The advantages and disadvantages of having electronic communications in the workplace?

Communication technology is advancing day by day. Advanced and effective communication tools have increasingly been adopted in the workplace to facilitate the flow of information that in return accelerates the rate of decision making in any organization. Many business owners and organizations are resorting to virtual meetings because they save time and money. More and more companies have adopted web-conferencing tools to ensure effective and efficient communications with their employees, customers and business partners.

Communication technology facilitates the creation of a shared information environment in an organization. Technology tools, such as electronic mail, enable employees to communicate with their managers without the need of having a dedicated time for meeting. Employees in an organization can easily consult each other and analyze information in a short period by using electronic mail and text messaging systems. For example, Mail Pilot allows only one single login to access all email accounts. And Skype, the best virtual meeting technology, which supports group video conferencing is widely used by businesses, professionals and organizations. During meetings, employees can collaborate at the same time and share screens with each other. Therefore, advanced communication technologies can improve on how information flows in any organization, especially those having multiple departments, without affecting daily organizational activities.

Communication technology increases all employees’ participation in organizational decision-making processes. Face-to-face communications tend to be difficult to some people, especially to those who are shy to ask for advice and help. However, they can approach other co-workers by using tools like electronic mail or text messaging services. The introvert can also use these tools to participate in decision making process to voice out their concerns. Additionally, many organization have used the web page to create organizational forums to support open discussions, where every employee of the organization can discuss about various issues and voice out their opinions.

References:

http://www.meammarketing.com/advantages-and-disadvantages-of-electronic-communication/  Advantages and Disadvantages of Electronic Communication, Mehedi Khan

http://www.useoftechnology.com/advantages-disadvantages-communication-technology-organization/ Advantages and disadvantages of communication technology in an organization; Karehka Ramey

http://www.useoftechnology.com/virtual-meeting-technologies/ 5 best virtual meeting technologies – communication technology; Karehka Ramey

http://www.useoftechnology.com/communication-technologies/ 4 new communication technologies to improve organizational communication; Karehka Ramey

Diversity in the workplace

Workplace diversity refers to the variety of differences between people in an organization. In a globalized world today, diversity will increase significantly in society, especially in the workplace. Successful organizations are willing to spend resources on managing issues brought by diversity in the workplace, such as communication, adaptability and change.

Employers in all sectors of the Canadian economy are now, more than ever, focused on attracting and retaining a diverse workforce. And companies that take diversity seriously and implement effective integration strategies have greater success in achieving optimal employee performance and retention of staff. Satisfied and engaged employees are more productive and likely to stick around. Retention of employees means saving resources that would otherwise be used to recruit, hire and train new staff.

There is a wealth of skilled and talented people who are not effectively engaged in the Canadian workforce. The immigrant workforce, Canadian-born minorities, persons with disabilities and aboriginal peoples have all been overlooked in the past. Companies need to retain the talent they need in order to thrive. To achieve this, they must be equipped with an understanding of how to connect with and support these undervalued groups.

Furthermore, a skilled and coordinated diverse workforce would be able to supply a greater variety of solutions to problems in service. Employees from diverse cultural backgrounds bring individual talents, skills and experiences in suggesting ideas that are flexible in adapting to fluctuating markets and customer demands. Increased diversity also means casting a wider net to connect with a greater variety of people, and access broader and deeper networks, such as connections with potential members, new employees, and sponsors. This diversity can result in further reach, greater visibility and a much broader base of support.

As the economy becomes increasingly global, our workforce becomes increasingly diverse. Organizational success and competitiveness will depend on the ability to manage diversity in the workplace effectively.

References:

http://www.multiculturaladvantage.com/recruit/diversity/diversity-in-the-workplace-benefits-challenges-solutions.asp; Diversity in the Workplace: Benefits, Challenges and Solutions; Josh Greenberg

http://hrcouncil.ca/hr-toolkit/diversity-workforce-matters.cfm; Why a diverse workplace matters

The importance of reward systems in the workplace

Many employees are motivated by two goals: earning a paycheck and doing work that makes them proud. The offer of an additional reward gives an employee that extra motivation to go above and beyond.

According to Microsoft’s Business website, a policy that offers incentives in exchange for achievement can motivate all employees to prove their worth. When worker productivity goes up, the bottom line often increases far in excess of the monetary rewards distributed.

Employees are motivated by a workplace atmosphere of mutual respect. When the team is united, the lines of communication are open, and employees are likely to share good ideas and put forth additional effort in the interest of the company’s success.

An employee who has been rewarded is often more motivated to remain with the company. It can cost a business quite a bit to deal with the loss of old employees and the training of new ones. Rewards, given to employees who are considering leaving the company, may increase employees’ probability of retention and decrease the company’s long-term training costs.

A good manager can encourage an employee to work harder and better from time to time, but a reward can go a long way toward building employee self-motivation. According to Carter McNamara, writing for the Free Management Library, the most effective rewards are tailored to an employee’s needs. An employee with children, for example, may be highly motivated to achieve more in the workplace if offering him additional time off to spend with his family. Additionaly, some companies select an employee as “Employee of the Week.” This technique praises the winning employee, while positively encouraging other employees to keep trying to do well.

By using positive reinforcement to motivate employees, a manager may build a good relationship with his employee that fosters a sense of trust. In a good manager-subordinate relationship, employees may feel respected and comfortable in their working environment. Providing rewards, both tangible and in the form of praise, can make employees happier. Satisfied employees often perform better at work.

References:

http://smallbusiness.chron.com/role-reward-employee-motivation-18814.html; The Role of a Reward in Employee Motivation; Ethan Pendleton

http://smallbusiness.chron.com/employee-motivation-reward-systems-15978.html; Employee Motivation & Reward Systems; Amelia Jenkins