Article

_{DOI: 10.22167/2675-6528-20230010}
^{E&S 2023,4: e202300010}

Rodolfo Menderico Costa Cruz; Felipe Galesi Jaoude

Communicating is the act of making information common. In this sense, communication can be defined as the transfer of information and meaning from one person to another through the use of common symbols^[1].

The communication process can occur verbally, either orally or in writing, or non-verbally. Regarding oral communication, it is quite complete, as it includes, in addition to words, changes in tone, pitch, and speed that are also full of meaning for the listener. This form of communication can occur both in person and via telephone or voice messages^[2].

Written communication, despite being less complete than oral communication and therefore more susceptible to interpretation errors, is widely used in our daily lives due to its dynamism. Research indicates that people can read up to six times faster than they can listen. Thus, written communication is increasingly important in today’s world, where the volume of information is constantly growing. Furthermore, written communication fills a gap in oral communication, which is the ability to store information for later consumption^[3].

Facial expressions and body movements, which can be voluntary or involuntary, are part of so-called non-verbal communication. This form of communication can accompany oral communication or occur autonomously. It can often happen that oral communication is saying one thing, but non-verbal communication reveals just the opposite.

The communication process can be subdivided into several stages. Succinctly, the sender encodes the message they intend to send (through words, numbers, images, sounds, gestures) and transmits it through a communication channel to the receiver who, previously, needs to decode it to understand its meaning. Amidst this flow, there may be the so-called “communication noises”, which lead the receiver to understand the message in a way divergent from that idealized by its sender. After receiving the message, the receiver may, or may not, send a response (“feedback”) to the sender. This “feedback”, if it occurs, will follow the same steps of the communication process previously described.

It is up to the message sender, therefore, to choose the most suitable channel for transmission, so that the message can be understood by the receiver in the way expected. Telephone, e-mail, internet, newspapers, magazines, and oral discourse are just a few examples of communication channels. Each channel has its own characteristics. The telephone is a more personal and dynamic form of communication than e-mail, but it depends on the sender and receiver being available at the same time for transmission to occur; newspapers and magazines are efficient for mass communication, but they make receiver feedback difficult; oral discourse is a very complete form of communication as it allows for more than just the use of words, however, it can be very costly in terms of time and money spent. Thus, it is necessary for the sender to choose the most suitable channel to meet the needs of that specific message intended to be transmitted.

Every communication process is subject to noise. These communication noises can be present at all stages of the process and are nothing more than internal or external factors that can interfere with communication. For example, there can be noise related to the communication channel when interference disrupts a phone call or loud noise impairs oral communication. This type of noise can be classified as a physical barrier in the environment where communication occurs, leading to a total or partial blockage of the message.

Similarly, there is noise related to the encoding/decoding of the message when, for example, jargon or technical terms are used that are not part of the receiver’s vocabulary. This type of noise can be classified as a semantic barrier, which can compromise the understanding of the message when the chosen symbology (words, gestures) is not shared by all those involved in the communication process.

Finally, noise can be linked to the sender or receiver, as perceptions, personal values, and motivations create a filter that can distort the meaning of the message. This type of noise is called a personal barrier or selective perception, which can also be linked to the source’s credibility, meaning that the higher the credibility, the greater the attention and relevance given to the information by its receiver.

Communication is fundamental for life in society and, as it could not be otherwise, it is also essential within a company. Communication is a critical aspect for organizations, as it serves as a tool for the administrative functions of planning, organizing, directing, and controlling to be put into practice^[1][4].

Even more informal communication, such as a conversation between employees in the company hallways, during lunch, or even at a “happy hour,” can be very relevant to the company, as more relaxed communication can bring new information that would hardly be exposed through more formal communication channels.

The choice of communication channel is one of the most important decisions for an organization’s internal communication process. The chosen medium should contribute to the information being delivered to its intended audience and consumed in the manner intended by the sender. The channel must be able to provide clarity and engagement to the information content^[5].

With the advent of “smartphones”, a new way of communicating also emerged. Messaging applications, including Whatsapp and Messenger, very popular in Brazil, have immensely facilitated the exchange of text, voice, and media messages between people. Even in the corporate world, it is difficult to imagine, nowadays, a company that does not use this communication channel for information exchange. The great positive point of messaging applications is dynamism.

An ever-increasing number of people own a “smartphone” and are connected to the internet, thus, they are able to send and receive messages among themselves with the most diverse content possible. Photos, documents, and other types of messages can be sent easily and, furthermore, the exchange of information does not depend on the immediate availability of the recipient at that particular moment, unlike what happens in a phone call where the information cannot be saved for later consumption. This possibility of sending the message at any time, without the other person necessarily being available, makes this communication channel perceived as very agile. Furthermore, the fact that most people are constantly connected to their “smartphones” makes the exchange of information practically instantaneous.

Despite all these characteristics that have made messaging apps an undeniable success, it should be noted that they are endowed with a certain degree of informality. This makes them not the best channel for distributing messages that require a high degree of formality.

Messenger applications, in principle, suffer from the same problems as other forms of written communication, i.e., the absence of non-verbal communication (facial expressions and body movements) to aid in understanding the transmitted message. However, this problem can be mitigated by the use of “emoticons,” with which the communication sender can express their feelings through graphic representations of human facial expressions. Furthermore, the vast majority of messengers also allow voice message recording, enabling the receiver to use changes in the sender’s tone of voice to aid in the correct interpretation of the message.

Messaging applications, in short, are ideal for agile and easy communication, which is not extremely urgent and does not require great formality, all at a relatively low cost, as the “smartphone” is already a widely disseminated good and most applications that perform this type of communication provide this service for free. In the corporate world, the Slack application also stands out, which has some tools aimed at the business universe and can be used both on the cell phone and on the computer independently.

With the advancement of broadband Internet worldwide, video conferencing applications have been able to count on higher quality video calls and, consequently, have gained popularity. Applications such as Zoom, Microsoft Teams, and Google Meet enable meetings to be held more quickly and less expensively compared to in-person meetings, which in many cases can demand high expenses for travel and accommodation.

These applications are quite complete regarding the forms of communication used, allowing information exchange to occur simultaneously in oral, written (chats), and visual ways, even enabling interlocutors to share their computer screen or slides on the topic. Furthermore, they also offer the possibility of immediate “feedback” from the message recipient, making this communication tool one of the most complete among all those analyzed.

The large amount of audiovisual resources and the immediate “feedback”, certainly, minimize communication noise, as the message receiver has more elements to interpret the information. However, noise caused by problems in the communication channel (physical barriers) can be very detrimental when present. Despite the quality and speed of the Internet having increased in recent decades, this has not occurred uniformly. Therefore, it is common for connection freezes or drops to occur, which greatly hinder the correct understanding of the transmitted message.

Another problem faced when using this channel is the need for all interlocutors to be available at the same time, as this is a necessary condition for immediate information exchange between participants. Furthermore, it requires a certain formality, especially regarding the attire that will be worn by the participants.

Intranet is a network very similar to the Internet, with the difference of being restricted to a certain group of people, such as, for example, the employees of a company. The Intranet can be an important communication channel between the company’s administration and its employees, as news of general interest can be made available to a large number of employees, and can be consumed at the most convenient time according to the work routine of each department^[5].

This communication channel is endowed with a high perception of formality. Therefore, attention should be paid to ensuring that news published on the Intranet is duly reviewed, avoiding possible errors in Portuguese and interpretation. The mode of dissemination in this channel is predominantly verbal, in written form, although small audio files are also possible. Well-crafted and objective titles are essential to attract the employee’s interest in the news, just as images can also increase the attractiveness of the news and deserve to be well utilized.

The cost to develop an Intranet network is moderate, as it requires hiring a specialized technology company or using the company’s internal technology department. The information delivery rate is not among the highest, since many employees may not access the news as consistently as intended due to lack of time or interest.

A desirable improvement regarding the use of this type of information channel is the provision of a field, at the end of the news, so that employees can leave their comments and suggestions. Such “feedbacks” can be important sources of information for future improvements and decision-making, provided they are well managed and moderated by a specific team for the purpose of preventing the publication of offensive and non-constructive comments that only serve to tarnish the company’s reputation.

Whether within the Intranet or by using an external social network, discussion forums are interesting communication channels to reinforce collaboration and the sense of belonging among employees of a company or department. Mutual cooperation between the most diverse hierarchical levels of a company provides employees with a holistic view, in addition to accelerating problem-solving and encouraging the proposition of new ideas.

This multidirectional communication between various employees, who often do not even know each other personally, can be very enriching for the organization. Certainly, due to the confidential nature of certain processes, in some cases the creation of more restricted discussion groups is more advisable.

The form of communication within discussion forums can vary in degree of formality depending on the group members and the subject to be discussed. It is paramount that there is some form of moderation, so that abuses can be contained. Implementation costs can also vary according to the company’s choice to use its own platform, with significant development costs, or to use a third-party platform, which may be free or require a subscription.

The use of this communication channel is more focused on collaboration, not being very useful for communicating news or instructions about work or the company. It should be noted that excessively large discussion groups can generate a very high volume of information that is difficult for members to absorb, while very small groups can cause delays in obtaining responses that often require urgency.

Corporate TV emerged as an internal company TV channel (operating via satellite or cable) where employees could watch training courses, management announcements, and access news and launches related to their organization’s universe. Nowadays, Corporate TV broadcasts can be transmitted with the aid of the internet, which significantly reduces their costs. Nevertheless, the production costs of the programming can still be considered quite high, making its implementation unfeasible for small businesses.

The great advantage of this communication channel lies in the fact that it is a form of mass communication, meaning it can reach a large number of employees at the same time. Furthermore, information is transmitted with image and sound, facilitating understanding by the viewer who can hear and see the interlocutor’s gestures and expressions. When well utilized, audiovisual resources can also make information much more attractive to the information recipient, reducing communication noise resulting from selective attention.

The main problem faced by this communication channel is the lack of interactivity. It is not possible for the viewer to interact immediately with the presented content, externalizing their “feedback”. Secondary communication channels such as telephone, email, or chat need to be opened for this response to be possible, but even so, the fluidity of the conversation ends up being compromised. Table 1, below, shows a comparison of the main attributes of the various communication channels previously discussed, which does not aim to be exhaustive, but rather to serve as a reference for future analyses on the topic.

Table 1. Classification of the attributes of the latest communication tools

Attributes	Messaging apps	Video conferencing applications	Announcements via Intranet	Discussion forums	TV Corporation
Immediate availability	Only issuer	Emitter/ Receptor	None	Issuer only	Only recipient
Forms of communication	Oral	Verbal/ Non-verbal	Oral	Oral	Verbal/ Non-verbal
Cost	Low	Low	Average	Average	High
Comments	Immediate	Immediate	Immediate	Immediate	Non-existent
Credibility	Low	Average	High	Low	Average
Formality	Low	Average	High	Low	High
Agility	High	Average	Low	Low	Low
Noise	High	Average	Low	Average	Low

Source: Elaborated by the author.

There is no perfect communication channel that should be used extensively by all organizations to achieve efficient communication. Quite the contrary, companies should use the variety of existing channels in order to take advantage of the benefits that each of them has to offer. The choice of the most suitable channel depends on the objectives intended by each message to be transmitted.

Company/employee communication is among the internal factors that most affect organizational climate^[6]. Widely disseminated information, delivered at the right time and in a comprehensible manner to all, enhances the employee’s sense of belonging, also contributing positively to their satisfaction level.

References

[1] Chiavenato I. Comportamento organizacional: a dinâmica do sucesso das organizações. 4ed. São Paulo (SP): Atlas. 2021.

[2] Griffin R.W.; Moorhead G. Comportamento organizacional: gestão de pessoas e organizações. São Paulo (SP): Cengage Learning. 2016.

[3] Williams C. ADM: princípios de administração. 2ed. São Paulo (SP): Cengage Learning. 2017.

[4] Yanaze M.H. Gestão de marketing e comunicação: avançados e aplicações. 2ed. São Paulo (SP): Saraiva. 2007.

[5] Aguiar F.R.; Trevisan N.M.; Lima A.P.L.; Silva R.M.D. Comunicação interna. Porto Alegre (RS): SAGAH. 2019. [6] Gasparetto L.E. Pesquisa de clima organizacional: o que é e como fazer. São Paulo (SP): Scortecci. 2008

Como citar

Cruz R.M.C.; Jaoude F.G. Aplicação de ferramentas digitais na comunicação interna das organizações. Revista E&S. 2023; 4: e20230010.

Sobre os autores

Rodolfo Menderico Costa Cruz, Mestre em Direito, Especialista em Marketing, Marília, SP, Brasil. Felipe Galesi Jaoude, Mestre em Administração, Docente de ensino superior, Piracicaba, SP, Brasil.

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