Analyze and assess the communication dynamics of an organization

Course outcomes:

Analyze and assess the communication dynamics of an organization

Apply communication theories to organizational communication challenges

SHRM Competency:

Consultation – The ability to provide guidance to organizational stakeholders.

PROBLEM

All organizations have communication challenges. How do you identify and address these issues as a HR professional or consultant? How can your organization overcome this challenge and improve the communication flow?

In this project, you will use a diagnostic tool called a communication audit in order to assess organizational communication within an organization of your choice.

STEPS

1. Administer the communication audit survey in your organization. In order to obtain valid results, you want to survey between 15-20 people. You may print out the survey and distribute it in person for completion, or you may administer it online, for example, using Survey Monkey or Google Forms. The survey includes questions that tap into five different areas of organizational communication: (1) Receiving information from others, (2) Sending information to others, (3) Sources of information, (4) Timeliness of information, and (5) Channels of communication. Within these five areas of organizational communication, identify one major area of concern to address based on the responses from the survey.
2. You will then analyze and synthesize the results of the data obtained from your audit effort.
3. Based on the communication audit identify one critical communication challenge that needs to be addressed within your organization. Research the scholarly literature for recommendations about how the organization can address this issue.
4. As you participate in the discussions both at work and this week’s DB, reflect on your own audit and feel free to share feedback with others in the class as it applies to this week’s DB.
5. Create and deliver a presentation that provides the results of your audit with suggestions for improvement based on the data obtained from the audit and the literature on organizational communication.