Business Communication Trends
Melisa Sida
University of Phoenix
12-4-2010
COMM 285 Florentino A. Lopez

Business Communication Trends Communication in the home health work environment is very important. Effective communication is vital to the well being of a client. An effective communication system plays an important role in the management/employee relationship; employee/client relationships and the overall role of the agency within its own community. The home health business is particularly prone to growth and diversification. Communication plays a vital role in the day to day functions of the home health industry. Communication is used to relay information pertaining to a client’s care and needs. Employees use communication to express a problem within the work or home environment. Problems become resolved when there are no barriers in communication. None of this is possible without an effective business communication system. In previous years businesses communicated with clients and employees by means of the postal service or memorandums to inform of any new or upcoming information regarding the agency. Often face-to-face meetings were conducted and closed with handshakes. Memo pads or sticky notes were used to relay messages left for other individual staff members or to make notes on certain cases. A reminder list was utilized for tasks needing to be completed. Business communication entailed sending memos, writing business letters and so on. With technological changes, contemporary business communication is much more than that. Now, workforces interact via Emails, Teleconferencing and Videoconferencing. Technology is changing the way one lives and works every day. Since technology advances on a daily basis, so does the method of communication in the home health business world.

Today's world of business communication within the home health industry has a much different face. New programs and devices continually enter the market to help develop communication within businesses, making it more feasible, reliable and quick to get the information out. One such new innovation in the world of business communication is electronic tools. The agency is now able to stay in communication using a laptop, cellular phone or Personal Digital Assistant (PDA) anywhere; providing the ability to be far more productive. Computers allow the home health industry to develop methods on how to better improve services. Computers enable staff to input daily tasks lists and reminders pop up to assist in completing assigned tasks in a timely manner. Scanners allow staff to copy a document and then email to state for approval, therefore expediting the process of activating a client’s program. In essence, paper files are becoming obsolete. A client’s chart can be scanned into a database and made available to authorized personnel for information pertinent to the client’s program. Email has revolutionized the way that we communicate with others. Email is greatly used by the agency to relay information to staff and clients alike. In fact it is the greatest method of business communication currently utilized. It has given us the ability to process work and information faster and cheaper. Sending documents across multiple sites is instantaneous. Email has become the preferred means of communication by staff members and clients. "Perhaps the biggest problem for many is the amount of e-mails. IDC, a research consulting firm, estimates 84 billion e-mails are sent daily." (Locker & Kienzler, 2008). Another advantage of email is it is a source of documentation that is vital in the home health industry where documentation is everything. When something is sent via email, a file can be created and the email is stored for future reference. Telecommunication also plays a very important role in business communication. The majority of the workday is spent on the telephone talking to clients and employees. Many times, people in administrative departments are multi-tasking. An administrative staff member could be sending the case manager information requested via email while having a telephone conversation with a client. This is one example of how two different methods of communication are utilized within the agency which is also an everyday occurrence. The message from these new communication trends is that agencies are always seeking more effective ways to communicate and get their message across. Enhanced communication means meeting quality standards, maintaining the satisfaction and well being of the client while improving productivity. This is the real test in how effective a communication system is within an agency. In this environment, communicating in an effective, yet proper manner following business decorum and abiding by the state laws implemented becomes extremely important. To follow current standards of business communication it becomes imperative for everyone to know how to communicate with their co-workers, administrative staff and clients in the home health business environment. Distances are no longer a barrier to communication and continue getting lesser with each passing second. Time zone differences do not stand in the way of being productive in any work environment. Cultures are coming together and people of varied color, creed and race are part of one large workforce. Technology if used properly can be the greatest tool in any work place, across the globe. All one needs to ensure is that it is used in an appropriate manner, befitting the work environment.

References:
Kienzler, D.S. & Locker, K.O. (2008). Business Communication, Management, and Success McGraw-Hill, a business unit of the McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc