TÁMARA C. WALTERS

HRMN 302 Course Outcome 3:  Analyze and assess the communication dynamics of an organization through the completion of a communication audit.

Communication is a dynamic process whose integration and contribution to the overall success of an organization has also become a focal point in many organizations.  As a matter of fact, Ramona and Lucia (2013) referred to this component of organizational communication as “an ever-changing activity” whose aim is to ensure that the performance of the organization increases (p. 187).  They went on to also suggest that, because both the employees and the public gain an understanding of the culture and vision through the organization’s communication practices, organizations should maximize their information gathering and information sharing processes to help maintain the health of both the internal and external climates (Ramona & Lucia, 2013, p. 188).   All the while, communication challenges often exist and cause unfavorable shifts within the organizational climate.  These challenges can lead to decreases in morale, increases in employee turnover, and poor external communications that can jeopardize an organization’s reputation (Hall, n.d.).  This is why it is so important for organizations to conduct comprehensive evaluations of their ability to send, receive, and share information amongst themselves and with key constituencies outside of the organization (What Is a Communication Audit, 2018).

In the HRMN 302 Organizational Communication course, the role of communication audits in evaluating the effectiveness of an organization’s internal and external communication processes was highlighted.  Katlin Smith (2018) described the communication audit as a systematic research method that helps organizations to identify the following:

• How past communications were handled
• Key audiences, what they currently know about your business, service, product or organization, what they need and want to know, and how they prefer to be reached
• Strengths and weakness in current communications programs
• Untapped opportunities for future communications (p. 1).

Communication audits also are used to identify challenges in organizational communication that result from not keeping employees and external stakeholders informed, not sending and receiving information frequently enough and in a timely fashion, sending information to the wrong people, not communicating organizational expectations clearly, and failing to collaborate to share information across departments.  All in all, by conducting routine communication audits, organizations can ensure that the communication plan that they are utilizing strengthens the productivity and health of the organization.

To demonstrate my mastery of this course outcome, I conducted a communication audit at Grace Christian Academy of Maryland (GCA).  In my audit, I distributed an electronic survey to a group of eight staff members who represented each of the school’s departments as well as various age groups, ethnicities, and genders.  As a result, I was able to gather information in five key areas of communication within and without the school:

• Receiving Information from Others
• Sending Information to Others
• Sources of Information
• Timeliness
• Channels of Information

The data that was gathered from my audit allowed me to identify a challenge within the school’s communication structure in the area of Sending Information to Others.  More specifically, the data revealed that the areas that received the lowest scores included:

• Communicating job-related complaints
• Reporting on job requirements
• Evaluating the performance of direct supervisors
• Reporting job-related challenges
• Asking for the clarification of job-related instructions

All the while, I was ultimately able to formulate recommendations for how to mitigate the challenge in the future.  My recommendations included designing and implementing a 360-degree feedback process, implementing a Professional Development Support Program, and implementing employee complaint procedures.  All in all, the communication audit proved to be a beneficial tool in providing employees with a vehicle by which to offer feedback as it relates to their experiences with the school’s communication processes.  At the same time, the audit also proved to be particularly beneficial in providing a foundation upon which the school could begin creating a communication plan for the future.

To peruse the presentation that outlined my communication audit on GCA, please click on the link below:

Communication Audit_Tamara Walters