Outline of HR2002 Project

Impact of Online Communication on Human Relations in the Workplace

• Rationale:
Effective communication is critical to most organizational processes,
including team collaboration and decision making. Face-to-face
communication is commonly assumed to be superior to all other forms of
communication, yet face-to-face communication does not cope well with
organizational constraints such as time pressure or the geographic
distribution of team members. This is especially so in today’s business
environment because of the even quicker pace of global commerce that
often demands fast decision making and more team collaboration in an
increasingly fragmented context. Complicated linkages among
organizational elements, including dynamic and uncertain social, political,
and economic environments, ambiguous and incomplete information, and
conflicting internal organizational interests, also contribute to less
effective communication processes.

With the arrival of the Internet, an answer in overcoming some of these

constraints may be computer-mediated communication (CMC). CMC
enables increased and more equal team member participation, offers
flexibility over time and distance, creates time for additional reflection and
thought by participants, and archives a permanent record of all discussion.
CMC overcomes some of the drawbacks common to face-to-face
communication in some circumstances, thus enhancing organizational
communication, team collaboration, and decision-making effectiveness.

However is this revolution not without any flaws? Our group seeks to
understand the differences between face-to-face communication and
CMC. After describing these, we will outline a framework for the study of
CMC and considers the effects of CMC on interaction between users,
based on several factors, such as role and identity construction, ways of
learning, and commitment to the workplace. We will base this study on the
3 tier – the individual, the team and the organization.

• Hypothesis:
Our group hypothesize that increased use of online communication will
degrade human interactions at the workplace, and this will affect the
individual, the team and the organization.

• Means of data collection:

 Primary Research – Surveys, Interviews, Observations, Personal
Experiences
 Secondary Research – Journals, Articles, Websites, Books
• Limitations and Concerns:
 Insufficient studies done on local situation.

• Flow of Report:
 Introduction:

1) Background:-
 Human relations had degraded. (Show how – research data-
http://www.singstat.gov.sg) There is less face to face interaction.
(more ppl not married, more old ppl in homes, etc stats)
 Why is this a problem? (Link to QoL) (Humans are
interdependent, etc) Use of internet, particularly computer
communication, shown to be main / number 1 cause of this
problem. (Use survey results, gov stats to prove) More computer
usagelesser face to face interaction (time inelastic & computer is
individualistic & less social cues & anonymity-The Internet allows
one to take on an alter ego and to assume a different identity online
because of their sense of insecurity & “flaming”.) worsen
interpersonal relations less meaningful relationship  lower
QoL.
Dangers of online chatting…..
 Show how this will affect the workplace and organization.

2) Causes: -
 Causes are basically asking “Why do people go online?”
 “In”
 easy access
 easier for people to converge
 allow multi-tasking
 for work and school, entertainment purposes

3) Responses: -
 Government had been actively promoting activities that
involve social interaction.
 Schemes by MCYS--
http://app.mcys.gov.sg/web/home_main.asp
 Programs of SDU
 Sporting activities by SSC
 Government had, and promises to continue enhancing public
policies to promote social interaction.
 Five-day work week policy.
 Family Day
  Companies, in line with government policies, had similar
programs
 Encourage employees to bring kids into
workplace.

 But most solutions fail to address main cause.

 Recommendations:
1) Enhance the interface of online communication to bridge the
differences between it and face to face interaction. Online
communication has to be more personal, more sociable and less
individualistic.
2) Implementation and promotion of a no emails, no IM day / week.
(This will exclude important government agencies and businesses.)
3) Educating people to make them realize the cause of disintegration
of human relations.
4) Promotion of more activities aimed at forging stronger bonds face
to face, e.g. sports.

 Conclusion:
 This problem is becoming more important with increased
widespread use of Internet. Therefore it warrants more attention.
 Problem needs more research as there is lack of it, especially in
Singapore.
 Overseas research fraught with many limitations.
 While computers have evolved to become an important tool for
communication, we should not be over-reliant on it. To borrow a
quote from Cicero ‘Never go to excess, but let moderation be your
guide.’

In essence, our main aim of this paper is to make people realize that it is
important not to solely rely on computer communication as a means of
interaction, but it is best used as a complement of normal day to day
interaction.

• Reference:

• Appendices: Survey results (own and others)