Cutting Through Corporate Bureaucracy
August 20, 2018
Bureaucracy is a set of processes and operations, used and followed in order to have work approved and recorded in an organization. It is a tool that allows people to manage great power to help the business to move forward. However, with great powers come great responsibilities, and when the ability to make decisions falls on an inexperienced shoulder, there can be a series of consequences that might harm the entire company.
Here are the most effective ways to achieve a healthy bureaucracy.
The chain of command
The communication flows among three levels in any organization.
High-level managers set targets, create plans, and manage the entire organizational strategizing. Mid-level managers redirect organizational activities to achieve the goals. Every work unit in the organization is executed and maintained by the base level managers. They are the foot soldiers of the company, who execute the vision on ground.
The flow of communication between these three levels should be clear and consistent. Lack of feedback and clarity disrupts the whole communication chain. It’s not about giving orders and achieving goals, but it’s about the collaborative efforts made by each and every person. The most useful part of communication is the skill to be a good listener.
Communication trends: Traditional vs. Modern organizations
The traditional organization tries to maintain that the organizational structure should be hierarchical, i.e. power flows vertically downward, and employees are segmented on the basis of departments. Each department has a head who reports to the manager. It is exactly like the military system- hierarchical, organized, and disciplined.
Modern Organization means a boundary-less organization which is networking and collaborating more than ever before. It is always open to rapid innovation and therefore ideal for companies in the developing industry. Its main aim is to diversify its activities and connectivity, and as a result, it can accept new challenges and can set new goals frequently.
This innovative style of management majorly depends on these skills—consent building, maintaining relationships, listening and understanding, and taking the team.
The Need for open and new-age communication in the changing world
I believe that a workplace should have the following things for a healthy working atmosphere:
- People should get the pleasure of meeting and talking to different people every day
- The helping staff should be rewarded for taking on new challenges and experiences
- For a healthy work environment, fun and laughter are necessary
- The fascination with the work itself and interest in other people’s work and business
- People should be exposed to learning new things every day, even without looking to do so
Integrated communication in an organization
A social intranet is what makes it possible for everyone to communicate and collaborate, without wasting time in endless meetings and conferences. It saves time and centralizes information assimilation in one unique place. Valuable information doesn’t get lost or hidden.
Now that we know how to push information to your employees through a collaborative solution, we then need to listen to what they have to say. We need to increase the feedback culture in an organization so that every employee shares their thoughts and opinions after handling a project. What good will they do for us if we don’t benefit from their point of view, communication skills, and knowledge? When employees provide us meaningful insights, it will enhance our internal communication to meet the needs of our growing and pulsating workplace.
‘Bureaucracy’ is not a bad term, it is the misuse of power that makes it a bad term. It requires healthy communication from top to bottom and vice versa, and feedback plays an integral role. Instead of giving orders, try to give and take feedback. A good bureaucracy always believes in modernization. It’s high time we bring about the much needed shift in bureaucracy and lead the wave of new-age organizational management.
