OBJECTIVES OF COMMUNICATION

Effective Communication is essential for success of every large and small business organisation. The fundamental objectives of business are ‘To Survive and to Prosper’. In order to achieve these objectives, the following objectives of communication must be achieved.

1)      Information: To inform means to give knowledge. In an organisation, a lot of information flows within and outside the organisation. A businessman needs to communicate with his employees about:

i)                    Various developments within the organisation.

ii)                  About the culture of organisation, its rules and regulations.

iii)                About the information relating to the job.

iv)                 Information about his performances.

v)                  Information which gives them a clear understanding of authority and responsibility.

Businessman provides information to outsiders like customers, shareholders, competitors, and suppliers. Thus, providing and obtaining information is one of the important objectives of any business organisation.

2)      Advice: Providing advice is another objective of communication. Apart from information, employees also need advice to effectively handle various assignments. At times, difficulties at work or on personal front may interfere with employee’s performance. Providing advice can help employees handle such problems.

3)      Order and Instruction: An order is an oral or written communication directing the starting, stopping or modification of an activity. It is a form of communication by which management directs its employees to achieve its objectives. Instruction refers to recommendation on how a particular piece of work is to be done. In other words, instructions are specification on how orders must be carried out.

4)      Persuasion: Persuasion is the process by which a person’s attitude and behavior towards something are influenced by another person’s communication. In business world, one cannot force the employees to do something. Instead it is better to persuade them by telling them the benefits. If there is a change in the method of production, the employees have to be explained that how the change is beneficial for them. The management has to convince them that the new system will be taught to them and it will in no way affect their jobs.

5)      Motivation: To motivate means to cause an act or persuade employee to give the best. Managers have to their employees to ensure highest levels of quality. Motivating employees is a continuous process. The management should use communication in such a manner that the right emotional environment is created. Setting up of goals, communicating them clearly to employees, setting up right kind of reward system, inviting employee’s participation in decision making is yet another way of motivating the employees.

6)      Education: Educating the employees to take up the responsibilities of a given job becomes one of the major objectives of communication. Training or education the employees to update their knowledge and skills is challenge to every management. There must be a communication line in every organisation which reaches to its workers so that they may be able to acquire skills and work better. This can be done by organizing workshops, demonstrations, lectures, film shows, and seminars on regular basis. It is also necessary that outside public should be educated on several matters for as the survival of organisation depends on it. Educating the outside public usually takes the form of advertising, arranging informative talks, publishing articles in newspapers.

7)      Warning: To warn is to inform a person about unpleasant consequences. Management, at time, has to issue a warning to an erring employee. When all other alternative fail, warning the erring employee becomes necessary.

8)      Boosting the Morale of Employees: The dictionary meaning of morale is confidence, determination. Morale is the mental strength of an individual. The state of morale impacts performance of the individual. If morale is high, quality of work is high. If morale is low, the quality of work is poor. Since the state of morale affects the work performance of the organisation, boosting the morale of employees is one of the most important objectives of communication. Management can keep the morale high by:

i)                    Maintaining a steady stream of communication between workers, their supervisors and top executives.

ii)                  Permitting open discussion of problems.

iii)                Keeping a check on grapevine and not allowing harmful rumours to spread.

iv)       Giving a fair hearing to employee grievances and accepting their suggestions.

v)       Appreciating workers for their good work.

v)       Motivating workers by providing incentives.