The Role Of Face-To-Face Communication In Big Companies

The ability of proper communication of employees is the catalyst for the smooth development and course of the enterprise. The communication of employees within a company is the key to success for its organization and management. Employees use many and various means, to communicate with each other. Especially, nowadays with the evolution of technology, most people use internet channels to communicate, resulting in the loss of traditional means of communication (face-to-face communication). But is the intra-business communication of employees effective over the internet?

The view of scientists about face-to-face communication
For effective communication between employees within an enterprise, the sender of the message should configure the message according to the character of the recipient. In order for the mission to achieve this, he must be well prepared. Although the evolution of technology has penetrated so much in both personal and professional life, research by Lee Cheng Ean, (2010) proved that face-to-face communication is the most effective method for sending a message. And this arises because there is direct communication which allows interaction and direct contact between two or more people.
Face-to-face communication takes place between two or more people and has a range of varied characteristics that make communication effective. Therefore, face-to-face communication provides direct contact with the interlocutor, interaction, dialogue, offering vitality, and representativeness in speech, constituting valuable elements that are impossible to exist in other communication media. Facial expressions, voice colors, and posture play a significant role in face-to-face communication. These elements can help understand the message only if a person has the interlocutor opposite him.

Digitization and economic data
As for internet communication, it can resolve several issues daily, providing many services. Still, communication between employees within a company cannot take the place of the traditional form of communication because the main purpose of a company is initially to have proper communication between employees. When there is effective internal communication, it also contributes to effective external communication. Being able to communicate correctly is not a fetish. It is strictly related to the employees’ ability to do their job right and complete their tasks. When misunderstanding occurs somewhere along the way, mistakes will appear, and mistakes cost money. Finally, as Pamela Patterson-Roberson says: “communication is one of the most important things we do, and we could not exist without it. When we communicate face-to-face, we shape our message about the person’s age, educational attainment, personality, culture, and listening ability.”

The pros of emails and the advantages of the internet
However, communication via email still has some advantages to offer. The main characteristic that is noticeable here is time. Regardless of whether we like it or not, when we are spontaneous, we seem cooler, but we are also vulnerable to mistakes. An email and written speech, in general allows us to take time and think about what we want to communicate to the other person.
At the same time, remember that the listener also needs time to absorb the information that we give them. So, emails do not only allow you to write at your own pace but also read in peace, using as much time as it is necessary to understand what the colleague wants to communicate to you.

Last but not least, let us not underestimate the inadequacy of some people regarding social interactions. For those people, email is perhaps the best way to go; it is what we would call value-for-money. Not everyone is relieved by face-to-face communication. For some people, the different vocal tones and the interesting body language can only be confusing. Instead, an organized text where the most complex part could be the fancy punctuation can be a lot easier to understand. However, for the majority of the population, live communication is easier and much more pleasant.