Himanshi Goyal

Jayesh Hotwani
Mehul Thacker
Nitin Agarwal
Definition
Methods
Flows
 - purposes
 - barriers
 - improvement
The grapevine
Guidelines for effective communication
 …the exchange of information &
instructions which enable a company
to function efficiently and employees
to be properly informed about
developments. It covers information
of all kinds, the channels along which
it passes and the means of passing it.
(Hannigan 1996)
Oral/Verbal
Written/electronic
Non-verbal
Methods....
Phone Internet
Fax E-mail
Newsletter Memo
Tele-Conference Video
Interviews Meetings
Ideas Scheme Grapevine
Quality Circle
 Manager

Supervisor

Worker
Generally instructs
Assign goals
Provide job description
Inform – policies & procedures
Feedback on performance
Often One-Way
Differences in Values/Perceptions
Mistrust: ‘boss – biased source of info’
Status Anxiety
Encourage 2-way communication
Use multiple channels
Know your employees’ values/perceptions
Build Trust
- involve in D-making
- justify decisions
 Manager

Supervisor

Worker
Generally informs
Progress reports
Relay problems
Suggest improvements
Attitudes of Workers
Workers interest in advancement & security 
chance of distortion
Attitudes of the Superior
Mistrustful
Intimidation
Relationships  chance of distortion
Increase informal contact
- Build relationships/trust

Take action in response to upward messages

Persistently seek responses from superiors

Increase willingness to build trust/ relationships

Manager  Manager
Supervisor  Supervisor
Worker  Worker

Generally co-ordinates
Usually saves time
Improves efficiency and accuracy
Increased Specialisation
Competition between groups
Incompatible goals
Improve awareness of Organisation Goals

Team development days

Secondments

Social Events

Multi-disciplinary Project teams

 Original message

100% Board of directors

63% Vice president
56% General supervisor
40% Plant manager
30% General foreman
20% Worker

Final message
3 main characteristics:

1. Not controlled by Management

2. Perceived as being more believable & reliable
3. Largely used to serve the self interests of
people within it.
Rumours emerge as a response to;
Situations that are important to us
Situations where there is ambiguity
Situations that arouse anxiety
e.g. appointment of a new boss
relocation of offices
realignment of work
Research: -
70% of what is carried, is
at least partially accurate.
Benefits for Management?

Identifies those issues considered:

- Important
- Relevant
- Anxiety provoking
1. The CEO must be committed to the important
of communication
2. Managers must match action with words
3. Commitment to two-way communication
4. Emphasis on face-to-face communication
(M.B.W.A.)
5. Shared responsibility for employee
communications (all levels of management)
6. Dealing with bad news (not afraid to confront
it)
7. Message is shaped for its intended audience.
(Diff employees – diff views on what’s
important)
8. Treat communication as an on-going process