Introduction
Organizational managers experience some challenges when trying to improve workplace communication. The first communication issue is the existence of “jargon” within the departments that affects the quality of communication. Jargon results in technical terms and interdepartmental lingo which are confusing and challenging to understand (Patoko & Yazdanifard, 2014). The second issue is technology and communication which affects the attainment of effective communication (Cascio & Montealegre, 2016). Organizational managers find it costly and challenging to continually improve communication infrastructure to achieve effective communication (Subramanian, 2017). The third communication issue that organizational managers experience in cross-cultural communication. However, to overcome these challenges, managers in an organization should strive to equip employees with cross-cultural skills through culture-based training and translate information (Elving et al. 2012). The other recommendation is that managers should understand technological trends in communication and ensure that they invest in appropriate infrastructure for effective communication. The managers should also ensure that employees understand that jargon hinders effective communication and should only be used within departments or in situations where the audience understands the language.
Technology and Communication Issues
Emerging technologies have continued to disrupt organizational communication processes. Currently, workplace communication is not the same as it was in the previous decades. Faxes, phone calls, and memos are being phased out in favor of technologically connected office space (Cascio & Montealegre, 2016). For this reason, people in an organization have begun communicating directly on a computer network. Organizations across the globe are trying to keep up with the disruption to ensure they are not left behind. One of the primary challenges for the disruption in communication is the inability of organizational managers to envision the trend and act proactively (Cascio & Montealegre, 2016). Therefore, keeping up with the disruption is becoming a major challenge to organizational managers because they are forced to invest heavily in implementing the changes.
Apart from disruption, another technology and communication issue is social isolation experienced in the workplace. Although email and social networking sites allow people to keep in touch, there are concerns that the lack of face-to-face communication may adversely affect people’s emotional and social well-being (Subramanian, 2017). Online communication, which contemporary organizations embrace, reduces personal interaction, leading to adverse effects on people’s well-being (Ricciardi et al. 2016). Organizational managers and leaders are getting worried because the use of social media to communicate is causing mental health issues. According to Subramanian (2017), social media has caused a dramatic increase in loneliness and depression. There is no doubt that even as technology and communication have some benefits, increased use of digital communication like social media contributes to social isolation and high rates of depression.
Technology and communication also contribute to the issue of security and privacy of information. Communication technology is used by organizations to store and transmit data. Technology also raises concerns in communication about data protection and privacy (Raghavan et al. 2017). Government and organizations have introduced policies and regulations to regulate data protection, limiting access to personnel who need knowledge of sensitive financial or medical information (Vault, 2015). However, hacking can compromise sensitive information stored on the computer or any digital device. Cyber criminals use technological means to retrieve information and perform their operations (Raghavan et al. 2017). Based on this, organizational leaders and managers find it challenging to protect data as the advancement of digital communication is leading to more threats to security and privacy.
In addition, the loss of the art of communication is an issue caused by technology and communication. Digital technology allows people to communicate in short, and carefully modified sentences and removes all contextual details given through tone and body language (Bughin et al. 2017). As a result of the lack of experience with face-to-face contact that cannot be paused, edited, or filtered, people who communicate with others mainly through digital communication may fail to participate in normal conversation because they may have trouble interpreting nonverbal cues (Tench et al. 2017). Based on this, there is no doubt that organizational managers and leaders are dealing with people who are unable to communicate effectively owing to the frequent use of digital communication.
Conclusion
Organizational leaders and managers must eliminate the issues they experience while trying to achieve effective communication in the workplace. Some of the issues that organizational leaders are likely to experience are the use of jargon within departments, cross-cultural communication, and communication and technology issues. Jargons are normally difficult to understand; hence can make other employees feel confused and uninformed. In addition, cross-cultural communication becomes an issue when individuals are unable to understand one another because of language variation. Communication and technology present constant disruption that makes managers and leaders invest more to improve their infrastructure to improve communication. To overcome these challenges, managers and leaders in an organization should strive to equip employees with cross-cultural skills through culture-based training and translate information. Organization’s employees should be informed that jargon should only be used where the audience understands the language. Managers should also ensure that they have the right infrastructure for effective communication.
References
Bughin, J., Chui, M., Harrysson, M., & Lijek, S. (2017). Advanced social technologies and the future of collaboration. McKinsey Global Institute 1-8.
Cascio, W. F., & Montealegre, R. (2016). How technology is changing work and organizations.Annual Review of Organizational Psychology and Organizational Behavior, 3, 349-375. Web.
Clampitt, P. G. (2016). Communicating for managerial effectiveness: Challenges| Strategies| Solutions (6th ed.). Sage Publications.
Elving, W., van Ruler, B., Goodman, M., & Genest, C. (2012). Communication management in The Netherlands: Trends, developments, and benchmark with US study. Journal of Communication Management, 16, 112-132. Web.
Patoko, N. and Yazdanifard, R. (2014) The Impact of Using Many Jargon Words, while Communicating with the Organization Employees.American Journal of Industrial and Business Management, 4, 567-572. Web.
Raghavan, K., Desai, M. S., & Rajkumar, P. V. (2017). Managing cybersecurity and e-commerce risks in small businesses.Journal of Management Science and Business Intelligence, 2(1), 9-15. Web.
Ricciardi, F., Harfouche, A., & Ricciardi. (Eds.). (2016). Information and Communication Technologies in Organizations and Society. Springer International Publishing.
Tench, R., Verčič, D., Zerfass, A., Moreno, Á., & Verhoeven, P. (2017). Communication excellence: How to develop, manage and lead exceptional communications. Springer.
Subramanian, K. R. (2017). Influence of social media in interpersonal communication.International Journal of Scientific Progress and Research, 38(2), 70-75. Web.
Vault, B. (2015, April 6). A hazardous juncture: At the intersection of information boundaries, communications and trade surveillance.Bloomberg Professional Services. Web.