Employee Memo

Employee Memo
Name:
Institution:
TO:
FROM:
DATE:
SUBJECT: Principles of Verbal and Nonverbal Communication
I would like to bring to your attention the importance of verbal and nonverbal communication in the workplace. We use these two forms of communication each day whether it is with a neighbor, friend, family member, and co-worker. Learning how to be effective when communicating will enable you to grow your personal and professional relationships. We can communicate verbally or nonverbally using technology such as e-mail, texting, conference calls, or through video. Another way of using nonverbal communication is through our gestures, which say a lot. The way a person expresses speaks volumes about their attitude. For example, a teacher can use different types of gestures to help the class understand or make it more exciting. However, if you have a teacher that only reads a text in a monotonous tone the class most likely will pay attention to something more interesting.
Verbal and nonverbal communications are guided by principles that govern its usage. Firstly, verbal communication is symbolic since we give meaning to words when we use them. For example, at the workplace, we use verbal communication to symbolize different aspects; for effective verbal communication, we should learn to express ourselves verbally. For instance, if you want to communicate to your line manager about an issue that is affecting you at your workstation, you should approach him or her and express the issue.

The other principle that governs verbal communication is the use of rules; these rules guide how we construct our sentences and phrases. As employees, this principle can be used when communicating with your teams. For example, if you are a leader in your team, you can improve relationships among members by encouraging them to communicate with complete expressions.
At the same time, the principles of nonverbal communication can also be used to improve relationships and the workplace. According to Champoux (2016), nonverbal communication adds much of the feeling and emotion that a sender wants to give a message. The first principle of nonverbal communication that we can use to improve relationships at the workplace is that it is instantaneous. For example, when your supervisor is giving out instructions, it is important to nod so as to show him or her that you understood the message. Additionally, nonverbal communication is more universal as it is not limited by language. In general, we should seek to improve our workplace relationships by using verbal and nonverbal communication.
 

References
Champoux, J. E. (2016). Organizational behavior: Integrating individuals, groups, and organizations (2nd Ed). Routledge.