Communication enhancement: a process dividend for the organisation and the HRM department?

Abstract

Quality has become a key issue for organisations seeking competitive advantage and coping with ever changing market demands. Evidence suggests that the human resource implications of such initiatives are frequently underestimated and neglected Powell, 1995). The present study surveyed 133 Irish organisations implementing Quality Initiatives (QIs), focusing particularly on the impact of these initiatives on internal communication processes and the role played by the human resource (HR) function in these changes. Results indicate the overall success of the QIs in enhancing internal communication processes, but highlight two issues: the surprising absence of HR function involvement in the deliverance of these communication enhancements and the perception by most respondents that while the stated tangible QI objectives have been achieved, there is still some distance to be travelled to fulfil employee expectations on the more intangible communication based needs. The implications of these findings are discussed in terms of the changing face of the HR function and the long term success of QIs