Effective Communication & The Workplace
Photo by Austin Distel on Unsplash
It is critical for all workplaces to have good communication. Here are some reasons why?
Effective communication:
Provides purpose and accountability: Good communication in the workplace provides employees with clarity that they need in order to perform effectively in their role. Further encouraging employees to perform at their best.
Eliminates confusion: Poor communication in the workplace can lead to confusion, which can further result in employees wasting time, making mistakes and feeling disengaged.
Builds a positive workplace environment/culture: Effective communication in the workplace creates an uplifting environment where employees feel respected. Further resulting in increased morale and productivity.
Effective Communication & Workplace Issues
Effective communication practices can assist in preventing and resolving workplace issues. In saying that, employers and employees both are responsible for good communication. So, when issues arise in the workplace, having an open, honest and respectful conversation can assist.
Additionally, raising issues or concerns early can also prevent escalation.
Responsibilities:
Employers: Need to make sure that employees are at ease in raising issues or concerns with management. For instance employees should have access to awards and agreements to assist them in understanding their expectations around raising workplace issues.
Employees: Just like employers, employees also have a responsibility to ensure they communicate effectively. If there is a workplace issue, an employee’s first step should always be to communicate with the employer.
Effective Communication Techniques
Below are some techniques that workplaces can adopt to ensure effective communication:
Open meetings: having regular open meetings with the team can allow employees to hear and discuss important matters or projects face-to-face as well as voice their opinion in response.
Emails: communication via email still remains important. It enables managers to pass on messages to team members without disturbing them during their work time. Additionally, it can be beneficial to send emails regarding confidential matters to avoid spreading the news.
One-on-One meetings: Some employees understand things more effectively one-on-one, which also help:
Strengthen relationship between manager and the employee
Improves productivity
Allows both manager and employee to give valuable feedback
Allows for a check-in on employee’s personal and professional goals.
Open door policy: being accessible and interactive with the team. The ability of management to make themselves more available to employees can increase involvement with the team at the same time strengthen loyalty, commitment and confidence.
Communication channel: It is important for employers to encourage the workforce to communicate with one another. Therefore creating a means where employees can share knowledge, discuss plans or arrange meetings in a casual setting can be helpful in encouraging an effective communication culture. Communication channels such as Slack can be useful tools, especially when working from home or remotely.
Listen: Lastly, along with communicating, it is essential for employers to actually listen as everyone wants to feel valued and respected. Therefore it is crucial that employers take their time and are engaged when a team member is expressing their opinion or concern.