Theories of Organizational Communication and Strategies to Overcome Barriers: A Case Study of Brit-tech

This report discusses the theories of organizational communication and evaluates barriers of communication which have been affecting Brit-tech. It outlines strategies which can be followed by the company in order to overcome these barriers.

BUSINESS
COMMUNICATION

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION.........................................................................................................................3
TASK..............................................................................................................................................3
Theories of organizational communication.................................................................................3
Evaluation of barriers of communication....................................................................................4
Outlining strategies to overcoming barriers................................................................................5
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................6
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................8

INTRODUCTION
Business communication is the process of sharing and transferring information between
people within and outside a company. Business communication is essential for an organization
where they can develop two-way effective communication that is essential for the company to
share the information which can support in developing understanding and in meeting business
objectives. The purpose of effective communication is to enhance organizational practice,
performance and eliminate errors from, the company (What is Business Communication & Why
Do You Need It, 2019). Brit-tech is an IT company which have been operating in the UK and the
company is now asking their employees to resume work from office for 2 days a week. Due to
this, the company has been facing various barriers which have been influencing their
performance and productivity of the business. This report will discuss the theories of
organizational communication and will be evaluating barriers of communication which has been
affecting the organization. The report will outline strategies which can be followed by the
company in order to overcome these barriers.
TASK
Theories of organizational communication
Organizational communication is the term that is used to define the interaction of employees
within the organization. Developing and maintaining two-way communication is essential which
helps in sharing required information that can be used in meeting targets, building trust, and
enhancing the performance and productivity of employees and the overall organization. There
are various forms of mediums that can be used for communication, which are- formal and
informal communication, directional communication, internal and external communication, and
oral and written communication (A guide to organizational communication, 2021). There are
various theories of organizational communication, some of the theories which can be followed
by Brit-tech company is discussed below:
 Weber’s classic organizational theory of fixed structure
This theory was coined by Max Weber who is the pioneer of organizational studies. The
theory discusses the bureaucratic organization’s attempt to define organizational structure. This
theory is also helpful in defining and valuing the communication processes which occur within

the organization. According to this theory, the companies have defined roles and
responsibilities, and communication must be followed and maintained in clear, structured, and
hierarchical order through which messages can be shared in the right period of time. This theory
states that following the hierarchal structure will be helpful for the company to share the
information in an appropriate manner by following the top-to-bottom organizational structure
(Chen, Davison and Ou, 2020). According to this theory, bureaucracy is better than traditional
structures where employees are treated equally and this is helpful in following the right chin of
communication through which companies can communicate effectively through which targets
can be effectively met. This is helpful in building trust and understanding through which an
organization can ensure all employees are communicating effectively and are sharing the
information which will enhance the efficiency and performance of employees and the overall
organization.
 Deetz’s managerialism theory
This theory is used to define how organizational control and communication are managed
in companies where classical notions are replaced by acknowledging political and economic
interest which can bring a range of diverse ideas. This critical cultural theory defines how
corporate culture is influenced by organizational practice. According to this theory of
communication, communication can either be co-dedeterminated or managerial. As per the
theory, the decisions can be formed on the basis of four factors, which are- strategy, consent,
involvement, and participation (Dwyer and Hopwood, 2019). As per the theory, the
communication and information of the company is shared in a systematic manner which is also
helpful in increasing the involvement of employees within the organizational activities.
Evaluation of barriers of communication
Barriers to communication are prevented from sending or receiving the message.
Communication is a two-way process and any disturbance in interaction is related to the
communication barrier. There are various barriers to communication that can create an obstacle
in sharing and receiving information. Some of the common barriers to communication are which
have been faced by Brit-tech company while asking their employees to work from office are
discussed below-

 Physical barriers- A physical barrier to communication can be defined as the factor that
acts as a distraction that can hinder the flow of communication within the organization. In
relation to physical barriers, the employees are unwilling to make use of public
transportation and this has been a major barrier that is faced by Brit-tech which is also
affecting the employee interest and performance.
 Emotional barriers- Emotional barrier to communication is the outcome of low
emotional intelligence which can create an impact on the performance and productivity of
employees and the overall organization. This is another barrier that is faced by employees
and this barrier is the outcome of the unwillingness of employees due to the comfort they
feel while working from home (Klimova, Klimova and Dubinka, 2019). Due to such
barriers, the employees of Brit-tech are more resenting to rejoin the office.
 Organizational structure barriers- Another factor that is creating a barrier for
employees in joining the office again is related to poor organizational structure. Due to
lack of ventilation, and avoidance of social distancing measures, this has been creating a
barrier in developing interest in employees to work from the office. Moreover, Brit-tech
is also facing an issue in eliminating the barriers where they can gain the trust of
employees in relation to the structure of the organization.
 Perceptual barriers- This is another barrier which is faced by the company where
employees choose not to be vaccinated and this has been a barrier where other employees
do not feel safe in coming back to the office. The discrimination due to such factors is a
barrier that is restricting employees from working from the office and they are more
willing to continue working from home.
 Interpersonal barriers- These barriers are related to the lack of interpersonal skills that
employees are facing due to working from home for a period of time. While working
from home for a period of time, employees are resisting to join the office where they feel
nervous and lacks confidence in interacting and working from the office again (Pikhart,
2018). Such factors are restricting the interest of employees which is making Brit-tech
companies face barriers in keeping their employees interested in joining their office.
Outlining strategies to overcoming barriers
Communication barriers are the disturbances that have been affecting the flow of
information which can hamper the message. In the context of Brit-tech, the company will be

following below mentioned strategies through which they can overcome the discussed
communication barriers:
 Offer transportation services- In order to eliminate physical barriers, Brit-tech must
offer transportation services where they can encourage their employees to work from the
office. Such practices will be helpful in maintaining the safety standards of employees
through which they can ensure employee safety at the workplace. Through offering
transportation services, such as cabs, this will support Brit-tech to reduce physical
barriers and encourage the employee to work from the office.
 Avoiding behavior that provokes a negative response- In order to avoid perceptual
behavior at the workplace, Brit-tech must focus on avoiding behavior that can deliver and
lead to a negative response (10 Steps to Managing the Way You Are Perceived at Work,
2011). Promoting employees and making them understand the other’s point of view will
be helpful in creating and maintaining a positive organizational culture that can enhance
organizational performance and productivity.
 Train employees for safety protocols- The company must train employees to make use
of essentials, such as sanitizers and gloves while transporting through which they can
ensure their safety. The company must also provide sanitizers and other essentials which
can be helpful in gaining their trust and increasing employee interest to work from the
office after the global pandemic (Smallwood, 2020). This will be helpful in enhancing the
knowledge and awareness of employees of Brit-tech, through which they can use public
transportation without hesitating and work from the office after the pandemic.
 Plan and maintain safety standards- Safety and security are one the factor that can
drive employee interest in the organization and Brit-tech must plan all strategies which
must be followed by the company for maintaining the safety standards of the
organization. In the context of Brit-tech, the company must plan the standards and
protocols which will be helpful in maintaining the safety standards. The company must
regulate social distancing measures through which employee trust can be maintained and
this will be helpful in eliminating the emotional barriers.

CONCLUSION
From the detailed analysis of the above-mentioned information, it can be stated that
communication is the act of sharing information that can support companies in meeting sharing
crucial information which can enhance their abilities in meeting targets. Effective
communication can be built on trust and understanding through which sender and receiver can
understand the right message at right time. There are various barriers to communication that can
create an adverse impact on the communication within the company and such barriers are
responsible for influencing the communication process and standards of communication which
also affects the performance of employees and the overall organization.

REFERENCES
Books and journals
Chen, R. R., Davison, R. M. and Ou, C. X., 2020. A symbolic interactionism perspective of
using social media for personal and business communication. International Journal of
Information Management. 51. p.102022.
Dwyer, J. and Hopwood, N., 2019. The business communication handbook. Cengage AU.
Klimova, I. I., Klimova, G. V. and Dubinka, S. A., 2019. Students’ communicative competence
in the context of intercultural business communication.
Pikhart, M., 2018, August. Technology enhanced learning experience in intercultural business
communication course: a case study. In International Symposium on Emerging
Technologies for Education (pp. 41-45). Springer, Cham.
Smallwood, M. G., 2020. The need for cross-cultural communication instruction in US business
communication courses. Business and Professional Communication Quarterly. 83(2).
pp.133-152.
Online
What is Business Communication & Why Do You Need It, 2019 [Online]. Available through
<https://www.nextiva.com/blog/what-is-business-communication.html#:~:text=Business
%20communication%20is%20the%20process,organizational%20practices%20and
%20reduce%20errors.>
A guide to organizational communication, 2021 [Online]. Available through
<https://www.ringcentral.com/us/en/blog/a-guide-to-organizational-communication/>
10 Steps to Managing the Way You Are Perceived at Work, 2011 [Online]. Available through
<https://www.greatleadershipbydan.com/2011/10/transforming-perceptions-10-steps-
to.html>