8600-326 Understanding Communication Process in the Workplace

Unit Overview

8600-326 Understanding Communication Process in the Workplace is a unit within the ILM Level 3 module that helps to build an understanding of the process of communication within the workplace. Communication is an important element that facilitates the accomplishment of tasks within the organisation as it creates a platform for sharing information and receiving feedback from the team members. Leaders need to ensure that they establish effective communication approaches within their areas of responsibility.

This involves being able to effectively communicate with their team members as well as passing information to senior authorities to ensure that there is efficient and smooth coordination within the different levels of the organisation.8600-326 Understanding Communication Process in the Workplace is a unit that aims at creating awareness of the need to establish effective communication processes. The main purpose of the unit is to build the capacity and knowledge of the practicing or potential first-line managers pursuing this unit in effectively communicating by helping them to identify the critical elements of communication and the relevant cycle that supports effective organisational communication.

The unit is also important as it helps stakeholders within the organisation appreciate communication that is conducted through different methods and platforms that are relevant and appropriate for different situations within the workplace. The unit is taught in 7 hours of guided learning and contributes 2 credit values towards the completion of ILM Level 3 module.

Suitability of the Unit

All stakeholders within the organisations should be able to effectively communicate to ensure that there is collaborative work within the organisations. Effective communication skills should be a skillset possessed by all stakeholders within the organisations. To facilitate the effective accomplishment of tasks and duties in their areas of operation. However, leaders have the main responsibility of creating an effective communication culture within the organisations. They should be able to set up policies and procedures for the highest levels of organisational leadership to the lowest that guide the process of interaction and communication within the workplace.

8600-326 Understanding Communication Process in the Workplace helps to build the knowledge and understanding on the standards and principles of communication that are expected within the workplace. With this unit, the leaders are able to receive an understanding of the significance and contexts necessitating communication within the workplace.The unit is designed to suit the learning needs of first-line managers who oversee the activities of the teams. They are guided to identify the barriers to communication that may arise from their level of operation and develop effective techniques to overcome this barrier, and set up platforms for communication.

The unit is also suitable for other levels of management as all leaders are responsible for setting the culture that rotates around communication and are required to develop effective communication skills in their areas of operation. This unit, therefore, helps to generate the desired outcomes in relation to building a work environment based on principles of communication. External consultants and employees are also suited to the unit as it provides information for the consultants to provide decision-making support and builds the skills and leadership competencies of the employees.

Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of the unit, the learners should be able to:

• Show an understanding of the significance of effective communication in the workplace

• Identify different stages within the communication cycle

• Identify barriers to communication in their areas of responsibility and in the workplace

• Identify approaches that can be used to overcome the barriers of communication identified within the workplace

• Describe the methods of written and oral communication that are used within the organisation and the areas of use of these methods

• Identify advantages and disadvantages of written and oral methods of communication

• Explain the influence of non-verbal communication on the efficiencies and effectiveness of oral communication

• Show understanding of the value of feedback in facilitating effective communication

• Assess personal performance in a used method of communication

• Identify action plans that can be used to improve personal performance in communicating by eliminating weaknesses from the assessment.

Key Learning Areas

8600-326 Understanding Communication Process in the Workplace focuses on the principles of communication. It helps the learners to identify key elements that are important in building effective communication policies and procedures. Some of the main learning areas within this unit include

Nature of Importance of Communication Process

This area of learning lays the basic principles of understanding the communication process. It helps the learners to understand the impact that communication has within the workplace and the critical adverse effects that poor communication could have. The learners are guided to understand the process and elements of effective communication and how these interact to ensure that the communication is effective.

In this area of learning, the learners are helped to build skills that are important in identifying potential barriers o communication and putting up action plans that are used to address the barriers hence ensure communication is effective. Lastly, the learners are guided to evaluate the policies and procedures on communication within the workplace hence developing strategies to ensure that the communication process is improved.

Methods of Communication

This area of learning guides the learner into evaluating the different types of communication that could be used within the organisations, including oral, written, visual and electronic methods. They are guided to understand the significance of each and the contexts where they are applicable in achieving the optimum goals and objectives. The learners are also guided to developing active listening skills and non-verbal communication, which includes body language, facial expressions, gestures, etc. The learners are taught techniques of face-to-face communication and direct communication and approaches they can use to collect feedback.

Personal Assessment

In this area, the significance of conducting a personal assessment to determine effectiveness in communicating with different stakeholders is emphasised. The learners are guided in understanding techniques that they can use to assess and develop personal communication skills through feedback.

Evaluation

The learners are put through an evaluation that consists of a written assessment to evaluate the mastery of theoretical and practice skills. Simulated exercises, case studies and supervised practice are also used to evaluate the ability to apply theoretical information in practical settings.