The Role of Organizational Communication Patterns in Motivating Employees: A Study of a Small Manufacturing Company in Indonesia

Abstract

This study examines the organizational communication patterns used by PT. Lezen Indonesia for motivating its employees, and the supporting and inhibiting factors thereof. A descriptive qualitative method was used. The authors used Joseph A. Devito’s theory of five communication patterns (the circle, chain, star, wheel, and Y patterns) and found that the PT. Lezen Indonesia used three of them – the chain, the star, and the circle pattern. They also noted that the communication pattern used by the leader to communicate with subordinates was not much different from the pattern used by the subordinates to communicate with the leader, namely the chain communication pattern and the star communication pattern. However, the communication patterns used by employees to communicate with each other were circular and star patterns, where the employees freely communicated with each other. Factors supporting communication patterns in motivating employee work were routine family gatherings and receiving rewards and remuneration on time. However, the inhibiting factor was a misunderstanding as the company leadership was not yet very fluent in delivering information in Indonesian. Another inhibiting factor for many employees who joined and instantly left the company was the low entry-level salary, lack of benefits, and the restriction on using cell phones while working.
 Keywords: communication, communication pattern, work motivation