BSBLDR401 Communicate effectively as a workplace

leader

Assessment Task 1

Student name Suhaib Ahmed Elwasila Ahmed

Student ID 20180487

Assessor name Mr.Abdas Salam

Date 04/05/2019

Assessment Task 1: Written Questions

 1- List five characteristics of effective communication that can used by managers
when communicating with their staff or customers.

A- Completeness
Effective communications are complete, i.e. the receiver gets all the information he needs to
process the message and take action. A complete message reduces the need for follow-
up questions and smoothens the communication process.

B- Conciseness
Conciseness is about keeping your message to a point. This is more about the content of your
message rather than its length. Even a short memo can include irrelevant or redundant
information. Conciseness helps the receiver focus on what’s important, speeds up the
processing of information and caters for improved understanding.

C- Consideration
Effective communication takes into account the receiver’s background and points of view. If
your message hits a nerve or sounds as disrespectful, the emotional reaction of the receiver
might affect the perception of your message. Also, tailoring your message to your
audience – e.g. by using argumentations and examples which are relevant to their
experience – makes it easier for them to process the contents.

D- Concreteness
A concrete message is specific, tangible, and vivid. It’s supported by facts and figures
for enhanced credibility. It helps your audience gain an overview of the broader picture.
Concreteness mitigates the risk of misunderstanding, fosters trust and encourages
constructive criticism.

E- Clearness
The clearer your message, the easier it gets for the receiver to decode it according to your
original intent. While this sounds obvious, most communication pitfalls originate from lack
of clarity. Want to deliver an effective message? Start with a clear communication goal and
accurate thoughts. Clear communications build on exact terminology and concrete words,
to reduce ambiguities and confusion in the communication process.
2. List and describe at least five electronic and non-electronic communication methods.
For each give at least one situation where it would be appropriate to use, and at least
one where it would not be.

A- Electronic communication

Electronic communication has become a very popular means to communicate worldwide.

Electronic communication is used for the transfer of different types of data and images
through wire, electromagnetic, photo electronic or photo-optical system and radio. Electronic
communication is so popular that many businesses and people consider it to be essential tool
in our daily lives. The Potomac Knowledge Project from the Marino Institute states
“Electronic communications is interactive. It engages audiences in active, two-way
communications; a self-selected audience, engaged and actively participating in the
communications process.” There are many ways to communicate electronically, each with
benefits and risks related to business or personal use. It is likely that in the future, advances in
technology and computer programming will enable us to communicate in ways we can only
dream about today. Five Types of Electronic Communication

Email

Email is a method originally intended to imitate physical mail. Messages are delivered from
one specific address to one or more specific addresses. Users are alerted to the presence of
new messages in their inboxes by email clients that display the content and offer an
opportunity to reply. Messages are primarily text but may include file attachments of various
types including images and short movies. Unlike instant messages, emails are generally not
expected to be read immediately upon receipt. Most email readers keep track of conversations
that include multiple people through the use of threads. Thus email is ideally suited for long,
involved conversations between two people or among small groups of people.

Forums

Conversations that go on indefinitely, involve large numbers of people or need to be archived

are not well suited to email. Forums, often hosted on the Web, provide an alternative that
combines many of the aspects of email and Web pages. They involve discussions around a
single, limited topic but can take place over months or years and involve dozens or even
hundreds of participants. Most use a treelike structure that allows participants to jump in at
whatever level their comments are most appropriate.

Text and Instant Messaging

Text messaging uses cellular airwaves and protocols to deliver textual messages from one
cellular phone to another or from one phone to a group of other phones. Text messaging is
usually intended as near-instant communication and can be quicker than a phone call because
the sender doesn't have to wait for the recipient to answer before delivering a message.
Because text messaging is informal and easy, it's sometimes called chatting. Text messaging
can also facilitate private discussions when there is a chance that a phone call could be
overheard. Instant messaging is similar to text messaging but is carried over the Internet
rather than over cell phone airwaves.

Social Networking
Social networking sites facilitate communication among people with common interests or
affiliations. Sites such as Facebook and LinkedIn provide places for people to interact,
sometimes in real time. Microblogging services like Twitter, allow short textual messages of
no more than 140 characters to be broadcast to a large audience. Unlike text messages, which
are delivered to only small groups, microblog posts are intended to be seen by all of a user's
followers. Microblog users can repost messages that they want to share with their own
followers, so a microblog post can spread quickly. A widely reposted message is called a
viral post.

Video Chat
Like instant messaging, most video chatting is conducted over Internet protocols that stream
images from one device to another. At times, nothing beats a face-to-face conversation.
Video chats provide an immediacy to a conversation. Because a person's tone is often easier
to read when you can see his face, businesses often use videoconferencing to aid in virtual
meetings.

B- Non-electronic communication

Internally a large business like McDonalds will only deliver specific information to the
members of staff it concerns. An examples of this is information on business annual profits
will only be delivered to individuals at the top of the companies’ structure.
The information must be communicated in a way the suits individual specific needs such as if
one director was visually impaired they would need the handout, or reports in larger fonts and
striking colours. McDonalds in this case could use audio clips and verbal communication to
help aid the directors concerned. It includes:

Face-to-Face
It is the most efficient form of communication between anyone. It allows both parties to
express what they want to say and responding to each other. It also enables both parties to
exchanges hard copies as well. The target audience is pretty much wide.
Invoice

The invoice lists the quantity of each item, the prices, service description, and a contact
address for payment. It is a legal document which can be used as evidence of an incurred
debt. The target audiences are mainly the buyer of the item and those with outstanding pay.

Memorandum
It is used for internal communication between the departments within an organisation. The
target audience can be the employees within the organisation.

Letter

It must be of high standards of communication. It must be clear with the information and
should have introduction, details, and how should the reader respond to the letter. It may give
rise to the legal liability. It can be formal or informal, specialised or simple, impartial or
emotional, and/or reasoned or strongly advising. The audience can be anyone as long as they
have literacy skill.

Sign Language
Sign language is not only used by the deaf but by some military groups. Of course, there is
Morse code which is almost becoming an extinct form of communication. There is the
military alphabet and using in conjunction with phonetics is a good practice as well. On top
of that there are forms of communication which are body signals. You can usually find these
in survival books like the one I use. 

3. Describe the main characteristics of at least four effective listening techniques.

Listening is a significant part of communication process. Communication cannot take place
until and unless a message is heard and retained thoroughly and positively by the
receivers/listeners. Listening is a dynamic process. Listening means attentiveness and interest
perceptible in the posture as well as expressions. Listening implies decoding (i.e., translating
the symbols into meaning) and interpreting the messages correctly in communication process.
Listening differs from hearing in sense that:
Hearing implies just perceiving the sounds while listening means listening with
understanding whatever you are listening. Both the body as well as mind is involved in
listening process.
Listening is an active process while hearing is a passive activity.
Hearing is an effortless activity while listening is an act requiring conscious efforts,
concentration and interest. Listening involves both physical and psychological efforts.
Effective listening requires both deliberate efforts and a keen mind. Effective listeners
appreciate flow of new ideas and information. Organizations that follow the principles of
effective listening are always informed timely, updated with the changes and
implementations, and are always out of crisis situation. Effective listening promotes
organizational relationships, encourages product delivery and innovation, as well as helps
organization to deal with the diversity in employees and customers it serves.
To improve your communication skills, you must learn to listen effectively. Effective
listening gives you an advantage and makes you more impressive when you speak. It also
boosts your performance.

Characteristics of Good and Effective Listener

Good and effective listener tries to give maximum amount of thought to the speaker’s ideas
being communicated, leaving a minimum amount of time for mental exercises to go off track.
A good listener:
Is attentive- Good listener must pay attention to the key points. He should be alert. He
should avoid any kind of distraction.
Do not assume- Good listener does not ignore the information he considers is unnecessary.
He should always summarize the speaker’s ideas so that there is no misunderstanding of
thoughts of speakers. He avoids premature judgements about the speaker’s message.
Listen for feelings and facts- Good listener deliberately listens for the feelings of the
speaker. He concentrates totally on the facts. He evaluates the facts objectively. His listening
is sympathetic, active and alert. He keenly observes the gestures, facial expression and body
language of the speaker. In short, a good listener should be projective (i.e. one who tries to
understand the views of the speaker) and empathic (i.e. one who concentrates not only on the
surface meaning of the message but tries to probe the feelings and emotions of the speaker).
Concentrate on the other speakers kindly and generously- A good listener makes
deliberate efforts to give a chance to other speakers also to express their thoughts and views.
He tries to learn from every speaker. He evaluates the speaker’s ideas in spare time. He
focuses on the content of the speaker’s message and not on the speaker’s personality and
looks.
Opportunists- A good listener tries to take benefit from the opportunities arising. He asks
“What’s in it for me?”

4. Explain the importance of feedback in communication and describe the feedback

process.
Feedback is important in two-way communication. It completes two way communications
and provides basis of understanding regarding the successful delivery of a message. The
advantages or importance of feedback is highlighted below.
Importance of Feedback
Basis of problem solving: In two way communication, feedback is compulsory. The sender
can only justify the attitude of the receiver if feedback is provided. So, feedback ‘ensures the
basis of problem solving and this is one of the importance of feedback.
Democratic approach: It is a democratic approach to communication. It involves
participation of the receiver and therefore provides scope to express opinion. It is another
advantages of feedback.
Effective communication: Two-way communication gets confirmed that the message is
rightly sent and can understand the success or failure of communication.
Identification of Improvement Area: Feedback gives input to the sender regarding the
message provided by him. This helps to improve the communication problem.
Better understanding: Feedback helps to understand the view and opinion of the receiver.
With better understanding, sender decides for the next step.

5. Explain two methods of giving effective feedback.

Feedback. It’s important and you know it. But it’s not just a drop in the bucket or a pat on the
back, there is a proper way of providing feedback consistently that will produce fruitful
results. We have identified nine ways you can offer employee feedback –it’s painless,
immediate and will get you the outcome you need.

1. Pay It Forward
Very simply, do a good deed for a colleague or employee and ask them to do the same for
someone else in turn. And that good deed? Constructive criticism. It isn’t always easy to take
and certainly not easy to give, but if it’s done thoughtfully, usefully and with the best of
intentions it will help improve the quality of that person’s work and may even boost their
productivity. This will in turn give them greater job satisfaction and leave them with skills
which they can use in their future career.

2. Be Very Specific
Employee feedback should be task-focused, crystal clear, and to the point.
General comments like “Your work needs to be improved” or “I wasn’t very impressed with
those reports: you have to do better than that” will leave your employee confused and in the
dark as to what aspect of their work needs to be corrected.
Be specific on what they need to do: “You’re reporting on 20 KPIs at the moment and that’s
bringing in some valuable insight. I’d like you to give us 30 KPIs so that we’ll have all the
information we need.

6. Explain the characteristics of a simple feedback process

1) The Feedback was expected. 

The best feedback I have received over my career has always been expected and
embedded in clear objectives committed to by both parties. Effective feedback is also
specific and focused; it is regularly scheduled, and seldom a surprise. I frequently
requested the feedback and saw it as a helpful step to maintain my momentum toward
important goals.
2) The Feedback was positive.
 Even problems, when resolved within the performance cycle, increased my confidence or
“faith” in my ability. Success was celebrated without being disingenuous. Discussions
about my performance were always driven by a belief in my skill and built upon my
natural desire to improve.
3) The Feedback was self-reflective. 
It always began with my own assessment of what was working, and what was getting in
the way. This was followed by identifying targeted actions I would take to maintain
progress or get my performance back on track. My self-assessment was melded with input
from my coach or performance partner who provided additional perspective that
supported and enhanced my assessment and built commitment and accountability. Lastly,
in reflecting on my most positive performance experiences, I would describe it as always
a process, rather than an isolated event. Goals were continually revived to keep up with
changing conditions. Progress against these goals was reviewed in a closed-loop system
that kept me moving in the correct direction.

7. Identify and summarise at least four communication responsibilities expected of

leaders

Ask participants to form pairs, preferably with others they do not know well.
State that they are going to participate in an activity in which one person plays the role of a
sculptor and the other the raw materials. The raw material, however, is living and can think
and decide whether to respond or not to the instruction of the sculptor. Provide a few minutes
time to the participants and answer their questions.
Ask the "sculptors" to visualize a pose or an object or an act that appears artistically
impressive and that can be made by using the given "raw material," that is, the other
participant in the dyad. Tell them not to disclose any information verbally about what they
want. If the sculptors want to use pencil and paper, they can do so without showing their
envisioned object to their partners or to others. (5 minutes.)
Announce that the sculptors will make or construct the object or pose that they have
visualized using the raw material. Also announce that, during the creation process, neither the
sculptor nor the raw material may speak. The sculptor should give his or her instructions
nonverbally. Remind them that the material is free to respond or not respond; act or react; do
whatever is preferred. Tell them they have five minutes. Observe the action. (5 minutes.)
Ask those who finish early to remain near their objects and ask the objects to remain in the
same poses if possible.
Ask all the sculptors to observe each other's creations in the room. After they have seen each
other's creations, ask them to sit down in their seats and allow the objects to sit down also.
Ask them about their feelings, and summarize on a flip chart. 

8. Explain three common barriers to effective communication in the workplace context

Barriers of Communication: This far we have seen what we mean by the process of
communication. But, at times even after taking care of every other detail some
misunderstandings arise. So, to eliminate these misunderstandings, we have to understand the
most common barriers to effective communication. Let us see what these Barriers of
Communication are!

Linguistic Barriers
The language barrier is one of the main barriers that limit effective communication. Language
is the most commonly employed tool of communication. The fact that each major region has
its own language is one of the Barriers to effective communication. Sometimes even a thick
dialect may render the communication ineffective.
As per some estimates, the dialects of every two regions changes within a few kilometers.
Even in the same workplace, different employees will have different linguistic skills. As a
result, the communication channels that span across the organization would be affected by
this.
Thus keeping this barrier in mind, different considerations have to be made for different
employees. Some of them are very proficient in a certain language and others will be ok with
these languages.

Psychological Barriers
There are various mental and psychological issues that may be barriers to effective
communication. Some people have stage fear, speech disorders, phobia, depression etc. All of
these conditions are very difficult to manage sometimes and will most certainly limit the ease
of communication.
Emotional Barriers
The emotional IQ of a person determines the ease and comfort with which they can
communicate. A person who is emotionally mature will be able to communicate effectively.
On the other hand, people who let their emotions take over will face certain difficulties.
A perfect mixture of emotions and facts is necessary for an effective communication.
Emotions like anger, frustration, humour, can blur the decision-making capacities of a person
and thus limit the effectiveness of their communication.

9. Describe two non-verbal communication characteristics

Nonverbal communication occur constantly

In every daily life, we have to make communication. Eye contact, smile, frown, or totally
ignore someone, you are actually communicating something. For instance, when you having
conversation with someone, you are not just saying it, it will be include your tone of voice,
body language and facial expression. Nonverbal communication can convey a message
through both verbal and with correct body signals. The way you listen, look, and react in a
conversation, make other person know how you care about the conversation.
Nonverbal communication depends on the context
Your direct eye contact to a stranger can mean entirely different from the direct eye contact
with your friend. When you talk to your friend, your relaxed tone of voice, eye contact, and
posture reveal how much you value for this relationship. These happen because nonverbal
communication is interpret within the context of your friendship and is complemented by
casual and personal conversation.

10. Describe two verbal communication characteristics

Verbal communication is the use of words to share information with other people. It can
therefore include both spoken and written communication. However, many people use the
term to describe only spoken communication. The verbal element of communication is all
about the words that you choose, and how they are heard and interpreted. Be prepared to
listen. Concentrate on the speaker, and not on how you are going to reply. Keep an open
mind and avoid making judgements about the speaker.

11. Explain the impact that the Sex Discrimination Act 1984 has had on workplace
communications.
The Sex Discrimination Act 1984 (SDA) makes it unlawful to discriminate against a person
because of their sex, gender identity, intersex status, sexual orientation, marital or
relationship status, family responsibilities, because they are pregnant or might become
pregnant or because they are breastfeeding. For more information, see the fact sheet Sexual
orientation, gender identity and intersex status discrimination.In addition, the SDA makes
sexual harassment against the law.
The SDA protects people across Australia from discrimination in a number of areas in public
life, including employment, education, getting or using services, or renting or buying a house
or unit.
Employees and potential employees
Sex discrimination in employment occurs when someone is treated less favourably than a
person of the opposite sex would be treated in the same or similar circumstances. It can occur
when employers or managers hold assumptions about what sort of work women are capable –
or not capable – of performing.
Examples of sex discrimination could include:
Not hiring a woman because the employer thinks she won’t fit into a ‘traditionally’ male
workplace
Not paying a woman the same salary as a man for doing the same work, or not providing the
same opportunities for training, mentoring or promotion
Allocating work tasks based on a person’s sex.
For example, after working for 11 years with an accounting firm, Erin had been promoted to
the role of group auditor. However, when a new manager was appointed, he began treating
her differently to the male employees working in similar positions. Erin said she was over-
scrutinized, excluded from group events and that her salary package was less than male
employees in equivalent positions. When she complained to management about these issues,
the treatment became worse.
The SDA makes it unlawful to discriminate when advertising jobs, during recruitment and
selection processes, when making decisions about training, transfer and promotion
opportunities, and in the terms, conditions and termination of employment.
All types of employers and employment relationships are covered under the SDA, including:
Commonwealth Government employees and private sector employees, full-time, part-time
and casual employees, contract workers and commission agents, as well as apprentices,
trainees and those on probation.
It also covers recruitment processes carried out through recruitment, labour hire and
employment agencies. However, the SDA does not cover sexual harassment or sex
discrimination in employment by state instrumentalities.
Customers
The SDA makes it unlawful to discriminate in the provision of services, such as banking and
insurance services; services provided by government agencies; transport or
telecommunication services; professional services, such as those provided by lawyers,
doctors or tradespeople; and services provided by restaurants, shops or entertainment venues.
This means that it is against the law for a business to discriminate against a person by:
Refusing to provide a person with goods, services and facilities
Providing them with goods, services and facilities on less favourable terms and conditions, or
Providing goods, services and facilities in an unfair manner
Because of their sex, gender identity, intersex status, sexual orientation, marital or
relationship status or family responsibilities, because they are pregnant or might become
pregnant, or because they are breastfeeding.
For example, it could be discrimination if a bank refused to approve a loan because the
applicant was unmarried or was divorced. Direct and indirect discrimination can be direct or
indirect.
Direct discrimination happens when a person is treated less favourably than another person
because of their sex, gender identity, intersex status, sexual orientation, marital or
relationship status, pregnancy or potential pregnancy, breastfeeding or family responsibilities.
For example, it would be direct sex discrimination if a company paid men more than women
who are doing the same work. Indirect discrimination can be less obvious. It can happen
when employers or service providers put in place conditions, requirements or practices which
appear to treat everyone equally but which actually disadvantage some people because of
their sex, marital or relationship status, breastfeeding, pregnancy or potential pregnancy. If
the condition or requirement is unreasonable, it could be unlawful discrimination. For
example, a policy that says only full-time workers will be promoted might disadvantage
women who are more likely to work part-time because of family responsibilities. If the
requirement to work full-time was not reasonable it would be indirect sex discrimination.

12. What should a company’s organisational policy and procedures include to ensure
that the Sex Discrimination Act 1984 is adhered to?
An Act relating to discrimination on the ground of sex, sexual orientation, gender identity,
intersex status, marital or relationship status, pregnancy, potential pregnancy, breastfeeding
or family responsibilities or involving sexual harassment
Recognising the need to prohibit, so far as is possible, discrimination against people on the
ground of sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, intersex status, marital or relationship
status, pregnancy or potential pregnancy, breastfeeding or family responsibilities in the areas
of work, accommodation, education, the provision of goods, facilities and services, the
disposal of land, the activities of clubs and the administration of Commonwealth laws and
programs:
Affirming that every individual is equal before and under the law, and has the right to the
equal protection and equal benefit of the law, without discrimination on the ground of sex,
sexual orientation, gender identity, intersex status, marital or relationship status, pregnancy or
potential pregnancy, breastfeeding or family responsibilities:
Part I—Preliminary
                       (a)  to give effect to certain provisions of the Convention on the Elimination of
All Forms of Discrimination Against Women and to provisions of other relevant international
instruments; and
                     (b)  to eliminate, so far as is possible, discrimination against persons on the
ground of sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, intersex status, marital or relationship
status, pregnancy or potential pregnancy or breastfeeding in the areas of work,
accommodation, education, the provision of goods, facilities and services, the disposal of
land, the activities of clubs and the administration of Commonwealth laws and programs; and
                   (ba)  to eliminate, so far as possible, discrimination on the ground of family
responsibilities in the area of work; and
                     (c)  to eliminate, so far as is possible, discrimination involving sexual
harassment in the workplace, in educational institutions and in other areas of public activity;
and
                     (d)  to promote recognition and acceptance within the community of the
principle of the equality of men and women.
4  Interpretation
             (1)  In this Act, unless the contrary intention appears:
accommodation includes residential and business accommodation.
ACNC type of entity means an entity that meets the description of a type of entity in column
1 of the table in subsection 25-5(5) of the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits
Commission Act 2012.
administrative office means:
                     (a)  an office established by, or an appointment made under, a law of the
Commonwealth;
                     (b)  an office established by, or an appointment made under, a law of a
Territory;
                     (c)  an appointment made by the Governor-General or a Minister otherwise than
under a law of the Commonwealth or of a Territory (including the Australian Capital
Territory and the Northern Territory); and
                     (d)  an appointment as a director of an incorporated company that is a public
authority of the Commonwealth;
but does not include:
                    (ea)  an office of member of the Assembly, member of the Executive, or Minister
within the meaning of the Australian Capital Territory (Self-Government) Act 1988;
                     (e)  an office of member of the Legislative Assembly, member of the Council or
Minister of the Territory, within the meaning of the Northern Territory (Self-Government)
Act 1978;
                     (g)  an office or appointment in the Australian Public Service.
breastfeeding has a meaning affected by subsections 7AA(3) and (4).
club means an association (whether incorporated or unincorporated) of not less than 30
persons associated together for social, literary, cultural, political, sporting, athletic or other
lawful purposes that:
                     (a)  provides and maintains its facilities, in whole or in part, from the funds of
the association; and
                     (b)  sells or supplies liquor for consumption on its premises.
Commission means the Australian Human Rights Commission.
commission agent means a person who does work for another person as the agent of that
other person and who is remunerated, whether in whole or in part, by commission.
Commissioner means the Sex Discrimination Commissioner appointed under section 96.
committee of management, in relation to a club or a registered organisation, means the group
or body of persons (however described) that manages the affairs of that club or organisation,
as the case may be.
Commonwealth agency means an agency within the meaning of the Privacy Act 1988.
Commonwealth employee means a person who:
                     (a)  is appointed or engaged under the Public Service Act 1999;
                     (b)  holds an administrative office;
                     (c)  is employed by a public authority of the Commonwealth;
                     (d)  holds an office or appointment in the Commonwealth Teaching Service or is
employed as a temporary employee under the Commonwealth Teaching Service Act 1972;
                     (e)  is employed under the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation Act
1979, the Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918 or the Naval Defence Act 1910; or

Assessment Task 2: Leadership communication project

1. Develop a communication methods report

Company details:

Grow Management Consultants is a management consultancy business employing a CEO,

General Manager, Sales Manager and Operations Manager. There are also five senior
consultants, five project officers, four customer service officers and three administration
assistants. A number of staff work both in the office and at home.

The company has been growing rapidly over the last two years and has at least 200 regular
clients. All the staff are very busy, with senior managers usually starting work early and
finishing late. The staff come from diverse cultures with at least four of the administration
and customer service staff having languages other than English. In the past it has not always
been easy to imple
ment workplace changes due to resistance from staff and the lack of time devoted to
implementing the change.

Grow Management Consultants has witnessed a higher than usual number of workplace
injuries over the past year, and this was commented on by the company’s insurance agent at a
recent meeting with the CEO. The insurance agent stated that, if the trend continued, the
company’s insurance premiums would certainly rise in the near future. It is an international
consultancy and Construction Company, founded and built on exceptional people, a
commitment to service excellence and a deep-rooted entrepreneurial spirit. For more than
26 years our adventurous spirit has driven, us to do things better and drive change through
our industry. We shape the cities and communities of the future by connecting clients,
communities, suppliers and partners. We have four simple values that guide our behaviour
and culture of innovation. Our values permeate through everything we do, including our
relationships with our
clients, our partners, our suppliers and the communities where we work.
 Safety first – no compromise
 Client focus – deliver on our promises
 Create opportunity – for our people to excel
 Integrity – always doing the right thing

Executive summary 1.1.

Background to the research and segmentation We commissioned research in February 2012
to understand the breadth of communication methods used by UK adults to interact with
others. This included understanding their preference for particular forms of communication
depending on the circumstance: with friends and family or with businesses. A range of
different ways of communicating were investigated, including meeting face to face, using
voice calls on fixed landline or on mobile phones, text messaging, emailing, instant
messaging, social networking and postal correspondence. A summary of the research was
published as part of the Communications Market Report 20121 and showed that digital
communications are now widely used alongside traditional methods. Overall, while
consumers say they prefer to communicate face to face on a daily basis, texting is the
communication they actually use most with friends and family. This report aims to
complement the high-level findings by outlining how the UK consumer population can be
segmented into five distinct groups according to their attitudes to and usage of different
digital and traditional communication methods, whether communicating with family, friends
or businesses. By providing an insight into the communication preferences and tendencies of
the population, the research offers an opportunity to dissect ‘the consumer’ into more specific
groups of people who share similar attitudes and behaviours. Overall, the findings provide an
attitudinal dimension to Of com’s existing work in understanding consumer behaviour in
relation to different communication methods. The following section provides a snapshot of
each of the five segments that have been identified.
1.2. Overview of the five segments
We identified five groups: ‘always-on’ communicators,’ enlightened’ communicators,
‘middle of the road’ communicators, ‘conventional’ communicators and ‘detached’
communicators. These can broadly be defined by their frequency of communication and
the extent to which they use new technologies to communicate. Comparing each group
with the overall population, we found distinct attitudes to, and patterns of use of,
communication devices. ‘Always-on’ communicators (22% of all adults) As the name
suggests, ‘always-on’ communicators are those who communicate a lot, especially with
their friends and family, and use a wide range of new technological methods to
communicate. These are the youngest group with the greatest proportion still in education
and are more likely than the general population to own a mobile phone and have access to
a computer. In particular, they are avid users of their mobile phone, using it primarily to
send text messages but also to call their friends and family. Communication Choices 2
Those who use social media for keeping in touch are also more likely to be ‘always on’
communicators and are much more comfortable than the general population sharing
information with a wide group of people over the internet. People in this group are also
more likely to use newer forms of communication such as Twitter or VoIP to keep in
touch with their family and wider social circle, although these are still minority activities.
‘Enlightened’ communicators (19% of all adults) Enlightened communicators are also a
younger group who communicate a lot, though are more likely to be working and in
higher social grades than the ‘always-on’ group. They like to keep up with technology
 and as a result are more likely than the general population to think of themselves as being
knowledgeable about the internet, and are the most careful about sharing personal
information online. Technology plays a key role in the communication choices for this
group. They are more likely than the general population to own a computer and a mobile
phone and use these to keep in contact with friends and family, using texting or mobile
calls (or emailing in particular). They say that their use of email to keep in touch with
people has increased dramatically over the past couple of years and they expect to use it
even more in the future. Social networking sites are also a key communication channel
for this group, compared to the overall population. ‘Middle-of-the-road’ communicators
(22% of all adults) Middle-of-the-road communicators are more in line with the general
population in terms of the frequency with which they communicate. They use a variety of
traditional and newer ways of keeping in touch, with mobile calls, text messages and post
the most used. They prefer traditional methods to automated services when contacting
businesses.. They are most likely to be hesitant about sharing personal opinions over
social media such as Twitter, and say that they often “let others try out new services first
before giving them a go themselves”.

‘Conventional’ communicators (21% of all adults) Conventional communicators are the

oldest group; they are more likely than the general population to be retired and live on
their own. This group communicates least frequently with others, is the least likely to
have embraced new technology and the least likely of all the segments to have access to a
computer, or to own a mobile phone. They tend to use the more traditional methods of
communication such as landline calls and post, and are more likely than the overall
population to own a fixed landline. On special occasions such as birthdays, conventional
communicators are the most likely to send a card or present in the post. ‘Detached’
communicators (16% of all adults) Communicating with others is not a priority for this
group: they communicate less frequently than the overall population and they don’t have
strong opinions on any of the attitudinal statements regarding ways of communicating.
Their main method of keeping in touch with friends or family on a daily basis is using
text messages, and given the choice, they are the least likely of all of the segments to
choose to communicate face to face. While this group may not have particular views on
communication methods, their usage patterns suggest that they are more likely to use
newer, quick-form text methods of Communication Choices 3 communication, such as
Twitter or instant messaging, than the overall population, although these are still minority
activities.

Communication choices segmentation

2.1. Introduction
With the developments in digital technology and growth in take-up of different devices, there
are now many more ways in which people can choose to communicate with one another. For
example, Occam’s Communications Market Report 20122 highlighted the fact that
smartphone ownership rose to 39% of UK adults in Q1 2012, up 12 percentage points on
2011. In the same period, 80% of UK households had home internet access. This report
provides an overview of the communication choices people make, depending on their
attitudes to digital technology and the different circumstances in which they need to
communicate. 2.2. Research methodology and analysis we commissioned quantitative
research in February 2012 to understand the communication choices people make on a daily
and weekly basis. In total, 2,012 adults aged 16+ from across the UK were interviewed using
a face-to-face omnibus with a nationally representative sample. A summary of the findings of
this research was published as part of the Communications Market Report 2012. This report
provides additional analysis, focusing on five segments that have been identified, based on
differences in attitudes and behaviours relating to communication preferences and technology
take-up. 2.3. Segmentation overview Segmentation involves the subdivision of a population
into discrete groups sharing similar characteristics 3. This particular segmentation used
responses to questions about people’s use of communication methods, and their attitudes
towards technology in relation to communicating with friends and families, and with
businesses. See Annex 1 for the technical specification. 3.3.1 Frequency of communication
and methods used Figure 2.1 illustrates the five segments that were identified in relation to
their use of communication, and which can broadly be defined by their frequency of
communication and the extent to which they use new technological methods to communicate.
‘Always on’ communicators and ‘enlightened’ communicators account for just over two-
fifths of the population (41%). These groups communicate with others on a regular basis and
tend to use technological devices, although they differ in terms of their demographic
composition. ‘Detached’ communicators and ‘middle-of-the-road’ communicators account
for just under 40% of the population. Although both groups use new technologies they tend to
communicate less frequently than the ‘always-on’ and ‘enlightened’ communicators.