COMMUNICATIVE ENGLISH IN WORKPLACE

Written communication is another useful communication channel and is very important between different professionals. Writing information down makes records more permanent and more accurate. Written information is unlike a verbal message which can become distorted when being verbally passed to people There are barriers in written communications such as the illegibility of people's hand writing or if the written message is misunderstood.. The rules governing writing are also different compared to oral communication as it is necessary in written communication to maintain accuracy and clarity. When writing information there is a need to check that all of the information is correct as if the information is recorded wrong it could result in problems. As problems can occur such as; delays in meeting the needs of the children and parents; not being able to make the right decision due to the vagueness of information recorded; being unable to deliver an organized service. Nonverbal communication is everything other than spoken words, this includes paralanguage this is 'um' or 'ah' sounds, the volume of the talking, the pace and accent. A very big part of non-verbal communication is facial expressions as these are indictors to others about our feelings, attitudes, states of mind and relationships. Non-verbal communication can also include eye contact, proximity, posture and gestures. All three ways of communication have problems but are an effective way to communicate with others when used in the right way.

Communication is about active listening as well as communicating with the necessary sincerity and compassion. Listening is a key skill and should not be underestimated. One of the purposes of listening is to convey interest and respect for the other person and this is crucial to solve problems that arise and to also meet another person's needs as well as our own. Studies have revealed that listening is the on the whole the most frequent aspect of workplace communication (Adler and Elmhorst, 1999). Other studies have also found that Managers spend on average 65-90% of their working day listening to someone, with the percentage of time increasing with level of managerial responsibility (Kotter, 1982, Nichols & Stevens, 1990). However research highlights that people generally people achieve no more than 25-50% accuracy in interpreting the meaning of each other's remarks (Spitzberg, 1994). This means misunderstanding is very common. Furthermore tuning listening skills and becoming competent at listening would improve workplace communication significantly. There are barriers that hinder the ability to listen. For one People are very quick to 'jump to conclusions' and form a judgment before the speaker has finished, this in turn can mean that the message intended is misinterpreted. People also have a tendency to hear what they want to hear and be inattentive while cultural issues or the interruption of the speaker can also prevent people from listening. Developing active listening skills such as listening to non-verbal as well as verbal language, paraphrasing, using feedback, and asking appropriate questions can help to identify possible misinterpretations of the message, as well as check for unintended messages.

Good communication is absolutely essential and key when working with children, young people, families and support/helpdesk areas.. It is central in building trust amongst the users and staff within this context. In order to maintain relationships it needs to be an active process that involves listening, understanding and responding accordingly. Communication is both necessary on the one-on-one basis and also when working in a group and it is important to realize when to focus on the individual and when to focus on groups. Another thing to be aware of is that communication is a two way process that is necessary to make sure the person feels valued and respected. Communication should also be matched appropriately to the stage of development, personal circumstances, and needs of the person being addressed. The culture and context when communicating needs to be thought about for instance, the professional should hold awareness and communicate appropriately if English is an additional language, the child is disabled or at risk of under-achievement or other poor outcomes.  Effective communication is also about utilizing the best communication method appropriately and being aware of any barriers that could occur these could include poverty, disability, anxiety, cultural differences and religious requirements.

The first is to keep all the communication channels open. All people are different and are better at different methods of communication so providing as many avenues as possible is a good way to ensure communication is easy for others. Team meetings are a fantastic way to give everyone a chance to participate and have their say. It allows people to facilitate and contribute to decisions involving the workplace making them feel respected and that their feedback counts. Communication is a highly complex process and to improve interpersonal communication, a fuller knowledge and understanding of communication skills are essential. Communication is not just about speaking it is about active listening, written and non-verbal ways of communication. Any team who wants to be successful needs to communicate in a direct and clear manor. Management should ensure that communication skills are practiced and that it is an ongoing process. Communication allows a team to work together effectively.