Letter Writing-Business Letters

Business letters

• A letter written for business purpose is a business letter. Business Letters are used by organizations to communicate professionally with customers, other companies, clients, shareholders, investors etc.
• Enquiry letters, offer letter, order letter, cover letter, notices, terminations of employment are some of the business letters.
• Business letter uses formal language and a specific format. Companies use it to convey important information and messages.
• An individual can also use it while writing an application for a job, cover letters or any formal document.
• Business Letters are used by organizations to communicate professionally with customers, other companies, clients, shareholders, investors etc.

Parts of business letter

There are 12 Parts of Business Letter
a) The Heading or Letterhead
b) Date
c) Reference
d) The Inside Address
e) Subject
f) Greeting
g) Body Paragraphs
h) Complimentary Close
i) Signature and Writer’s Identification
j) Enclosures
k) Copy Circulation
l) PostScript

a)The heading or letterhead

• It usually contains the name and the address of the business or an organization.
• It can also have an email address, contact number, fax number, trademark or logo of the business.

 b)Date

• We write the date on the right-hand side corner of the letter below the heading.
• Full Calendar Date as mentioned below                  

                    May 31,2009
                    31May 2009

c)Reference

• It shows the department of the organization sending the letter.
• The letter-number can also be used as a reference.

d)The inside address

• It includes the name, address, postal code and job title of the recipient. It must be mentioned after the reference.
• Inside address is written on the left-hand side of the sheet.

e)Subject

• It is a brief statement mentioning the reason for writing the letter.
• It should be clear, brief, simple and easy to understand.

f)The Greeting

• It contains the words to greet the recipient.
• It is also known as the salutation. The type of salutation depends upon the relationship with the recipient.

It generally includes words like

• Dear Sir,
• Dear Mr ,
• Dear Madam,
• Dear Mrs ,
• Dear Ms ,
• Dear Sirs,
• Dear Gentlemen
• Sir

g)The body paragraphs

• This is the main part of the letter.
• It contains the actual message of the sender.
• The main body of the letter must be clear and simple to understand. The body of the letter is basically divided into three main categories.

 Opening part

• The first paragraph of the letter writing must state the introduction of the writer.
• It also contains the previous correspondence if any.

Main part

• This paragraph states the main idea or the reason for writing.
• It must be clear, concise, complete and to the point.

Concluding part

• It is the conclusion of the business letter.
• It shows the suggestions or the need of the action.
• The closing of the letter shows the expectation of the sender from the recipient.
• Always end your letter by courteous words like thanking you, warm regards, looking forward to hear from your side

h)The complimentary close

• It is a humble way of ending a letter. It is written in accordance with the salutation.
• The most generally used complimentary closures are

                    Yours faithfully,
                    Yours sincerely,
                    Yours truly,
                    Thanks and regards.

 

i)Signature and writer’s identification

• It includes the signature, name and designation of the sender.
• It can also include other details like contact number, address etc.
• The signature is handwritten just above the name of the sender.

j)Enclosures:

•  Enclosures show the documents attached to the letter.
•   The documents can be anything like
• Cheque,
• Draft, Bills,
• Receipts,
• Invoices, etc.

k)Copy Circulation

• It is needed when the copies of the letter are sent to many persons.
• It is denoted as C.C.

l)PostScript

• The sender can mention it when he wants to add something other than the message in the body of the letter.
• It is written as P.S.

How to Write Business Letter

All Business letters follow a fixed format which is broadly classified into four categories.

a)Beginning the Letter

i) Know the format

There are some business standards that need to be followed.

• A common font to type a business letter needs to be used along with indentation, paragraphs, margins etc.
• The text must be typed in black color only.
• Choose the appropriate format

ii)Choose the right kind of Paper

• Print a letter in a letter-sized paper.
• The standard size of the paper is A4.

iii) Include information about the Company

• The name and the address of the company.
• Use a letterhead of the company for any business use.

iv)Include the date

• Full Calendar Date as mentioned below   

        31May 2009

        May 31,2009

v)Add the Recipient’s Information

• Type the name, address and job title of the recipient

vi)Choose a Salutation

• It is a way of showing respect towards the recipient.
• Use ‘To Whom It May Concern’ if he doesn’t know the person addressed.

b)Composing the Body

i.Use the Right Tone

• The tone of the letter needs to be formal, clear and polite.
• Do not use fancy, lengthy, and big words.
• Be persuasive in the letter.

ii.Use of Personal Pronoun

• Use personal pronouns in a business letter.
• If writing on behalf of the organization use ‘we’ instead of ‘I’.

iii.Write Precisely and Clearly

• Be precise, clear, brief, and easy to understand.

iv.Use the Active Voice

• Always write your letter in an active voice.

v.Be Courteous

• Write the letter in a polite and respectful way.
• Use courteous words.

vi.Useful Phrases for opening

• I wish to draw your attention to the …………………
• This is in reference to your letter of [date] concerning…………….
• I wish to inform you that…………..
• I would like to bring to your kind notice that……………….
• I would like to ………………..
• It’s indeed with …………………..
• This is with reference to your letter or advertisement ……………
• Further to our telephone conversation of [date]…………..
• I am writing to inform you that…………………..
• I am writing to confirm our telephone conversation of [date]……………
• I am writing to express my dissatisfaction with……………..
• I would be grateful if you could forward me a [price list, catalogue]……………. Please note that………………
• I am contacting you regarding…………….
• Please find enclosed…………………
• I am writing to complain……………

vii.Use Additional Pages

• If the matter is not fitting in one page of the letterhead, use the second page.
• Include the page number on the second and subsequent pages.

c)Closing the Letter

i.Choose a Closing

One must use a proper closing in a business letter.

Use a comma (,) after it.

• Yours faithfully,
• Yours sincerely,
• Yours Truly,
• Thanks and Regards.

ii. Sign the Letter

• Sign the letter in ink.
• If sending a printed copy, always affix the scanned signature.

iii.Make Note of Enclosure

• properly enclose a list of attached documents with the letter
• Use the abbreviation of the enclosure i.e. Encl. or Enc.

iv.Use of C.C.

• For persons other than the recipient, include their name on the letter by typing C.C.

Finalizing the Letter

a)Edit and Review

• After writing the letter, try to look for errors.
• Check for spellings, punctuations, grammatical errors.

b)Don’t Staple the Letter

• Use a paperclip on the top of the left corner if there are many pages.
• The use of staple doesn’t look nice for a business letter.

c)Posting of the Letter

• Use clear and correct spelling for mentioning the name and address of the recipient.

Writing Skills--Written Communication

Writing skills or written communication is an important part of business communication. Good writing skills allow you to communicate your message with clarity and ease to a greater audience than through face-to- face or telephone conversations.

Writing a report, letters, e- mails, Resume or CV, minutes of the meetings, agenda are some of the ways by which written communication is used at organizational level.

Importance of Written Communication

Written or printed communication is directed to a person or an organization. It should be truthful as they become a permanent record of what you know think or feel at the time of writing. It also reflects the character and communication skills of the writer.

• Wider scope
• Precise messages
• Source of documentation means stored, repeated and reproduced when needed
• Main medium of official communication
• Helps to nurture business relationships

 Principles of effective writing

a)Clarity or Concrete

• In order to make message comprehensible clarity of thought and expression is expected.
• Use simple words and short sentences
• Avoid vague expressions, ambiguous words, jargons
• Use sentences that cannot be misinterpreted.
• Include supporting facts and figures to underscore your message

b)Concise

• Respect your recipients’ time. They should be able to access important information easily.
• Stick to your subject matter
• Focus on facts
• Avoid unnecessary décor (adjectives and adverbs)

c)Correct

• Free from grammatical and spelling mistakes
• Proofread before sending
• Your facts and figures need to be correct.

d)Complete

• Facts and information needs to be complete
• Complete information must include Who, what, where, when

e)Courteous

• You’re more likely to get what you want from your communication if you are courteous, as courtesy builds goodwill. Check that your message is polite, shows respect for the feelings of the receiver and is tactful.
• Tone of written communication affects a reader.
• Tone of the message may be formal, semi-formal or informal

f)Coherence

• Check that each sentence flows logically from one to the next.
• Check that you haven’t tried to cover too many points or been distracted by side issues.
• Your message should also flow logically from one sentence to the next.

 Steps in writing process

There are five steps in writing process—

1. Planning
2. Drafting
3. Revising
4. Formatting
5. Proofreading

1. Planning

• Know the purpose of the message
• Know the audience
• Determine the content of the message
• Gather and collect information
• Organize the message

2.Drafting

• Compose first version concentrating content of the message
• Putting the ideas on paper is the first draft

3. Revising

• Revise first draft twice or more in terms of style, content and correctness
• Follow 7 Cs of communication
• Content should be free from grammatical mistakes and errors

4.Formatting

• Choose appropriate format, lay out
• Neat and visually appealing document is considered as standard formatting.

5 Proofreading

• The message should be proofread for content, typographical errors and formatting.

 

Interview Skills-II

Appearing for an interview

There are 4 broad areas which a candidate can focus his preparation on prior to an interview.

a)Know Yourself

• How can I demonstrate the skills required in this position?
• What are my strengths and weaknesses?
• What are my short term and long term goals?
• What can I offer this particular employer?
• Apart from my skills and experience, what else can I bring to this job?

b)Know the Job

The candidate must ensure that he completes the following as part of the preparation for the interview.

• Acquire a copy of the job description from the employer (HR Personnel)
• Check with acquaintances working in the same field – have a clear idea of the scope and skills required for the job

c)Know the Organization

• Where is it located?
• How big is it?
• What are its products or services and who does it serve – their major clients or markets?
• How is the organization structured? What is it’s history?
• Have there been any recent changes, new developments? Has it been on the news for anything good recently?

d)Prepare for Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. Do you want to ask us any questions?
2. What is unique about you, why should we recruit you?
3. How have you contributed to events organized in your college?
4. How do you keep yourself updated with what’s happening around you?
5. What are the websites you frequently surf? What books do you read?
6. What is your favorite pastime or hobbies?
7. What are your accomplishments and achievements?
8. What are your personal strengths and weaknesses?
9. What are your short-term and long-term goals?
10. What are your salary expectations?

e)At the Interview – Putting your best foot forward

• Dress appropriately and look confident. Wear clothes you are comfortable in.
• Be punctual. If you are late, apologize – do not give excuses.
• Give thoughtful answers to all the questions that the interviewer asks you. Speak clearly and be professional in your speech. Your answers must be precise and to the point.
• Be concise; ask for time to collect your thoughts if needed.
• Show you are in interested in the job and the organization without sounding desperate.
• Ask intelligent, thoughtful questions.
• Be sincere and truthful.

f)Body Language

• A firm, upright hand shake is appropriate and projects confidence.
• Make eye contact when you shake hands.
• Try to establish an eye contact as early as possible. Look at all the panel members while answering questions.
• Appear confident and friendly.
• Make sure your words align with your non-verbal communication.

g)Common stumbling blocks at interviews are

• Overselling or Underselling
• Body Language indicating nervousness, fear, boredom, angst
• Lack of Honesty or Cooking up experiences
• Negative Attitude or Lack of Enthusiasm
• Lack of preparation and genuine interest

h)Selection Criteria of Organizations or companies

Due to the heightened awareness of the need for fair hiring practices, human resources departments typically establish interview evaluation criteria prior to the organization's interviewing process.

Preset criteria help to make certain that each candidate is evaluated on the same scale, especially when a hiring committee is used.

Evaluation criteria should directly correlate with the requirements of the position although some criteria are fairly universal.

Some of the Common criteria are:

• Academic qualifications
• Appearance
• Technical Proficiency/Subject knowledge
• Conceptual clarity
• Logical Thinking
• Attitude
• Motivation
• Emotional Strength
• Communication Skills
• Interpersonal skills
• General Awareness
• Initiative

The candidates have to prove themselves during interview process on above mentioned criteria as per the level defined by HR Dept which varies from organization to organization or company to company.

Interview Skills-I

Interview is one of the procedures of selection of an employee. It is most widely and popularly used selection technique. Irrespective of nature, size and type of organization, all organizations use ‘interview’ as a best tool or weapon to select an employee.

Interview is conducted not only for selecting an employee, it is even conducted for placement, counseling, separation, disciplinary action and even for admitting students to higher learning.

In the broad sense, interviewing is the process in which individuals exchange information. The individuals may be concerned with a job opening, a promotion, a special assignment, a product sale, a proposed merger or other questions.

There are interviewer and interviewee in the process of interview. The interviewers evaluate the interviewee based on the information shared by the individual during the process of interview and make an assessment.

 Types of Interviews

Fresher or seasoned employees have to appear for interviews in one way or the other at various stages of professional growth. Hence interviews are categorized into various types as per the motive of conducting them.

a)Promotion Interview

• These interviews are conducted by organizations for their own eligible candidates to work on higher positions.
• The interview panel comprises of executives within organization and external expert if necessarily required.
• Candidate should avoid causal approach and undue familiarity.
• Candidates should use this opportunity to prove themselves in skills and temperament suitable to the higher post.

b)Reprimand Interview

• This type of interview aims at expressing the disapproval of the behavior of an employee with a kind intention.
• This type of interview is conducted in private and a higher authority draws the attention of the concerned employee to his misconduct and rebukes him.
• These types of interviews are suitable to deal with inter-personal problems, poor performance, absentees, insubordination in an organizational context.
• The objective is ensuring the correction in behavior, attitude and performance.

c)Grievance Interview

• Grievance has to be properly addressed because it lowers the motivation and performance of the employee and affects the work environment.
• Grievance Interview is a formal opportunity for individual employees to express their conflicts about a company policy, procedure, practice, or person in front of management.
• These interviews are often conducted by Human Resources professionals who are able to act more objectively being the third party and separate from the people and situation that are creating the grievance.
• The key to good grievance handling is a proper investigation and the process should start with interviewing the member who comes with a problem. Based on this key interview a number of important decisions such as what to do with the problem, whether to investigate it further and how to resolve the issue can be taken.
• When a grievance occurs the employer uses formal means of grievance procedure to resolve the employee’s concern and reach a resolution.
• The employees should first try to solve the issue informally through the open door policy and then, if proven unsuccessful, proceed to the more formal step ladder policy.

Formal grievance procedure steps

• Grievance should be submitted in a proper channel.
• The employee's supervisor has to be informed and spoken to.
• A review committee should examine the grievance for its validity.
• Resolution should be provided if the grievance is valid.
• If not resolved there should be a further body where it can be appealed.

d)Stress Interview

• The stress interview is a deliberate attempt to create tension and pressure to observe the applicant’s response to stress and strain.
• Interviewer evaluates the candidate by putting him under stress and strain by interrupting the applicant from answering, criticizing his opinion, asking questions in rapid succession and keeping silent for unduly long period of time etc.
• This kind of interview is conducted just to find out the candidate’s behavior in stressful situation.
• Stress interviews are usually carried out by experienced professionals who adopt a number of strategies to gain a true reflection of your personality as a potential employee.
• Companies that adopt the stress interview technique are usually those that operate in fast-paced, pressurized industries such as investment banking or top-level customer services such as air travel or front-line public sectors.
•  The stress interview is also conducted for the role of higher authority and responsibility. Employers will use these interviews to make sure that candidates have the right attitude and the emotional capability to handle these challenging environments.

e)Exit Interview

• In human resource terms, an exit interview is a survey conducted when an employee leaves the company either voluntarily or through termination.
• The information from each survey is used to provide feedback on why employees are leaving, what they liked about their employment and what areas of the company need improvement. Exit interviews are most effective when the data is compiled and tracked over time.
• An exit interview is a wrap-up meeting between management representatives and someone who is leaving an organization. Exit interviews are common in business, education and government environments. The purpose of the interview is to gather useful feedback that can help guide future practices and improve recruiting and retention.
• In a corporate environment, exit interviews are usually conducted by human resources (HR) personnel. Alternatively, depending on the size of the company and other factors, interviews may be conducted by management or outsourced to an HR service provider.
• The interview may be conducted in person, over the phone, through chat or email or in an online survey. In general, interactive methods are considered more useful than surveys because they allow interviewers to respond to the employee and develop follow-up questions that can yield more in-depth information.
• The specific questions asked in an exit interview vary for terminated employees and those leaving voluntarily. For an employee leaving voluntarily, the most important question is "Why?" If they repeatedly hear particular reasons for leaving, the business may be motivated to review practices, pay scales and benefits, among other things.
• Whether an employee quits or is fired, it may be profitable to ask what they liked most about the job and what they liked least. If a number of employees mention problems working with a particular manager, for example, that is an issue that should be explored. When an employee is fired for inadequate performance, it can be useful to ask if they believe business practices or other corporate issues contributed to the problem.
• The exit interview is also an opportunity to provide the employee with information about any benefits and pay yet to be disbursed and any agreements in force between the organization and the employee.

f) Orientation Interview

• This interview is arranged to orient the candidate towards organization or task. This interview is conducted after selection interview and is a kind of briefing session.
• The interviewer makes the interviewee comfortable and shares all the details about organization and task cordially.
• This is informative or educational in purpose. The relevant literature is provided to the candidate so that he can accommodate organizational culture easily and work efficiently.

g) Selection/Personal/ Job Interview

• A job interview is a process by which a potential employee is evaluated by an employer for prospective employment in their company, organization or firm.
• During the job interview, the employer has the opportunity to appraise applicant’s qualifications, appearance and general fitness for the job opening. Simultaneouly the applicant tries to learn more about the position, to appraise the employer and to find out if your needs and interests will be met.
• As a general rule, a job interview is an important part of the process of applying for a job, and it may range in formality from a casual conversation to a series of serious discussions with an assortment of people working within the company.
• If a job applicant is selected for a job interview, it indicates that the employer has at least some interest. Typically, an applicant responds to an advertised job opening, providing a resume and other requested materials. The employer or a representative reviews all received applications and decides who should be invited for an interview. In some cases, a preliminary interview may be held on the phone, to save resources and time for both parties.
• Depending on the size of a company and its organization, an applicant may only have one job interview. This is common with small businesses in which candidates are often interviewed directly by the employer.
•  In other cases, a representative of the human resources department may interview a candidate first, then he or she will go through a series of interviews with potential supervisors and other personnel. Larger companies may also have interview panels with multiple members who cooperate to make a decision.

Types of Communication

Types of Communication Based on media used

Media or channel is the means to transfer the messages from sender to the receiver. The communication is classified into two types based on media used in the process of communication.

1. Verbal Communication

Verbal communication is the expression or exchange of information or messages through written or oral words. Forms of verbal communication are as follows:

1. Oral Communication

Oral communication is the process of communication in which message or information is exchanged or communicated between sender and receiver through the words. It can be divided into two ways: a. speaking b. Listening. The forms of oral communication are face to face conversation, telephone or mobile, conference, meetings, interviews.

     2. Written Communication

In Written communication the messages or information is exchanged or communicated between sender and receiver through written form. It can be divided into two ways: a. writing b. Reading. The forms of written communication are newspaper, letter, report, memo, mail, advertisement, note etc.2

2. Nonverbal communication 

Nonverbal communication  the expression or exchange of information or messages without any spoken or written word.

The forms of non-verbal communications are as follows:

• Kinesics
• Proxemics
• Haptics
• Chronemics
• Appearance
• Paralanguage

Nonverbal Communication

The ability to communicate effectively is the he key to success in both

personal and professional relationships. It’s not the words that are used but

the nonverbal cues or “ body language” speaks louder than words.

Body language is the use of gestures, postures, behavior, expressions, and mannerisms to communicate without words.

It is instinctive in nature and less conscious and subtle .

It is complementary to verbal communication.

It is culture, gender and profession specific

Research shows that the percentage of various types of communication is Nonverbal communication

 55%,Verbal Communication 7%, Paralanguage 38% as mentioned in the diagram:

 

The nonverbal communication is the expression of the way one listens, looks, moves, and reacts---- whether or not one cares or is truthful. When your nonverbal signals are in sync with your words, there is the enhancement of mutual trust, clarity, and rapport. When they don’t, it leads to tension, mistrust, and confusion.

In order to become an effective communicator, it’s important to be more sensitive not only to the body language and nonverbal cues of others, but also to your own.

It can be observed that the substantial portion of our communication is nonverbal. Experts have found that daily we respond to thousands of nonverbal cues and behaviors including postures, facial expressions, eye gaze, gestures, and tone of voice.

From our handshakes to our hairstyles, nonverbal details reveal who we are and impact how we relate to other people.

Types of Nonverbal Communication

Scientific research on nonverbal communication and behavior began with the publication of Charles Darwin's The Expression of the Emotions in Man and Animals in 1872.

 

While these signals are so subtle that we are not consciously aware of them. The research has identified the following types of nonverbal communication.

a)Kinesics: The study of body language-Postures and body shape, Gestures, Facial expressions

b)Occulesics: The study of Eye contact

c)Haptics: The study of touch

d)Proxemics: The study of space in interpersonal communication

e)Paralanguage: The study of voice quality, tone, pitch

f)Chronemics: The study of time factor

g)Appearance: The study of clothing, adornment

a)Kinesics

The study of body language-Postures and body shape, Gestures, Facial expressions.

Postures and body shape

The posture means the way we hold our body in a particular situation, moment, direction and the degree of openness.

The way we stand, sit and walk forms postures in human beings. The postures are sitting postures, walking postures and walking postures. The Postures are helpful in finding out the degree of attention or involvement, status differences and affection between sender and receiver.

If there is postural echo in communication, it means complete agreement or win-win situation. An upright posture enhances the appearance and a sense of confidence.

b)Occulesics :

• The study of Eye contact is called as occulesics.
• The eye contact is an especially important type of nonverbal communication. The way you look at someone can communicate many things including interest, affection, hostility, or attraction.
• Eye contact is also important in maintaining the flow of conversation and for gauging the other person’s interest and response.

The eye contact is variedly established. However there are three prominent ways to establish the eye contact are:

i.Formal Gaze: Focus on forehead of the person in front of the speaker

ii.Informal Gaze: Focus on middle part of the face i.e. area between eyebrows and lips of the person in front of the speaker

iii.Personal Gaze: Focus on middle part of the body or torso of the person in front of the speaker

 

Eye contact is established for

• Expressing feelings
• Showing attention and interest
• Inviting and controlling interaction
• Domineering, threatening and influencing others
• Providing feedback during speech
• Revealing attitudes

c)Haptics

The study of touch is called as Haptics.

We communicate a great deal through touch. For instance handshake, a warm bear hug, a patronizing pat on the head, or a controlling grip on the arm.

d)Proxemics

The study of space in interpersonal communication is called proxemics.

We need physical space although the need of space differs as per the culture, the situation and the closeness of the relationship.

One can use physical space to communicate different nonverbal messages such as signals of intimacy and affection, aggression or dominance.

Proxemics can be categorized in four types of zones

Intimate zone

Able to touch each other—0 to 0.5 m

Personal zone

Able to shake hands—0.5 to 1.2 m

Social zone

Social or business oriented—1.2 m to 3 m

Public zone

Restricting intruders over 3 m

This space is often referred as personal space and is influenced by a number of factors including social norms, cultural expectations, situational factors, personality characteristics, and level of familiarity.

 

e) Paralanguage

The study of paralanguage deals with non verbal qualities of speech which include pitch, amplitude, rate, and voice quality.

The paralanguage includes

• Articulation
• Pronunciation
• Pitch and tone
• Pauses and vocal qualities

Qualities of Effective speech

• Pitch variation
• Speaking speed
• Appropriate pauses
• Fluency
• Voice modulation

f)Chronemics

• The study of time factor in the process of communication is undertaken in chronemics.
• The way that an individual would perceive and value time, structure our time and react to time is a powerful communication tool.
• Across cultures, time perception plays an important role in the nonverbal communication process.
• Time perceptions include punctuality, willingness to wait, and interactions.
• The use of time can affect lifestyles, daily agendas, speed of speech, movements and how long people are willing to listen.

Time can also be used as an indicator of status. For example, in most companies the boss can interrupt progress to hold an impromptu meeting in the middle of the work day, yet the average worker would have to make an appointment to see the boss. The way different cultures perceive time can influence communication as well.

The Cultures are usually put into two time system categories: monochronic and polychronic.

i)Mono-chronic Time

• A mono-chronic time system means that things are done one at a time and time is segmented into precise, small units.
• Under this system time is scheduled, arranged and managed. The United States is considered as a mono-chronic society

ii)Poly-chronic Time

• A poly-chronic time system is a system where several things can be done at once and a more fluid approach is taken for scheduling time
• Unlike Americans and most northern and western European cultures, Latin American and Arabic cultures use the poly-chronic system of time. These cultures are much less focused on the preciseness of accounting for each and every moment.

j)Appearance

• The study of clothing, adornment is included in appearance. Our choice of colors, clothing, hairstyle, accessories and other factors affecting appearance are also considered a means of nonverbal communication.
• It can be observed that people form their opinions about any individual when they watch you at first time. Then they judge the personality and abilities of that individual based on the appearance.
• Good grooming and a tidy appearance are always preferable whether casually or more formally dressed. It presents a much more professional appearance. Appearance includes dress, hair-style, jewelry, makeup, belt -buckles, accessories, foot-wear and so on.

 

Appearance indicates the degree of importance or interest a person conveys to an occasion. Through uniform, we can identify a student, a doctor, a lawyer, a police officer etc.

In an organization, employee’s dress is keenly observed to see whether it conforms to accepted standards of appearance.

Appearance can be:

• Formal

• Informal

• Occasion Specific--- for Party-festivals-official dinner or lunch- get together

Types of Communication on the basis of channels of communication

On the basis of the status of individuals involved in the communication process and the communication channels, the communication can be categorized as:

• Formal Communication

• Informal Communication

Formal Communication

• Formal communication refers to the flow of official information by the means of proper, predefined channels.
• It needs deliberate efforts to communicate the information properly hence the flow of information is controlled.
• Formal communication is in the form of hierarchical structure and chain of command.
• The structure is from top to down, from higher authorities to subordinates.
• Employees are bound to follow formal communication channels while performing their duties.

Formal communication is considered effective as it is a timely and systematic flow of communication.

In an organizational set up the formal communication can be observed in following forms:

 

a)Upward Communication: 

In upward communication the message is transferred from the subordinates to higher authorities. The communication flows upwards i.e. from the subordinates to the managers in the form of requests, reports, suggestions, complaints and instructions.

b)Downward Communication: 

In downward communication the information is transferred from the management level to the subordinate level. This is the most common form of communication and the information flows downwards i.e. from higher authorities in an organization to the lower levels in the form of reports, emails, letters, manuals etc.

It mainly includes orders and instructions and can either be written or oral depending on the importance of the message and also the status of individuals involved in the communication process.

c)Horizontal or Lateral Communication: 

Horizontal communication refers to the communication among co-workers sharing the same level of profile or colleagues in the organization.

The communication among the managers of various departments such as marketing, finance, production, HR, is the best example of horizontal communication.

d)Diagonal or Crosswise Communication: 

When the employees of different departments at different levels communicate with each other irrespective of the chain of command, such communication is considered as a diagonal or a cross-wise communication. The communication between the floor manager and the sales team is the example of diagonal communication.

 

Informal Communication

• Informal communication is multi-dimensional.
• Informal communication moves freely within the organization and is not bound by pre-defined channels and communication paths.
• Informal communication is particularly fast and far more relational than formal communication.
• It is a very natural form of communication as people interact with each other freely and can talk about a diverse range of topics, often extending outside of their work duties.
• Informal communication in the workplace is often called the ‘grapevine’ and generally begins with employees through social relation.
• Informal communication is considered effective as employees can discuss work-related issues which save the organization’s time and money.
• It also helps to build more productive and healthy relationships in the workforce

7 C’s of Communication

In order to enhance the level of communication there are few principles which needs to be followed

a) Clear

• The message should be clear and easy to understand to the receiver.
• The message should focus on a single goal at a time and should not include several ideas in a single sentence.

b)Correct

• The message should be grammatical correct and without spelling mistakes. The message should be exact and at a proper time.

c)Complete

• The message should be complete. It must include all the relevant information as per the requirement of the receivers and help them in better decision-making.

d)Concrete

• The communication should be concrete, means it should cover all the necessary facts and figures supporting to the message of the sender.
• There should not be any scope of misinterpretation.

e)Concise

• The message should be precise and to the point. The sender should avoid the lengthy sentences and should convey the message in few words. 
• The short and brief message is more comprehensive and helps in retaining the receiver’s attention.

f)Consideration

• The sender must take into consideration the receiver’s opinions, knowledge, mindset, background etc. in order to have an effective communication. 
• While communicating it is essential for the sender to relate to the receiver.

g)Courteous

• The message should be positive and focused at the receiver.
• The message should not be biased and revealing disrespect for the receiver.

Barriers to Communication -II

Personal Barriers

The Personal Barriers refer to the personality traits of the sender and receiver which act as a hindrance in the process of communication.

These factors include the life experiences, emotions, attitudes, skills behaviour.

a)Lack of Listening Skills

The efficiency of communication process is reduced when receiver has lesser attention span and listens what he wants to listen. If the receiver is just physically present but is lacking mental involvement, then he is unable to give the desired feedback which creates a disturbance the process of communication.

b)Selective Attention

This problem arises when the person is impatient and gives priority to his needs and avoids to listen the whole message. He listens only that part of the information which is helpful for him and fulfills his objective and ignores all the other aspects which acts as a barrier in the process of communication.

c)Lack of knowledge

The communication process is disturbed when the sender and receiver have less knowledge about the subject matter.

d)Lack of vocabulary

This communication problem occurs when the sender uses some words which are difficult for the receiver to understand.

In the organisational context, both the superiors and the subordinates have their personal barriers that hinder to communicate effectively. 

These barriers are:

• Barriers Related to the Superiors in the organisation
• Barriers related to the subordinates in the organisation.

Barriers Related to the Superiors in the organisation

a)Less faith in subordinates

Many times it has been observed that the superiors have less trust in the capabilities of the subordinates. Hence they do not trust their capacity to provide relevant information. They deliberately ignore the suggestions and recommendations from the subordinates and discourage them to further communicate which hinders the communication process.

b)Fear of challenge of Authority

If a superior feels that a particular communication may affect his authority negatively then that individual may not speak it out clearly and openly.

The superiors intentionally hide their weaknesses by not communicating their ideas to others to cope with the expectations of their authority. As they think if they will not perform in line with their authority, they will be demoted to the lower levels.

Barriers related to the subordinates in the organisation

a)Lack of Incentives

It has been observed that the subordinates give their suggestions and recommendations with an aim to earn incentives. If the incentives are lacking, then the subordinate is not willing to communicate which affects the communication process badly.

b)Unwillingness to communicate with the Superiors

The subordinates are unwilling to communicate with their superiors to hide the information which is negative in nature and can have an adverse effect on them. If it is really essential to provide the information, then the individuals modify it in such a way that it does not have a negative impact which acts as a hindrance in the process of effective communication.

Thus, there are several personal factors, which vary from person to person and influence the communication to a great extent there by obstructing the purpose of communication as intended.