CULTURE AND COMMUNICATION IN HR

 WHAT IS CULTURE? 

Culture can be defined as all the ways of life including arts, beliefs and instructions of a population that are passed down from generation to generation.

FEW DEFINITIONS OF CULTURE

''Culture means the ideas, cutoms and social behaviour of a particular people or society.''

( African - Caribbean culture )

''The arts and other manifestations of human intellectual acheivement regarded collectively.''

( 20 th century popular culture ) 

Figure 1: Multicultural Characteristics
( stratergicpsychology.com.au)

WHAT IS COMMUNICATION ?

Communication is a process by which information is exchanged between individuals through a common system of symbols, signs, or behaviour.

FEW DEFINITIONS OF COMMUNICATION

''Communication is transfer of information from one person to another, whether or not it elicits confidence. But the information transferred must be understandable to the reciever.''

( G.G.Brown )

'' Communication is the intercourse by words,         letters or messages '' 

  ( Fred G. Mayer )

Figure 2 : Communication 
( yourdost.com)

WHAT IS THE ROLE OF CULTURE IN HRM?

Culture can be defined as the consistent organisational behaviours of employees and leaders (norms). Organizational culture facilitates the achievement of an organization's strategic objectives, attract the right employees ,and make those  employees who may not fit stand out.

Cultural values are part of the external factors that influence HR exersices. Cultural values command employee behaviour. In organizational cultures where employee engagement is common, it is more likely to have higher employee satisfaction and encouragement than the one that do not favour employee involvement.

FOUR TYPES OF CULTURE IN HRM

1. Clan culture

Clan culture refers to a type of corporate culture that fosters a collaborative, family- like environment by valuing commitment, participation, and allegience. It's horizontal structure has teams of close-knit employees who strongly identify with the organization's vision and mission and unite over a shared course.

2. Adhocracy culture.

An adhocracy, in a business context, is a corporate culture based on the ability to adapt quickly to changing conditions. Adhocracies are characterized by flexibility, employee empowerment and emphasis on individual initiative.

3. Market culture.

 A market culture is a type of corporate culture that emphasizes competitiveness not only between the organization and it's market competitors but also between employees. The market model is the most aggressive and capitalistic of the four common cultural models.

4. Hierarchy culture.

• Hierarchy culture predominantly focuses on creating a relatively fixed organizational structure through the implementation of certain processes and rules,as well as the introduction of multiple levels of power and responsibility within the organization. 

Figure 3 : Corporate Hierarchy
( knowledge.insead.edu)

WHAT IS THE LINK BETWEEN COMMUNICATION AND HRM

For HR professionals , communication is a two- way process that involves top-down dissemination of HR plans and bottom-up questions from employees. When communication flows freely, employees enjoy a clear understanding of their benefits,while HR managers take in feedbacks on how effectively HR programs are working.

HR communication can help make employees feel like they matter to the oraganization, giving them the information they need to thrive, such as how the company works, the benefits of contributing their best effort to the company, any training opportunities or policy changes.

FOUR MAIN TYPES OF COMMUNICATION IN HR

1. Upward communication.

The process by which lower-level emoyees can directly communicate with upper management to provide feedback , complaints or suggestions regarding the day-to-day operations of the company.

Figure 4: Upward communication
( Ifioque.com)

2. Downward communication.

Also known as top-down communication, is the vertical process of sending a message or passing a piece of information down the hierarchical ladder.

Figure 5: Downward communication 
( Ifioque.com)

3. Diagonal communication.

This is a sort of hybrid between vertical and horizontal communication. It is a direct dialogue between employees of different ranks who are not in the same chain of command. 

Figure 6 : Diagonal communication
( clearinfo.in)

4. Horizontal communication.

Horizontal communication, sometimes referred to as lateral communication, encompasses workplace communications among people, departments or teams at the same level in an organization.

Figure 7: Horizontal communication
( clearinfo.in)

HOW HR CAN INFLUENCE ORGANIZATION'S CULTURE

• Treating employees fairly and responsibly

• Promoting diversity and inclusion

• Creating a positive work environment 

• Organizational values and ethics

• Providing training and development opportunities 

• Encouraging innovation and creativity.

THE KEY ROLE HR COMMUNICATION PLAYS IN ORGANIZATIONAL SUCCESS

• Better understanding of roles and responsibilies - Employees perform their best when they know what is expected of them. HR communication ensures that team members understand the terms and conditions of their employment.

• Improved employee morale and engagement - Employee engagement isn't a one-way street. Giving employees a voice, listening to their concerns, answering their questions and acting on their feed-back lets team members know you care and boosts engagement.

• Fewer conflicts.

• A boost to bottom-line.

CONCLUSION

HR conduct will affect the company culture. Positive results can be acheived by having communication channels that allow for open talks and exchange of feedback. HR also can improve the culture by critisizing their employees constructively when they go wrong and rewarding them when they perform above expectations.

HR is responsible for communicating messages related to performance management, administrative announcements, etc.

REFERENCES

• Ahmeti, F. (2014). HRM: Developing organisational communication culture in transitional economy. European Scientific Journal, 10(10), 301-312.

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• Anbari, F. T., Khilkhanova, E. V., Romanova, M. V., & Umpleby, S. A. (2009). Cross-cultural differences and their implications for managing international projects. Web.

• Cheng, S. S., & Seeger, M. W. (2012). Cultural differences and communication issues in international mergers and acquisitions: A case study of BenQ Debacle. International Journal of Business and Social Science, 3(3), 116-127.

• Schmeisser, H. W., Krimphove, D., & Popp, R. (2013). International human resource management and international labour law: A human resource management accounting approach. München, Germany: Wissenschaftsverlag.

• Ugoani, J. N. N. (2016). Cultural dimensions in global human resource management: Implications for Nigeria. International Journal of Management and Production, 7(3), 807-832.