Paper Example on Effective Use of Communication in the Workplace

Effective written communication involves relaying and getting across information clearer. To make written communication effective, the information needs to be comprehensible, stated clearly, and simple. Clarity forms the core to effective written communication in addition to the use proper grammar, punctuation, and coherence. While it is important to avoid jargons and incoherent sentences, written information need to use active voice with a good flow that is easy to understand. By the use of active voice, written communication engages the reader actively and at the same time keeping ones attention. Additionally, less is often preferred with the information put across focusing on the precise information intended for the reader. Finally, effective written communication calls on the appropriate use of tone. For example, proposals and memorandums require a formal tone, while writing to a colleague in the same department may entail the use of informal tone.

Introduction

Within the office, setting different types of written communication is used to convey information from one department to another or from one organization to another. They include emails, internet websites, contracts, postcards, faxes, telegrams, letters, advertisements, brochures, and news releases. According to Gordon (2009), written communication serves an important function in the workplace and offers proof in case a dispute arises, and does not require personal contact. Despite the delay that may be occasioned during the relay of the information, written communication saves time and offers an organization to use formal means to convey important information from one department or one person to another. However, it may be costly or lack secrecy in which case, the information passed may leak out to unauthorized people (Gordon 2009). However, in general, effective written communication provides an organization with the prerequisite to working within its culture and achieving its goals through keeping in touch with each department and or workers. Induction is a process in which new employees are given an orientation in the workplace or within their place of work (McNeill 2012). It involves acquainting new employees with information on the working within the office setting or in handling their duties and responsibilities. The paper focuses on how effective use of written communication is applied and used in the workplace during an induction program or exercise.

Induction Program

Induction program aims at helping new employees or employees returning to the workplace after an extended period of absence. It helps them to come to terms with their duties and responsibilities, learn on the organization culture, expectations, goals, safety information, work ethics, and the recruitment exercise as a whole (McNeill 2012). The task enables employees to go through the employment details such as recruitment fully armed with all relevant information. The exercise is not only reserved for new employees, but also old employees returning to work or those who had been on leave. In case there is a change in the management structure, an induction exercise may be undertaken to orient the employees to their new work environment.

The Process and content of the Induction Program

The orientation program starts with a written communication from the human resource management on the need to resume ones duties and or take up a job opportunity. In many cases, organizations send out a formal communication that may take the form of a letter, mail, or communication on their website on the need to attend the orientation exercise. The information needs to be clear, precise, and to the point on issues such as the start time of the activity, the procedure of the entire program, any requirement needed such as Identification Card, and or an invitation letter. For new employees, an invitation letter is often used to inform the prospective employee on the opportunity to join the organization in a given capacity such as account clerk position or managing director position. The new employee will be provided with the organizations work culture, a written document outlining the organization's terms and conditions, work ethics, pension plan, official dress code, among others. The material needs to be forwarded to the new employee before the induction program to enable the employee to communicate with the human resource department on the suitability of the timing. The communication between the human resource department and the new employee need to be clear on the terms and conditions of the engagement such as the need for feedback and clarity on the details of concern to the two parties.

On the other hand, the terms and conditions of the induction program will feature aspects such as disciplinary procedures, leave, holiday, sickness procedures, and official working hours. Government regulatory documents such as the P45 and P60 forms will be attached to the induction program to enable the employee to overcome any legal hurdle in the new employment. Other content of the program that is important to the entire exercise includes health and security policies that will be signed and countersigned by the human resource representative. Security procedures such as building hazards, alarm system, safety precaution and general security measures of the organization are spelled out clearly in the attachment given to the new employee. Safety and precautionary measures that will be communicated to the new employee in writing include drug policies, alcohol, and smoking rules and regulations. In case the employee is engaged in machine operation, a manual containing information on the operation of the machine will be provided.

Finally, payroll details, benefits, pension schemes, and union fees will be communicated to the employee through the human resource department in the form of a clearly spelled out document making up part of the induction exercise. All information about pay, benefits, and deductions will be contained within a single form that will be countersigned by the employee to enable the organization, and the new employee enters into a legal agreement on the job offer. For sufficient documentation by both the employee and the organization, the document bearing the agreement needs to be signed in triplicate in which case, one copy remains with the human resource department, another copy is given to the employee, and the last one kept in the organizations registry for future reference. All the documents need to be precise, clear, to the point, and elaborate to help the parties establish an acceptable agreement. In many cases, the written consent forms a critical aspect of the engagement of the new employee and the organization a situation that is further reinforced by the two parties signing the entire attached document. All the documents availed to the employee before the induction program begins needs to be connecting, nondiscriminatory, and efficient in its tone and language.

Effective written communication forms the basis and cornerstone of establishing a healthy rapport with the new employee while at the same time offers an opportunity to enter into a legally binding agreement during the job engagement (Rios et al., 2009). For example, if the job offer is a contract of 6 months, the contractual agreement letter needs to spell out the exact terms and conditions the employee is entering. The entire above documents will form part of the induction program/exercise and will entail an induction letter that will take the form of a welcome note of the organization. The letter below is a sample of an induction letter.

Day One Arrangement/Mail

Personal

[Date]

[Name]

[Address]

Dear [Name]

On behalf of Shea Metropolitan, the Human Resource Department takes this opportunity to thank you for confirming the job offer at its Imperial branch.

We are delighted to inform you that you are to start your duties and obligations on [date].

On the first day of reporting to the organization, you will be expected to report to the Liaison Officer in [building] at [unit]. Kindly find attached, the structures map to the building or visit our website [website] for more information.

Attached is the induction/orientation program that will take place on your first day [date], starting from [time]. The first day will entail a general overview of the orientation exercise as explained in the attached document.

In the case of any questions, kindly get in touch with the Liaison Officer through [email/phone number].

We are looking forward to seeing you on [date].

Kindly keep time.

Yours Sincerely

[Name]

[Office]

The induction letter serves to inform the new employee on the day of the orientation exercise, time, officer to report to and a map to the building/organization. From the outline, the letter is simple, precise, and to the point and serves the purpose of passing vital information to the new employee.

On the other hand, personnel or other employees within the unit/organization may be served with a brief memo, informing them of the induction exercise. The memo is intended to inform the concerned employees who will in one way or another be involved in the exercise. The internal memo may look like below;

MEMORANDUM

TO: All Staff

FROM: Human Resource Department

Date: 9th May 2017

SUBJECT: INDUCTION/ORIENTATION EXERCISE

As a tradition within the organization upon taking up new employees, the human resource department will have an induction/orientation exercise on the [date], starting from [time]. All the concerned employees are kindly requested to take up their role as per the previously communicated instructions.

Orientation program

All the new employees will be introduced to the departments starting with the human resource department, the accounting department, operations department, control department, sales department, and finally, the management unit. The program will follow as per the above criteria starting with the human resource department and finalize with the control unit.

All employees and concerned personnel are kindly requested to cooperate and make the exercise fruitful. We highly apologize for the inconvenience caused.

Thank you.

The written memo will be placed in each department notice board to enable all the employees to have the information. To enable the employees and concerned personnel prepares in advance, the memo will be placed on the notice boards of all the departments four days before the induction exercise.

During the entire exercise and procedure, written communication will serve as the single communication channel emphasized further by attachments, guidelines, and procedures to enable the exercise continue without a hitch. To ensure that the exercise is fruitful, all written communications intended for the new employees or concerned personnel who will oversee the exercise will be clear, precise, and will take the form of a formal tone to emphasize its significance. An induction process is an important exercise that is aimed at helping the new employees adapt to the new working condition. To achieve this, effective written communication is vital for passing the right information to the intended audience.

In addition to the internal memo, letter of induction, and the necessary documents for the new employees, the induction program in the form of a written schedule will be availed to all the concerned personnel who will be involved in the exercise and the new employee. The program will also be pinned on each department to enable all employees to have information on the exercise. Below is a sample of such as schedule (McNeill 2012).

The Induction Program

ACTIVITY CONTENT OF THE ACTIVITY

Introduction to the Organization

Personnel in charge -Human Resource Ass Manager Visiting a...