Design Management: Communication

Communication is the key to any successful business and work environment, be it a company, store, restaurant or school, if proper communication systems are not in place there will be a decline in productivity and profitability. Communication channels have to be looked at on how the company / organization is branding itself, to it's costumer service and internal communication channels. A lack of communication in one area will cause a breakdown somewhere else and have a negative reaction on the overall company. This lack of connection in these channels will cause animosity and negative behavior from employees to beyond the walls of the company.

One simple example would be: If a manager had information for a few weeks that a delivery of product was to happen on a set date and time but did not inform the staff members responsible for that task about the event until an hour before it happened. The staff now responsible for this had other meetings scheduled and other work that was planned for that day. They would have to cancel meetings with others, reorganize their work load for that day and be behind. This not only effects them but the other people they had interacted with and promised work for. If this happened frequently, their overall behavior and attitude would become very negative. As well as the people they are effecting by having to cancel or change schedules on. It becomes a domino effect and cause negativity on all levels of the organization.

A proper communication system needs to be developed and an understanding of the importance of such a system to an organization is needed. Analyzing the communication systems on all levels on who is interacting with who and how is the information transferred, then designing a better system for that organization is key to improving productivity and the bottom line.

Communication not only stems to interaction with groups but interaction with managers and others within a department. I find it very hard how people don't see the importance of using words like: "thank you", "good job", "well done". These little word will go a long way in productivity and workers moral. Basic understanding of how we communicate with each other to the overall picture of how the company communicates inside and outside it's walls is of high importance.

Analyzing what is done in your surroundings, then redesign and educating the staff would stream line any environment. It would be best to get a third party to do the analysis as staff would be more open to outside people then a coworker. Good Communication means good business.