Workplace communication takes place within the context of an organization. Such organizations are classified into four different types enacting these primary roles:
Economic production organizations manufacture products or services.
Political organizations generate and distribute power in society.
Integrative organizations mediate and resolve conflict.
Pattern-maintenance organizations promote cultural and educational regularity.
Organizations have both informal networks and formal networks. Formal networks include downward, upward, and horizontal communication.
Written credentials for employment interviews include résumés and cover letters.
The résumé should be concise and stylistically reflect your personality in a professional way.
The résumé should highlight your work experiences and other qualifications.
The cover letter is a short statement introducing you and your re´sume´.
The cover letter has four main sections: attention, interest, desire, and action.
Effective strategies for preparing for a job interview include creating a self-inventory, creating networks, searching for a job, investigating the interviewer, being prepared to ask and answer questions, and conducting postinterview negotiations.
Workplace communication competence involves general skills already covered in this text as well as four specialized skills: immediacy, supportiveness, strategic ambiguity, and interaction management.
Conflict management skills include avoidance, competition, compromise, accommodation, and collaboration. Although each has advantages, the collaboration approach works best in many situations.
Customer service interactions are essential aspects of contemporary work life. Customer service agents must learn to enact compliance-gaining skills and to engage in emotional labor.
Unethical workplace communication can include aggressive communication and sexual harassment.
Workplace aggression includes all communication by which individuals attempt to harm others.
Sexual harassment is an extreme form of unethical communication involving an abuse of power.
