Today, the ability to communicate effectively has become important for workers in most every industry, from entry-level positions to those in top-tier leadership. Workers who have studied and acquired well-developed communication skills have a leg up in the job force. Plus, the demand for good communication skills gives those who excel in this area their pick of career opportunities.
Southeastern Oklahoma State University (SE) offers an online Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in Communication with an Emphasis in Organizational & Strategic Communication. This degree program can help students learn and take advantage of advanced communication skills applicable to a wide variety of career paths.
Why Have Communication Skills Become So Essential in the Modern Workplace?
Today’s workplaces are seeing increased collaboration and team orientation toward tasks and processes in both face-to-face and remote settings. Instant communication over multiple platforms and videoconferencing tools have enabled a shift toward remote work and collaboration across distances at the global scale.
The modern consumer drives business and the economy. Customer relationships and public messaging — through multiple channels such as social media marketing and customer relations management systems — are paramount to brand loyalty and exposure.
The interconnectedness of the global supply chain also requires advanced business-to-business communications. Every business’s success depends on productivity and innovation spurred by effective internal communications promoting teamwork and positive collaboration between employees.
What Does This Mean for College Graduates With a Communication Degree?
At the most basic level, college graduates with a communications degree are inherently prepared for the modern workplace. External-facing company operations depend on employees with the advanced communication skills developed in programs like SE’s online B.A. in Communication. Within an organization, effective communication is the bedrock of efficient management and leadership.
Plus, SE’s liberal arts education program is broad in nature. It focuses on developing a student’s ability to communicate, think critically and problem-solve across a wide range of disciplines. Communication majors can apply these essential, transferable skills to any field of work. The Association of American Colleges & Universities reports that these “soft” skills are what business executives and hiring managers look for in job applicants, even more so than field-specific education and training.
What Other Impacts Will Technology Integration Have on Communications?
Internal and external communications have largely shifted to technology-based systems leading to efficiency and productivity gains while enabling collaboration and greater information security. To some extent, technology integration means the need for candidates with communication skills has augmented the need for field-specific knowledge. In a way, technology-driven business is more communications-driven than ever, and communications-savvy professionals are poised to play a key role in this essential shift in modern business.
Learn more about Southeastern Oklahoma State University’s online B.A. in Communication with an Emphasis in Organizational & Strategic Communication program.
Sources:
CareerAddict: The Importance of Effective Communication in the Workplace
Forbes: Why Every Employee at Your Company Should Have Communications Training
The Wall Street Journal: A Wake-Up Call for Grads: Entry-Level Jobs Aren’t So Entry Level Any More