Understanding communication experiences and job satisfaction of employees at a state institution

Abstract

There is a growing recognition of the role internal communications play in the overall functioning of an organisation. Scholars link effective internal communications with business performance and in the context of a government institution it means that in order to improve service delivery they must pay attention to the effectiveness of their communication practices. To execute its mandate effectively the Government Communications and Information systems (GCIS) as an entity responsible for managing communications on behalf of government has to ensure that it leads by example in this regard. The purpose of this study is to explore and describe communication experiences of GCIS employees. To answer the research question a cross-sectional survey of n=40 randomly selected employees was conducted at the GCIS head office. The survey resulted in initial findings which were further explored by interviewing nine (n=9) purposefully selected individuals. Results indicate that employees are satisfied with communications in general. Evidence suggests that not all communication channels are considered reliable however, perceptions of trust or reliability regarding channels is influenced by an inherent culture at the GCIS that equates authority and rank with trust. Concerns were raised with official channels in particular which are perceived as slow, outdated and irrelevant, blamed in part on bureaucratic processes. Findings show that there is a strong positive relationship between communication satisfaction and job satisfaction in line with findings from other studies. This underscores the importance of effective internal communication practices in state institutions. If communication is effective, evidence suggests that it will lead to employee job satisfaction. It is therefore recommended that the GCIS conducts a strategic review of its internal communication systems and practises in order to evaluate their effectiveness in helping to achieve communication goals of the organisation. A follow up study be conducted at the GCIS to measure the implementation of recommendations made in this study. Furthermore, research is recommended within the government sector as this will provide a holistic view of communication experiences within state institutions in South Africa, in particular the influence of bureaucratic systems.

Daar word toenemend erkenning gegee aan die rol wat interne kommunikasie speel in die algemene funksionering van 'n organisasie. Geleerdes koppel effektiewe interne kommunikasie met ondernemingsprestasie, en in die konteks van 'n regeringsinstelling beteken dit dat hulle, ten einde dienslewering te verbeter, moet let op die effektiwiteit van hul kommunikasiepraktyke. Om sy mandaat effektief uit te voer, moet die Regeringskommunikasie- en Inligtingstelsels (GCIS) as 'n entiteit wat namens die regering verantwoordelik is vir die bestuur van kommunikasie verseker dat dit 'n voorbeeld hiervan is. Die doel van hierdie studie is om kommunikasieervarings van werknemers van GCIS te verken en te beskryf. Om die navorsingsvraag te beantwoord, is 'n deursnee-opname van (n=40) lukraak geselekteerde werknemers by die GCIS-hoofkantoor gedoen. Die opname het gelei tot aanvanklike bevindings wat verder ondersoek is deur nege (n =9) onderhoude met doelgerigte geselekteerde onderhoude. Die resultate dui daarop dat werknemers oor die algemeen tevrede is met kommunikasie. Bewyse dui daarop dat nie alle metodes as betroubaar beskou word nie, maar dat persepsies van vertroue of betroubaarheid ten opsigte van kanale beïnvloed word deur 'n inherente kultuur by die GCIS wat gesag en rang met vertroue vergelyk. Daar is ook kommer uitgespreek met amptelike kommunikasiekanale wat gesien word as stadig, verouderd en irrelevant, en deels die skuld op burokratiese prosesse. Bevindinge toon dat daar 'n sterk positiewe verwantskap bestaan tussen kommunikasiebevrediging en werkstevredenheid, in ooreenstemming met bevindings van ander navorsers. Dit onderstreep die belangrikheid van effektiewe interne kommunikasiepraktyke by staatsinstellings. As kommunikasie effektief is, dui die getuienis daarop dat dit tot werkstevredenheid van die werknemers sal lei. Daarom word aanbeveel dat die GCIS 'n strategiese oorsig van sy interne kommunikasiestelsels en -praktyke uitvoer om die doeltreffendheid daarvan te evalueer om die organisasie se kommunikasiedoelwitte te bereik. n Opvolgstudie word by die GCIS uitgevoer om die implementering van die aanbevelings wat in die studie gemaak is, te meet. Verder word navorsing binne die owerheidsektor aanbeveel, aangesien dit 'n holistiese siening bied van kommunikasie-ervarings binne staatsinstellings in Suid-Afrika, veral die invloed van burokratiese prosesse.