Effective Communication

for Safety

Communication Defined

Basically, communication is the

transfer of ideas from one person
to another. It is the act of
informing someone or
disseminating information.

Purposes of
Communication in an
Organization
To provide the necessary information about a
job, a machine, a decision, an action taken, etc.
To recognize good performance
To prevent misunderstanding due to
misinformation that may lessen a persons
working efficiency
To allay fears, worries and suspicions an
individual may have in his work or toward his
employer

Communication as a Tool

To serve as a real tool of

management, communication must:

Not end with the transmission or

orders downward
Consider the rights and needs of
people below to communicate
upwards
Be a two way exchange

Types of Communication
Downward communication
Flows from upper levels of management to
the next lower level, down to the rank-andfile
Used when management wants to inform
employees of policies, procedures, directives,
etc.
It is the supervisors responsibility to make
sure that he as well as those below him
understand what is communicated.

Types of Communication
Upward communication
Proceeds from the lower levels of the
organization up to higher management.
Necessary to improve efficiency as well as to
ensure that downward communication from
management is received and understood.
It is the supervisors responsibility to help
his men express themselves clearly and
relay exactly what they want to say.

Types of Communication
Lateral communication
Takes place among employees of the same
level.
Usually concerns the dissemination of
information pertaining to areas of responsibility
and/or reports of levels of achievement in jobs
involving more than one work group.
It ensures avoidance of duplication of work
effort in achieving management goals

Essentials of Good
Communication
Communication Levels:
1.
Cognitive -receiver understands
2.
Affective -receiver is motivated
3.
Behavioral -receiver translates
into action

What to communicate to
workers

Work assignment
Work flow in
offices
Machine repair
Materials
Methods of
operation
Overtime
Responsibilities

Vacation policy
Company services
Recreation
Management policy
Pay
Rules and
regulations
Acknowledgement
of good
performance

What to communicate to
workers

Workers should be told every thing

that directly affects them.
Things indirectly related with the work
or physical conditions surrounding the
job should be communicated, such as
those which have to do with work
coordination, company organization,
plans for growth and expansion

When to communicate

As a general rule, people should be

informed about any event well in
advance of rumors, gossips,
conjectures.
If the information deals with vacations,
shutdowns, etc. It should be released
soon enough to be useful to individuals
who will benefit from them

When to communicate

All announcements should be so

timed that the reasons given for
them would not conflict with other
information fresh in the employees
mind
In all cases, a supervisor should
receive the information before his
subordinates do.

How to communicate

Give reasons meaningful to those being

informed. This is one of the best way
to gain acceptance.
Where persuasion is necessary, employ
verbal communication. This is more
effective than print since you see the
others reaction and hence are able to
adapt your presentation accordingly

How to communicate

Invite response from workers

Use more than one medium of
communication. A meeting may
be good, but a meeting reinforced
by a letter is more effective than
an announcement which gets only
one treatment.

Situations in
Communication

Face-to-face interview, i.e., for personnel

selection, induction, evaluation,
counseling, etc.
Job instruction, e.g. new techniques,
alterations, etc.
Transmitting information, e.g., policies
procedures, etc.
Giving instructions
Obtaining information and reports
Heading conferences and group meetings.

Other Aspect of
Communication

COMMUNICATION is a very personal

process involving at least two (2)
persons: the sender and the receiver.
For one to get through the other

They must be tuned in on the same wave

length
They must speak the same language
The sender must use the language the
receiver understands.

Other Aspect of
Communication
The communicator makes use of certain
aids of devices:
1. WORDS are precision instruments

Use the right words for the purpose in

hand
Avoid imprecise words like few,
some, or many when meaning will
be conveyed better by actual numbers
and percentages.

Other Aspect of
Communication
2.

TONE sometimes convey more than

content does. It is how the thing is
said rather than what is said that may
set road-blocks and cause a
communication gap.
reacts on the thoughts and emotions
of the receiver. It is, therefore, wise to
use the correct tone in your messages.

Other Aspect of
Communication
LETTERS can be made appealing to
the receivers self interest:

Catch your readers interest in the

opening salvo
Close with an appeal to action
Dont let your message dangle without
clear indication of just what it is you
want him to do.

Other Aspect of
Communication
Communications should be brief:

Long enough, and no longer, to get the

point across
Not wordy, redundant or long-winded

Speeches and written reports must

be well-organized and wellpresented.

Other Aspect of
Communication

Effective presentation should

include the following
A clear-cut identification of
the problem, idea or program
to be presented

Other Aspect of
Communication

A careful organization of the

subject matter

By identifying major and minor

points
By organizing thoughts and
information points to put across a
specific outline.

Other Aspect of
Communication

Judicious use of visual aids

Charts, graphs, slides,

transparencies, movies have an
important part. Used improperly,
however, they can be boring and,
worse, may give the wrong
emphasis.

Other Aspect of
Communication

Careful consideration of the

background and interests of the
audience

A minor point for one group can

be a major point for another
What is interesting to one group
can be boring to another.

Other Aspect of
Communication

Sensitivity to audience reaction

as a presentation progresses

Part of a presentation may have

to left out and others elaborated
on to meet the situation
Boring speakers are usually
insensitive to audience reaction.

Other Aspect of
Communication
3.

LISTENING is an important aspect

of communication. In
communicating, dont do too much
of the talking yourself, listen to
what the other has to say. This
way, you establish rapport with
your receiver.

Devices used for

communicating

Bulletin board
notices
Circulars
Inter-office
memos
Company papers
Official notice
Posters

Exhibits
Letters
Interviews
Informal talks
Meetings
conferences

Handling Difficult
Communications
ANGER
Keep your own emotions under control
Lower your own voice and speak slowly
Acknowledge the employees anger
Observe the employees behavior closely
after your discussion
INDIFFERENCE
Determine why the employee is not paying
attention
Be patient and use silence to your
advantage

To communicate effectively, pay

attention to messages.
- Spoken Communication
-Effective Speaking
-Message Delivery
-Pause Occasionally & Encourage Questions
-Pay Attention to How You Say Something
-Decide on the Most Appropriate Time and
Place
-Present the Information in a Logical Order.
Keep the Language Simple.

REVIEW: Three Major Concerns

in Effective Speaking
-

The message content

-The message delivery
-Ensuring understanding