Business Communication Series
Ways to make grapevine effective
Though grapevine provides innumerable utilities to the organization, still it is not free from defects. Therefore, managers should try to use grapevine in a way so that organization can take heights benefits from it. The following issues/ ways/ means will guide the managers in enhancing the efficacy of grapevine:
• Providing real news to the grapevine initiators: Managers should identify the people who take the active part in grapevine channels and provide them with real news so that they can transmit real facts to the grapevine channels. This will eventually, resist transmission of rumor, untrue and distorted messages.
• Considering grapevine as a pulse feeling tool: Since grapevine is an important source of receiving feedback, managers should use it as a tool for feeling the pulse of the employees.
• Contradicting the false rumor: If any false rumor occurs in the organization, management should immediately contradict and protest the rumor through normal channels. As a result, feeding of false rumor will decrease.
• Allowing workers in the decision-making process: If the workers are allowed to take part in the decision-making process, they will be well informed of the facts. In such a situation, there will be nothing to suspect and to create a false rumor.
• Developing good organizational climate:Good organizational climate impels the employees to develop a sense of belongingness, to maintain status, chain of command and self-respect and to enhance satisfaction. All these will facilitate the occurrence of grapevine in the most desired and effective way.
At last, we can say that through organization cannot hire and fire the grapevine, it can ensure an environment where people can practice grapevine in the most desired and effective way.
Source Credit: The Business Communication