Business Communication Essay On Examining The Australian Work Culture
Question
Task:
You are a country manager for an international agricultural products supplier. The main office is in Australia. You have recently hired 10 new employees from overseas (you may choose the home country of the new employees). They will be arriving in Australia within the next six weeks, and in preparation for their arrival you will write a document about communicating competently and incompetently within the Australian workplace. This document has two parts:
- An overview of academic literature relating to communication practices/styles/recent research about business communication in Australia.
- Recommendations for these new employees about competent and incompetent business communication practices (you may focus upon verbal, nonverbal, written, and CMC). There will be four recommendations—two competency behaviours and two incompetency behaviours. That is to say, how should the new employees communicate and how they should not communicate within the Australia workplace. You will need to explain why each of the communicative behaviours are competent or incompetent. The recommendations should be supported by existing academic articles
Answer
The study of business communication essay has been prepared basis the given case study where it is given that ten workers are coming from India and Canada to Australia. The below-mentioned section of the business communication essay study has discussed the work culture, communication style, competency, and uneasy work environment for the foreign workers in the business environment of Australia.
There are some restrictions in business communication practices in Australia, and those are stated here in detail. If the history of business communication practice in Australia is focused, it will be seen that there are more than a hundred languages are used in business practice in Australia. English has officially accepted language in Australia. The workers, who are coming to Australia from India and Canada, will feel comfortable to work there in Australia if the persons can communicate in English. English is accepted as the standard language of business communication in Australia. It is also seen that maximum Australian businesspersons use English as the mode of communication with foreign workers (Brink & Costigan 2015).
The Australian businesspersons always provide priority to the directness, not the diplomacy. The people of Australia love to speak in plain language so that the workers of India and Canada can understand what the executives want. It is not that workers will have to use proper grammar and fluent English, but it is important to make another understand. The main focus of business communication essay revolves around the theme of communication within the workplace and analyses that if the person fails to communicate properly then that will be considered as the great failing in the context of business. This is the responsibility of both parties - executives and the workers to make each other understand one's point of view, and that is very important. The Australian businessperson emphasizes directness in communication because the persons are professional. The business executives of Australia only focus on reaching the goal of making maximum profit in the business market. Directness in conversation is the best way to deal with the foreign workers for accomplishing the target within the stipulated period.
However, when the employees of India and Canada are coming to Australia, the persons should be well acquainted with the symbolic business languages which are frequently used in an Australian business (Kernbach, Eppler & Bresciani 2015).
The business communication essay elucidates the concept of Verbal and non-verbal communications used in the business contexts of Australia. Sometimes, non-verbal communication plays a vital role than verbal communication in Australia. It is seen that the workers are welcomed to the organization by shaking their hands. That greeting style mentioned in the business communication essay denotes cordial welcome of the foreign workers to the country and the first greeting style initially provides a cosy working temperament to the workers who are coming from other countries. In case of some close relations with the workers, it is seen that managers for the executives embracing the employees. The most notable incident discussed in the business communication essay is that even the closest businessperson maintains space from one another while one is engaged in communicating confidential business issues. While attending seminars and meetings, the employees or the workers should maintain eye contact with the managers or the executives. This eye contact with managers signifies the confidence of the workers. Once the managers communicate, the persons also maintain eye contact with the workers. Managers, executives, workers all maintain a certain distance from others while other is talking over the phone. The eye expression of the workers is essential because, from that, the managers can understand if the employees are following and supporting the point or not. The eye contact with the managers has a significant impact on them because that shows not only the confidence but also the dedication of the employees to work assigned to him. While conducting a meeting, the gestures like the movement of hands, expression of eyes play a vital role (Block & Negrine 2017).
The role of Verbal communication explored in this business communication essay is similarly crucial in the business environment of Australia. ‘Directness in communication' is a unique communication strategy, which is followed by the business people of Australia. Managers and executives like to communicate in a natural and straight language so that foreign employees can understand their roles correctly. Simple and straightforwardness in communication are considered as an inevitable part of the communication style of Australian businesspersons.
As per the analysis done in this context of business communication essay, the workers who are coming to Australia within the next six weeks should have an idea about the Australian business culture. The workers should not be self-promotional because Australian people will not like the persons who will brag of their products. As the workers are coming to Australia to provide service, people should not be overconfident or boast of their abilities. The persons should be amiable and modest enough to learn their job in the various operational areas of business. The same policy is applicable to the products and services. The workers should not promote the products of their own country. Australian people do not like the persons who are overconfident and proud of their abilities. The factual description of the product is more acceptable than the hyperbolic approach in describing the product.
The high business ethics in Australia is that workers should not underestimate colleagues and senior managers. If such happens, the senior managers may use humour on the person when the person is not at all prepared for it. It is noted in the study of business communication essay that the business people of Australia are very flexible, and entertain creativity in the operational area of business.
In the business ambiance of Australia, the persons are addressed by their first names. The businesspersons are not called by their surnames. Indians generally call their colleagues by their surname, but that is not acceptable in the business context of Australia. Before coming to Australia, the workers should know that. It is seen that, educational surname sometimes play little role in the business environment of Australia. Once called by their first name, the workers feel initial comfort in the new workplace and that creates a comfortable platform of communication between employees and managers. The research on the business communication essay study identifies that Australians use the first names of the business contact as the business experts believe that colleagues and workers are given special importance by calling them by their first name (Cenere, Gill, Lawson & Lewis 2015).
The Australian agricultural organisation has recruited various employees from overseas. Effective business communication is an essential element for the organisation to provide the employees with a friendly work environment while achieving the profit and growth for the business organisation. The positive and negative aspects of business communication might affect the quality of the business. The employees coming from foreign countries to join the organisation should have an idea of the Australian business culture and communication. Utilising language and other communication styles and practices as an essential tool for the work process and exchanging information and ideas will help the foreign employees to get accustomed to the work culture of Australia (Ai & Wang, 2017). The report on business communication essay outlines the different types of communication involved in the business process, such as verbal, written, CMC, and other forms. Successful formal business conversations include behaviours like communicating clearly and strategically with the other employees, listening carefully, expressing the ideas in simple language, presenting ideas, and briefing notes effectively.
The employees joining the company from overseas have a different mode of language, and they have individual cultural practices. Therefore, the inability to understand the work culture of Australia and their ethics can affect the reputation of the employees, along with the reputation of the organisation.
The business professionals in Australia addresses the problems faced in the business process directly. Expressing issues honestly in order to achieve clarity and resolve problems is practiced more instead of applying diplomatic strategies for expressing the perspective of the employees. The business communication style in Australia explored in the present study of business communication essay is upfront and direct, even a good sense of humour is appreciated in this country. The employees from overseas having a strong personality and self-confidence will be in advantage in the professional environment. Every organisation has certain set of rules and regulations based on the work process. Following the company rules while exchanging information and knowledge to the organisation refers to competent effective business communication (Hartley & Chatterton, 2015).
In order to maintain a positive work culture in the organisation while involving foreign employees can help the workforce to overcome the communication gap and other cultural barriers. According to the research on business communication essay, in direct and verbal communication, the employees can maintain a positive attitude and a polite tone while approaching each other to ensure positive behaviour. The competency of the communication process can be maintained in a diverse work culture if the employees are respectful towards each other, listen to the ideas and perspectives of others. The liberal thought process and positive attitude in the workplace spread a positive vibe at the office, which helps the company to rely on its employees in the decision-making process and takes responsibility for their actions. Recognising communication and cultural differences show competency as it spreads a message that the company cares about its employees and their problems. The company listening to the employees, the employees actively listening to each other, asking questions to understand the perspectives of others can help the company to resolve the cultural and language differences as well (Bovée, Thill & Raina, 2016).
The company can achieve success while encouraging the employees to perform better and increase work productivity. The managers and the higher authorities of the organisation can communicate with the employees, incorporate their ideas in the work process, and give orders in simple and plain language so that the employees not accustomed to the language can understand the task assigned to them easily. The employees notice the behaviours in verbal as well as non-verbal gestures; therefore, the authoritative employees should maintain a positive attitude and be polite as the non-verbal communication can create complications because of not having a direct conversation involved there. The friendly behaviour of the managerial employees ensures the employees about their importance in the company, which guarantees increased work productivity along with employee productivity (Zenkevich, 2018).
The study of business communication essay explains that incompetency in the communication process affects the work productivity of an organisation while spreading a negative work atmosphere. The Australian organisations appreciate direct and straightforward conversations, but every organisation has a certain code of conduct that the employees should follow. Incompetency in organisational behaviour raises problems in work culture and causes employee resentment, which eventually becomes the reason behind employee turnover (Lear, Hodge & Schulz, 2015).
Showing aggression and choosing a passive form of communication while expressing opinions and perspectives can create complications in business communication. The managerial employees might take it as disrespectful behaviour, or it might confuse them while identifying the requirements of the employees. Resentment and dissatisfaction among the employees caused by this might affect the work process.
The interaction through CMC or other nonverbal communication process focuses more on the facial gestures and the language written. Therefore, the employees have to avoid aggressive language and gestures like smirking or shrugging while communicating to avoid a negative communication process. Otherwise, a verbally abusive conversation violates the company regulations also affects the productivity of the organisation by creating a mental barrier among the employees (Tran,2016).
This business communication essay can be concluded by saying that effective communication in organisation increases works productivity along with creating a good bonding among the employees and the managers and the supervisors. In this business communication essay, a different form of communication style and practices used in Australia has been discussed. The past researches on this topic have been considered while discussing the effective communication practices of Australian business organisations. A few recommendations, including active listening and polite behaviour and maintaining a positive attitude, have been provided in the end of the current study of business communication essay, depending on the identified issues of achieving effective communication in a diverse workforce.
Reference
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Block, E., & Negrine, R. (2017). The populist communication style: Toward a critical framework. International journal of communication, 11, 20.
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Cenere, P., Gill, R., Lawson, C., & Lewis, M. (2015). Communication Skills for Business Professionals 7. Cambridge University Press.
Hartley, P., & Chatterton, P. (2015). Business Communication: Rethinking your professional practice for the post-digital age. Routledge.
Kernbach, S., Eppler, M. J., & Bresciani, S. (2015). The use of visualization in the communication of business strategies: An experimental evaluation. International Journal of Business Communication, 52(2), 164-187.
Lear, J. L., Hodge, K. A., & Schulz, S. A. (2015). Talk to me!! Effective, efficient communication. The Journal of Research in Business Education, 57(1), 64.
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