Communication Strategies: Addressing Barriers to Office Return Plan

This report examines the critical role of communication in organizational settings, particularly focusing on the challenges and barriers that hinder employees' willingness to return to the office. It delves into general theories of organizational communication, such as Weber's Classic Organizational Theory, Acceptance Theory of Authority, and General Systems Theory, highlighting their relevance in the context of workplace dynamics. The report identifies key communication barriers, including physical, emotional, and approach-related issues, that contribute to employee reluctance. To address these challenges, the report provides practical recommendations such as scheduling physical meetups, adopting appropriate communication approaches tailored to individual personalities, and emphasizing safety measures to boost employee confidence. Ultimately, the report underscores the importance of effective communication strategies in fostering a positive and productive work environment and ensuring a smooth transition back to the office.

Business
Communication

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
MAIN BODY...................................................................................................................................3
General theories of organisational communication.....................................................................3
Barriers of communication which made employees unwilling to return to the office................5
RECOMMENDATIONS............................................................................................................6
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................7
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................8

INTRODUCTION
Communication is determined as process of interchange or exchange of information or
message with the involvement of two or more parties. For instance, It includes expression of
message or information from one end and further interpretation and understanding of conveyed
message on another end. Communication barrier is referred to any factor or aspect which
prevents effective completion of this determined process. This report assessment will be
comprised of insightful information and knowledge regarding challenges and barriers to
communication with context of general organisational theories. Furthermore, few
recommendations will be provided in order to overcome these barriers (O’Rourke, 2019).
MAIN BODY
Organisational Communication
Organisational communication is described as aggregate of internal or interpersonal
communication among employees as well professional communication among employer and
employees regulated in a workplace. For instance, there is a huge necessity for effective
organisational communication in order to ensure ensure efficient completion of operations and
activities (Waisbord, 2019).
General theories of organisational communication
Weber’s Classic Organizational Theory of Fixed Structures
“Weber's theory of organisational communication determines that Communication
must be structured and hierarchical with clearly defined roles and responsibilities.”
Max Weber was a respected management theorist who proposed that there is no scope for
misunderstanding or confusion in conveying message from top management authority towards
subordinates in a workplace. For instance, confusion or misunderstanding of conveyed
information or knowledge could lead to inefficient completion of business operations and
activities. In addition to that, it further results in development of negative working environment
with degradation of efficiency and productivity among employees engaged in that particular
workplace (Van Ruler, 2019).
Each and every individual engaged in a particular business organisation contributes
values in carrying out operations and activities in some or the other way. For instance,
management representatives in an organisation must consider effective communication process

in workplace in order to convey necessary and essential information to each and every employee.
Moreover, small and minor errors due to insufficient communication process could lead to major
failures of operations and activities carried out in a business organisation. Furthermore, A
business organisation involves a systematic mechanism with involvement of enormous number
of employees which creates a necessity of effective hierarchical flow of communication in order
to ensure efficient completion of operations and activities.
Acceptance Theory of Authority
This theory of organisational communication suggests that managers and leaders in
particular business organisation must respect willingness of subordinate to perform assigned
roles and responsibilities. For instance, this theory was introduced after various unethical
practices were observed and experienced by employees engaged in carrying out operations and
activities in a respective business organisation.
This theory of organisation communication suggests that management representatives
must facilitate sufficient and effective communication with their subordinates in order to ensure
support from these subordinates in decision-making practices. For instance, acceptance of
authority in a workplace contribute additional values towards efficient coordination and
collaboration of workforce in carrying out business operations and activities (Vuori, Aher and
Kylänen, 2020).
General Systems Theory
This theory determines significance of communication with the context of an example
which states that A cake is made with mixing up all the ingredients in a particular manner. For
instance, lack of appropriate combination of these ingredients will result in inability to make a
perfect cake.
Referring to above mentioned example, Communication results in providing an
interconnectivity among individuals engaged in a business organisation which makes up a
complete workforce. In addition to that, it facilitates in maintaining effective and efficient
coordination as well as collaboration of workforce in carrying out business operations and
activities. Therefore, communication procedure contribute values towards achievement of
desired goals and objectives with effective completion of operations and activities (Simon,
2019).

Barriers of communication which made employees unwilling to return to the office
 Physical barriers: It is meant by presence of any physical factor or aspect which hinders
or prevents completion of effective communication process. For instance, it includes
various physical factors including lack of attention, low interest, irrelevancy, distractions,
etc. which results in being a barrier to effective expression and understanding of
conveyed information. Moreover, lack of face-to-face interaction with employees is one
of the primary physical barrier to communication which made unwillingness of
employees to return to their workplace. In addition to that, management representatives
are unable to convince and encourage subordinates in order to come to workplace for two
days a week. Physical interaction among people is determined as most effective manner
of effective communication process as it also includes some minor factors including
facial expressions and body language which plays a crucial role in upright
communication.
 Emotional barriers: These communication barriers are determined as prevention of
effective communication process with involvement of any emotional factor or aspect. For
instance, it includes emotions and senses of individuals which arises in being a barrier in
their communication practices. In addition to that, the primary emotional factor which
resulted in a barrier is determined as fear of getting infected by spread of COVID-19.
Employees of Brit-tech are afraid of virus as well as unaware of new measures and
precautions taken into consideration in workplace in order to ensure health and safety of
employees. Furthermore, lack of engagement of employees is another major issue in
encouraging employees to come to office premises in working hours. Lack of
engagement of employees results in degradation of sense of belongingness towards
respective business organisation (Laszlo, 2021). Therefore, all these emotional factors
and aspects are major barriers of communication in Brit-tech.
 Communication approach: Each and every individual in this world has their own
communication approach according to their personality and attitude. For instance, not
every individual could be convinced with a particular communication approach. Inability
of management representatives engaged in respective business organisation in
understanding communication approach of their employees is one of the primary
communication barrier in encouraging workforce to join organisational workplace in

carrying out their assigned roles and responsibilities. Furthermore, it could also lead to
conflict or argument among employer and employees with application of ineffective
communication approach in encouraging employees to be present at office premises.
Therefore, every individual has their own personality and mindset which results in being
a barrier of communication in respective organisation (Lindsay, and et. al., 2021).
RECOMMENDATIONS
In order to ensure effective communication process, there is a need to prevent these
determined communication barriers faced by Brit-tech. There are few recommendations to
facilitate elimination and prevention of these barriers which are as follows:
 Physical meeting of workforce: The primary communication faced by respective
business organisation is determined as lack of face-to-face interaction with employees.
For instance, scheduling a physical meetup with employees will facilitate management
representatives in encouraging and convincing employees in an efficient manner. With
the involvement of physical factors of communication including gestures, body language,
facial expressions, etc. managers will be able to effectively communicate with
subordinates. Furthermore, issues or problems of employees over being present to office
premises could be discussed in an appropriate manner. Therefore, this initiative will
facilitate respective business organisation in encouraging their employees to come to
workplace of Brit-tech.
 Use of appropriate communication approach: In order to convince or motivate
employees, management representatives are required to understand personality and
behaviour of individual in order to apply suitable communication approach. For instance,
it will facilitate managers to connect with employees in an efficient manner as well as
encouraging them with use of appropriate tone and words while communicating with
them. Furthermore, it will also prevent chances for conflicts and arguments among
employer and employees due to ineffective communication approach. Therefore, it will
results in contribution of additional values towards effective communication among
employer and employees (Avila, and Leeper, 2021).
 Highlighting safety measures and precautions taken into consideration: In order to
boost up confidence of employees with safety in workplace, respective organisation need
to highlight their efforts towards development of a safe workplace. For instance, these

measures and precautions include sufficient sanitisation, necessary use of face mask,
physical distancing, etc. All these precautions will facilitate employees with boosting up
confidence towards respective organisation. Furthermore, It will allow managers to
encourage employees to join offices for two days a week with effective communication
process.
CONCLUSION
From the above assessment report, it could be concluded that communication plays a
crucial role in a workplace. For instance, this report is comprised of general theories of
organisational communication. In addition to that, physical barriers, emotional barriers, and
communication approach are determined as primary barriers of communication which resulted in
inability of management representatives to encourage employees to come to office premises two
days in a week. Furthermore, few recommendations are provided including Physical meeting of
workforce, appropriate communication approach, and highlighting safety measures in order to
prevent determined communication barriers.

REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Avila, A. and Leeper, E., 2021. Assessment of barriers to effective use of psychiatric advance
directives: Providers’ knowledge and attitudes. Psychological services.
Laszlo, E., 2021. Introduction to systems philosophy: Toward a new paradigm of contemporary
thought. Routledge.
Lindsay, and et. al., 2021. Disclosure and workplace accommodations for people with autism: A
systematic review. Disability and Rehabilitation, 43(5), pp.597-610.
O’Rourke, J. S., 2019. Management communication: A case analysis approach. Routledge.
Simon, Y. R., 2019. A general theory of authority. Pickle Partners Publishing.
Van Ruler, B., 2019. Agile communication evaluation and measurement. Journal of
communication management.
Vuori, J., Aher, K. and Kylänen, M., 2020. The Influence Of Weber And Taylor On Public
Sector Organizations' Communication. The handbook of public sector communication,
pp.115-125.
Waisbord, S., 2019. Communication: A post-discipline. John Wiley & Sons.