The role of communication in organizational behavior is a vital one, as miscommunication typically reduces productivity and increases error and waste. Accurate communication transmitted in a supportive manner often results in increased morale and may also lead to a greater sense of camaraderie among staff. Within organizations, having a more open communication policy may provide a safety valve to vent problems before these issues impact productivity. Another role communication plays in organizational behavior includes equipping stakeholders to clearly communicate the organization's mission. Maintaining an accurate record of the organization's activities and encouraging civil and positive engagement with customers and stakeholders are two other important roles played by communication in organizational behavior.
Failure to transmit accurate instructions may negatively impact communication. This may result in an increased error rate, and diminished productivity in the workplace. If a supervisor's instructions are misunderstood, serious consequences may result. These may include injury to employees or offending a highly valued client.
Clear, consistent communication, on the other hand, often encourages more productive workplace behavior and increases morale. The role of this type of communication in organizational behavior results in workers feeling more in control of their environment. Encouraging productive communication between staff and clients has been demonstrated, in many cases, to increase customer satisfaction as well.
Equipping stakeholders to accurately communicate an organization's values and mission is another important aspect of communication in organizational behavior. Sometimes companies take new employees or board members through an orientation session in order to give them a historical and current picture of the organization. This helps ensure that all of those associated with the organization communicate similar messages about its mission and goals.
Instituting an open-door policy for employees may also be a part of facilitating accurate communication about the organization to those outside it. This often supports public relations initiatives, as disgruntled employees or those who have unresolved issues may disseminate hostile reports, thus causing a public relations problem for the organization. From a proactive standpoint, equipping stakeholders with accurate information about the organization often facilities positive public relations.
Maintaining an accurate record of corporate events is generally deemed critically important. In almost every case, there are laws in place that require organizations to adhere to various reporting requirements. Transmitting inaccurate information may incur criminal penalties as well. For example, if the organization is a corporation, certain internal communications, such as minutes of corporate meetings, are required to be kept for a certain period of time.
