Effective Communication for the Workplace

Understand the importance of effective communication. 

Reasons for effective communication may include:

• understanding who the customer/audience is and their needs which promotes confidence between key groups of people

Ways effective communication promotes high standards may include:

• everyone understands the goals that they are working towards
• reduces the likelihood of mixed messages.

Possible impact of poor communication may include:

• loss of trust/community disengagement
• legal action
• financial penalties.

Assessment Criteria

• 1.1

  Explain how effective communication creates a positive impression of the organisation on the customer.

• 1.2

  Explain how effective communication between colleagues enables work to be completed to a high standard.

• 1.3

  Describe the possible impact of poor communication on an organisation.

Understand the importance of effective communication. 

Examples of main types of communication may include:

• oral - team meetings, telephone conversations, one-to-one meetings, conference calls, Skype
• written - email, notes, minutes of meetings, reports, letters, charts, diagrams, illustrations.

Reasons for using different types of communication may include:

• cost
• need to respond quickly
• gather people together who are working in different parts of the country or internationally
• meet specific needs such as visual and auditory impairment, reading difficulties, English is not the first language.

Assessment Criteria

• 2.1

  Describe the main types of communication, oral and written, used in organisations.

• 2.2

  Explain why different types of communication are required for different circumstances and when communicating with different people.

Use appropriate forms of written communication.

To achieve this learning outcome learners must provide appropriate evidence of using different forms of written communication.

The learner could be set a selection of scenarios for which they need to select an appropriate format (for Pass) and then produce them (for Merit/Distinction).

Examples of purposes should be varied and may include:

• to record a conversation
• to promote a new activity
• to present evidence of a problem to a team
• to provide ideas to a manager.

Assessment Criteria

• 3.1

  Select appropriate formats of written communication for different purposes.

Use appropriate forms of oral communication.

To achieve this outcome learners must provide sufficient evidence to demonstrate their ability to use appropriate forms of oral communication.

Audiences should be varied and may include:

• colleagues
• the general public

• senior managers

Situations should be varied and may include:

• 1:1 meetings with manager
• group meetings with colleagues
• presentations
• informal conversation

Assessment Criteria

• 4.1

  Communicate clearly in speech in different workplace situations, adjusting register and tone to match the audience and purpose of the communication.