As the acting vice president of HR management at Phoenix Advertising, there were several adverse effects noted at Roanoke branch leading to its lousy performance and consecutive losses incurred. As such, there was an urgency in identifying the cause of the failures, which had resulted to loss of potential customers. Therefore, the VP of HR management is tasked with directing all of the employees’ functions in the company by the practice and policies, morals and regulations governing the firm. In spite of that, he was responsible for creating strategic HR planning, which would provide the firm with the best available worker-force and to position the company as a choice employer by being aware of trends, practices, and policies within the business industry. It is worth noting that the VP of HR management has numerous responsibilities spread under his wing, which are vital in the operations of the company. For instance, he is responsible for examining and advising on the impacts of various long-range planning based on new strategies, which determine the regulatory action that affects the motivation, attraction, retention, and development of HR of the company. Hence, the VP of HR management at Phoenix had adequate skills and knowledge in identifying the problem facing Roanoke and creating the required recommendation that would facilitate fast recovery of the firm from its consecutive losses. Nevertheless, the major problem facing Roanoke is the lack of effective communication, which have resulted in detrimental effects on its performance. For instance, four copywriters and three graphic designers have threatened to quit because their creative works on the projects were continuously being revised and rejected without their input. Hence, they wanted to be part of the collaborative team, not to merely produce work, which the account executives and art directors can alter arbitrarily. The benefits of the plan created by the VP of HR management is to ensure that communication facilitates risk management and promotes effective leadership.
Background
The primary problem that is faced evident from the investigation is the lack of communication among the staff members of the branch at Roanoke, Virginia. As such, there are four copywriters, and three graphic designers who have threatened to quit because of their creative contributions on various projects have persistently been revised and rejected without their input. Thus, they wanted to be part of the collaborative team and not merely to produce work, which the account executives and art directors alter arbitrarily. Hence, it is the lack of proper communication between the account executives and art directors to the copywriters, and graphic designers resulted in this conflict. This further indicates that there were poor listening skills, which had led from poor communicated on revised and rejection of the creative contributions made by the graphic designers and copywriters. According to Holmes Report (n.p), 37 billion dollars is lost due to employee misunderstanding; this may include employees being misinformed about the firm’s policies and business projects. As such, an estimate of about 62.4 million dollars is lost annually by every company in the U.S due to poor communication. Conversely, when firms have good leadership, they have a 47 higher percent in total returns to the shareholders over the past five years compared to firms, which have less effective leaders. Therefore, the losses that Phoenix Advertising experienced at Roanoke provided that poor communication skills within the branch resulted in the losses. In spite of that, the lack of communication led in the branch accepting new clients without assessing the effects of the new accounts on the current project workload. This occurred in the employees working additional hours without compensation- this influenced a reduction in employee productivity and morale. According to Pingboard (n.p) a higher engagement of employees in the operations of the firm results in a decrease in absenteeism by 40 percent, while increasing productivity by 21 percent. It is vital to note that in most companies only a third of the employees consider themselves engaged in the operations of a firm. Therefore, due to the low morale, and productivity of worker because of not being involved in the activities of Phoenix Advertising at Roanoke, Virginia resulted in the losses that the company faced from the branch.
Source
The “source” is the message sender, which refers to the ideas and information that the VP of HR management wants to deliver.
Encoding
This involves putting down of the message into a format that one can send, and the receiver will be able to decode. As such, the success of the Roanoke will depend on the ability to present information, which will eliminate any cases of confusion.
Channel
Verbal communication channels such as telephone, face-to-face meetings, while written communication includes reports, letters, emails, and social media posts. As such, various circuits have numerous weaknesses and strengths.
Decoding
MindTools (n.p) asserts that decoding a message, which will prevent confusion occurring during the communication process. It is therefore essential that the VP of HR management to have sufficient knowledge in understanding the issues that may arise in the encoding stage.
Receiver
Every receiver entering into the communication process comes with their feelings and ideas, which influence their understanding of the VP of HR management’s message; thus causing their various responses.
Feedback
During this stage, the VP of HR management will try to find if there is a misunderstanding in adapting to the new message. As such, he may develop simpler approaches to communicate the message.
Context
During this stage, the VP of HR management delivers his message, which may include the current social and political environment.
Proposal
Identify the Issues
It is vital to be clear what the problem is. As such, the main problem identified in the background is lack of communication, which has led to four copywriters and three graphic designers who have threatened to quit because their creative contributions on various projects have persistently been revised and rejected without their input.
Understanding Everyone’s Interests
The best solution should satisfy everyone’s interests, and as such, the VP of HR management suggested that a higher engagement of employees in the operations of the firm results in the reduction in absenteeism by 40 percent, while increasing productivity by 21 percent. As such, this is a solution that incorporates everyone’s interest in the firm.
List the Potential Solutions
Engaging the employees in decisions making within the firm would help in increasing the morale and productivity of employees and revenue.
Evaluating the Options
It this step, it is critical to separate option evaluation from option selection. Thus, from the investigation conducted, the lack of communication was evaluated as the primary cause of under-performance of Roanoke, Virginia branch.
Identifying an Option
The solution defined by the VP of HR management was employee engagement in the operations of the branch’s activities; this would result in a reduction in any cases of absenteeism while increasing productivity by 21 percent.
Document the Agreement
It is vital to write down any solutions that the VP of HR management identified, which may be demonstrated through verbal communication channels such as telephone, face-to-face meetings, or written communication includes reports, letters, emails, and social media posts.
Agreeing to Monitor and Evaluate the Outcome
Hicks (n.p) asserts that it is vital that the VP of HR management make contingency agreements regarding seeable future circumstances. For instance, by involving the employee in the decision-making of the firm, which will improve its productivity; this would enable the firm to create more revenue and attract new customers.
Schedule
Background Column Bases on the Communication Process
The Communication Process
Definition
Source
The “source” is the message sender, which refers to the ideas and information that the VP of HR management wants to deliver
Encoding
This involves putting down of the message into a format that one can send, and the receiver will be able to decode.
Channel
Verbal communication channels such as telephone, face-to-face meetings, while written communication includes reports, letters, emails, and social media posts.
Decoding
Decoding a message, which will prevent confusion occurring during the communication process.
Receiver
Every receiver entering into the communication process comes with their feelings and ideas, which influence their understanding of the VP of HR management’s message.
Feedback
During this stage, the VP of HR management will try to find if there is a misunderstanding in adapting to the new message.
Context
During this stage, the VP of HR management delivers his message, which may include the current social and political environment.
Proposal Column Based on the 7-Steps Needs to Solve the Lack of Communication
Steps of Solving the Lack of Communication
Definition
Identify the Issues
The main problem identified in the background is the lack of communication.
Understanding Everyone’s Interests
The best solution should satisfy everyone’s interests, and as such, the VP of HR management suggested that a higher engagement of employees in the operations of the firm results in the reduction in absenteeism by 40 percent, while increasing productivity by 21 percent.
List the Potential Solutions
Engaging the employees in decisions making within the firm would help in increasing the morale and productivity of employees and revenue.
Evaluating the Options
Separating option evaluation from option selection is critical. Thus, from the investigation conducted.
Identifying an Option
The solution determined by the VP of HR management was employee engagement in the operations of the branch’s activities.
Document the Agreement
It is vital to write down any solutions were identified as either verbal communication channels or written communication.
Agreeing to Monitor and Evaluate the Outcome
It is vital that the VP of HR management make contingency agreements regarding seeable future circumstances.
Staffing
The Chief Executive is responsible is responsible for promoting the firms’ image due to his knowledge about the company’s past. This can be communicated using a single mail to the executive committee about the proposed plan. In spite of this, a bi-annual newsletter can be created regarding the highlighted employee engagement plan. As such, through various means, the Chief Executive is aware of the potential value of promoting employee engagement. This would raise the Chief Executive’s interest, which was discussed with the company’s Trustees. Alternatively, the trustees provide a significant promotional chance for proper marketing and engagement of employees in the company’s decision-making processes.
Budget
Identify the Issues
An audit of 100,000 dollars may cost 2,000 to 4,000 dollars while an audit of 1 million dollars will cost 15,000 dollars.
Understanding Everyone’s Interests
Costs can amount to between 12 to 15 percent of the total payroll.
List the Potential Solutions
This would incur about 5 percent of the total payroll.
Evaluating the Options
Estimated expenses are based on the staff position and cost of the new program.
Identifying an Option
Employee engagement may be achieved by training account executives and art directors, which may cost, 32,500 dollars.
Document the Agreement
Agreeing to Monitor and Evaluate the Outcome
Authorization Request
The plan created by the VR of HR management is an effective way of restoring the Roanoke branch to its initial position. As such, a three-week time frame is sufficient for approval of the documented plan, which clearly states the cost that would be incurred for effective changes. As noted earlier, there are four copywriters, and three graphic designers who have threatened to quit because of their creative contributions on various projects have persistently been revised and rejected without their input. Therefore, a higher engagement of employees in the operations of the firm results to a reduction in absenteeism by 40 percent, while increasing productivity by 21 percent.
Works Cited
Hicks, Tim. “Seven Steps for Effective Problem Solving in the Workplace.” https://www.mediate.com/articles/thicks.cfm (Accessed 2 Jan 2019)
Holmes Report. “The Cost of Poor Communications.” The Holmes Report, 2011. https://www.holmesreport.com/latest/article/the-cost-of-poor-communications (Accessed 2Jan 2019)
MindTools. “Understanding Communication Skills.” https://www.mindtools.com/CommSkll/CommunicationIntro.htm (Accessed 2 Jan 2019)
Pingboard. “6 Effects of Poor Employee Communication.” Pingboard, 2016. https://pingboard.com/blog/6-effects-poor-employee-communication/ (Accessed 2 Jan 2019)
