Measuring internal corporate communication satisfaction

This study analyzed the communication climate within an Oil and Gas Company in the Southwestern United States. The goal was to first do an organizational audit of the communication climate and then determine its impact on employee communication satisfaction. Communication constructs employees identified as impacting communication climate included lack of two-way symmetrical communication and procedural justice. Additionally, this study examines the factors that influence levels of satisfaction within the communication climate and the preferred communication methods used by employees. Factors employees identified as impacting employee satisfaction and that resulted from poor communication included lack of trust and perceptions of poor leadership. Employees also provided recommendations to improve the communication climate. Data from the focus group and interview methodology used indicate employees of this organization perceive the communication climate to be disorganized and task oriented. The presence of communication barriers hinder employee communication and have a negative impact on employee communication satisfaction. The study also showed that employees of the organization were unaware of the goals of the company. Employees of this organization expressed the desire to know the goals, mission, and vision of the company. Employees want to be informed of company happenings, desire to know what other groups are working on, and pointed to leadership as being the culprit for the unhealthy attitudes toward the communication climate.