Employee Communication

Employee communication is the context in which messages are communicated internally to an organization for direct and indirect strategic organizational purposes. It serves within an organizational context as well by the channel, level, and networks used to most effectively and efficiently communicate to or with employees.

Two themes are apparent in employee communication. First, such communication efforts typically manage or improve relationships among employees within an organization, including relationships between employee and supervisor, employee to employee, and supervisor to supervisor. Noting the rich array and use of human messages in organizational settings, Zaremba (2012) pointed out that they are used primarily to manage relationships and are concerned with individual needs of organizational personnel.

These messages can influence organizational climate and culture and are characteristic of activities related to performance evaluation, communication training, and morale building as the relational element of employee communication. Second, employee communication assists personnel to be more effective and efficient in production and service. These types of communication messages focus on company and product and service knowledge and managing the day-to-day work environment. This is intended to help employees be better informed and smarter workers.

Information is presented through task messages. Because of the importance of such messages, Zaremba (2012) observed, particular attention is needed to messages relevant to employee job responsibilities or maintenance messages explaining guidelines, rules, policies, and other procedural information. Although the themes of relational and content messages are not mutually exclusive due to the diverse nature and function of organizations, they do provide a distinction between employee and internal communication. Employee communication is focused on using human messages to manage and build relationships, whereas internal communication is focused on using task and maintenance messages to manage workflow within the organization.

Employee communication can be understood in relation to other organizational communication [Page 288]functions. Depending upon the size, type, and purpose of an organization, the number of organizational communication functions may vary. They can include image or identity management, advertising, media relations, marketing, financial affairs, community relations, government relations, crisis management, and employee relations.

Although some organizations may have formally established employee or internal communication programs, others may not but still manage a variety of functions that address information sharing, morale building, and product or service understanding, among other activities. All organizations should have some form of employee communication program. In large, high-profile companies such programs constitute an entire department and are formal and highly visible. In smaller companies, employee communication functions tend to be isolated, informal, and managed by a variety of personnel.

Beyond the prescribed communicative functions within organizations, channels or media help define how relationships and information are managed in the context of employee communication. The three most common means used to facilitate the goals and objectives of employee communication are through face-to-face, written, and electronic channels. Face-to-face channels should be used more frequently in activities requiring relationship growth and development. Often employee communication strategies include human resource, personnel, and training functions. Activities and programs related to such topics as employee orientation, compensation, benefits, employee assistance, continuing education, and personal and professional development training necessitate a certain level of face-to-face interaction. In large organizations these functions can be highly specialized and handled by numerous individuals. In smaller organizations, these functions are handled by few individuals with less specialized expertise. In some organizations, management personnel are responsible for most, if not all of the employee communication activities and programs. Commonly, these activities focus on improving relationships and require a great deal of face-to-face interaction and are viewed as relational rather than content functions of employee communication.

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