How do people in a business communicate, and what protects them at work?
Communication and employment: methods of internal communication, the importance and barriers to good communication, and the key rights of employees under employment law.
A focused answer to the Eduqas GCSE Business C510 content on communication and employment, covering methods of internal communication, the importance of and barriers to good communication, and the key rights of employees under employment law.
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What this topic is asking
Eduqas C510 wants you to know the methods of internal communication, the importance of and barriers to good communication, and the key rights of employees under employment law. This ties together how a business talks to its staff and how the law protects them. The exam often gives a business with a communication problem, or asks about employee rights.
Methods of internal communication
The best method depends on the message: a quick update suits an email, a sensitive issue suits a face-to-face conversation.
The importance of good communication
Barriers to good communication
A business improves communication by choosing the right channel, keeping messages clear, shortening the chain of command, and encouraging feedback so problems are spotted early.
Employee rights under employment law
Employment law protects employees in their relationship with the business.
Respecting these rights is both a legal duty and good practice: a business that treats staff fairly avoids tribunals and fines, and builds a motivated, loyal workforce. (The wider legal environment, including consumer protection and health and safety, is covered in the Influences topic area.)
Try this
Q1. State two barriers to good communication in a business. [2 marks]
- Cue. Wrong method, unclear message, long chain of command, jargon, no feedback.
Q2. State two rights an employee has under employment law. [2 marks]
- Cue. A contract, the minimum wage, protection from discrimination, fair dismissal, a safe workplace, holidays.
Exam-style practice questions
Practice questions written in the style of WJEC Eduqas exam questions on this dot point, with worked answer explainers. The year tag is the paper they imitate, not the source.
Eduqas 20192 marksState two methods of communication a business could use internally. (Component 1)Show worked answer →
A 2-mark AO1 recall question, one mark per valid method. Acceptable methods of internal communication include: meetings, email, phone calls, notice boards, memos, the company intranet, instant messaging, video calls, newsletters and face-to-face conversation. Markers want a genuine communication method used within a business; a vague answer such as "talking" is borderline unless tied to a method such as a meeting or face-to-face conversation. Each distinct method earns a mark.
Eduqas 20226 marksA growing business is finding that poor communication is causing mistakes and frustration. Analyse the effects of poor communication on the business and how it could be improved. (Component 1)Show worked answer →
A 6-mark Analyse needing developed chains applied to the business. Effects of poor communication (chained): if messages are unclear, late or do not reach the right people, staff make mistakes (wrong orders, missed deadlines), waste time and materials, and become frustrated and demotivated, while customers may receive poor service, all of which raise costs and harm the business as it grows. How to improve it (chained): the business could use clearer, more appropriate channels (the right method for the message), flatten its structure or shorten the chain of command so messages pass more directly, hold regular team meetings, and encourage two-way communication and feedback so misunderstandings are caught early. The chain to credit links poor communication to its consequences and each improvement to its effect. Markers reward developed reasoning on both the effects and the solutions applied to the growing business, not a list of communication methods.
Related dot points
- Organisational structure: hierarchical and flat structures, the chain of command, span of control, levels of hierarchy, delegation, and the effects of structure on communication and motivation.
A focused answer to the Eduqas GCSE Business C510 content on organisational structure, covering hierarchical and flat structures, the chain of command, span of control, delegation, and the effects of structure on communication and motivation.
- Recruitment and selection: internal and external recruitment, the recruitment process and documents, methods of selection, and the costs and benefits of different recruitment methods.
A focused answer to the Eduqas GCSE Business C510 content on recruitment and selection, covering internal and external recruitment, the recruitment process and documents, methods of selection, and the costs and benefits of each approach.
- Motivation: the importance of a motivated workforce, financial methods of motivation (pay, bonuses, commission) and non-financial methods (job rotation, enrichment, responsibility, praise), and the effects of motivation on the business.
A focused answer to the Eduqas GCSE Business C510 content on motivation, covering why a motivated workforce matters, financial methods of motivation (pay, bonuses, commission), non-financial methods, and the effects of motivation on a business.
- The legal environment: the main areas of legislation affecting business (consumer protection, employment and health and safety), the purpose of each, and the impact of legislation on business costs and decisions.
A focused answer to the Eduqas GCSE Business C510 content on the legal environment, covering consumer protection, employment law and health and safety legislation, their purpose, and the impact of legislation on business costs and decisions.
- Training and development: induction, on-the-job and off-the-job training, the purpose and benefits of training, the costs of training, and the importance of staff development.
A focused answer to the Eduqas GCSE Business C510 content on training and development, covering induction, on-the-job and off-the-job training, the purpose and benefits of training, its costs, and the importance of developing staff.
Sources & how we know this
- WJEC Eduqas GCSE Business specification (C510) — WJEC Eduqas (2017)