issues
Campbell identified top ten
communication issues that business
communicators have to consider to
be able to avoid or solve them.
1. Failure to Listen. Ineffective listening is a big problem in communication. Good
communication fails when one doesn’t pay much attention or plan what to say
before one ends his statement. To avoid it, speakers have to emphasize the
importance of active listening in the discussion. Also point out that
inattentiveness results to different understanding of the topic being discussed.
Speakers also have to maintain eye contact during the conversation or discussion.
2. Culture Differences. The diversity of backgrounds and cultural customs create
communication issues among team members and leaders. People would just love
to stay along with people of the same background. Hence, leaders face challenges
of grouping and team communication hurdles. To avoid it, try to promote “unity
in diversity” wherein team members have to be assigned to different groups to
break the usual grouping.
3. Locale or Distance to Office. The office location or its distance to its employees or
contributors entails problem in the communication. The company usually resorts
to email, phone or video conferencing. The very low level of interaction in
electronic communication poses a communication barrier. It causes
misunderstanding and failures. To solve it, meetings should be done at the
nearest venue and on a regular schedule. Important issues and solutions can be
posted or sent to all for further knowledge and verification.
4. Ego and Attitude. Self-image or ego often affects team’s effort to execute plans.
One’s arrogance causes trouble, and more often, teamwork ends due to one’s
defiance. The presence of conflict is evident when someone displays inequality or
bias and doesn’t want to take responsibility. To solve it, the team leader or
manager should promote better understanding as the group discusses the issue.
He has to redirect the group to be able to meet the goals. Calmness and
tactfulness help reduce tension and friction between or among team members.
5. Authority or Hierarchy Problem. The authority that the team leader or manager
demonstrates more often creates intimidation or gap with team member. To
resolve, managers or team leaders should promote harmoniously relation among
the team members. Communicate to the members about the intention of helping
and letting them feel they are important. And they can approach the managers for
consultation or discussion on personal or work-related issues.
6. Poorly Written Communication. The confusion or misunderstanding of in
interoffice business communication is due to poor content of written documents,
substandard organization, fractured grammar, among other flaws in written
interoffice materials. To avoid it, ensure that documents are well-edited and
proofread by best editor in the department. Allow other eyes to check for
mistakes in grammar, spelling, punctuations, and organizations.
7. Gender Bias. The choice of which gender makes a more effective leader in the
department is an issue of gender bias. This gender discrimination creates problem
in the organization. To avoid this, team leaders or managers should ensure that
the issue on gender choice is set aside in tackling issues or taking course of
action for the department. Speak about concerns without engaging in demeaning
oneself. Avoid gender-bias language or terms that connote gender. For example,
use chairperson for chairman or chairwoman.
8. Focus or Listening Problems. Inability of employees to focus on the issue is
equivalent to listening problems. The generation gap is often the cause of
communication barrier that affects the achievement of department goals. To help
avoid it, leaders or managers have to initiate mutual understanding regardless of
age. Encourage teamwork and unity despite differences of age, sex, social status,
and family background. Understand one’s weaknesses and capitalize on one’s
strength.
9. Inadequate Knowledge. Little knowledge is dangerous. Hence, team performance
is affected due to ineffective education or lack of understanding or other
inadequate knowledge foundation. To resolve it, leaders or managers encourage
team members to upgrade knowledge by pursuing higher degree programs.
Include in the annual target plan the participation of members to seminar,
training or conferences. Promote reading culture in the department and
productive focus group discussion.
10. Cliques, Groups, and Friendships. Group membership or group affiliation or
exclusive grouping of team members can sometimes create segregation. To avoid
it, promote teamwork spirit in the department. Conduct team building activities to
promote objectivity, teamwork, cooperation, and unity in diversity.
Thank You
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