Ahh! Communication. No matter how much we emphasize this word, we never get enough of it. Despite being one of the most obvious things in the workplace, it is the first thing that is overlooked among peers.
Just take an employee poll on what causes issues and problems in the workplace; communication will top the chart with majority polls. But, what is workplace communication? What do we mean by mean when we say a business needs better communication?
Well, we will answer all the questions one by one. Just stick with us through the whole article.
What Is Workplace Communication?
We all understand the concept of communication. If we define what communication is all about, in simple terms, it is the process of sharing or conveying your thoughts and messages with others. And if we define it in terms of the workplace – it is the transmission of information from one employee to another.
Why Is Workplace Communication Important?
Communication in the workplace is critical for businesses to operate smoothly and effectively. Employees may also experience an improvement in morale and devotion to the company.
Quality communication among every level of business operation can eliminate unnecessary problems and promote enhanced performance. In addition, if the employees communicate among themselves and exchange views, they will be more interested in cooperating and finding the best solution together.
When there is a communication gap, the team fails to perform drastically, bringing detrimental results for the organization.
Tips To Improve Communication Channel In The Workplace
When you are working in an office or from home, good communication is the key to bringing the best results. Better communication is the answer to all the problems you face in the organization. OK, it may not be an answer… but, it is certainly close.
Better communication boosts understanding, fosters trust, and brings the whole organization on the same page.
OK! We understand communication is the key to being successful in the workplace. But, what if there are loopholes in the communication. Are there ways to fill them up? Yes, there are!
1. Understand Your Communication Channel
If we are talking about communication (that we are!) We have to take into consideration all the types of communication that we do today. Chat, email, video conferencing, text messages, phone calls,…… and the list just goes on!
Before you pick one platform to communicate with others, it is important to understand your own communication style. This will help better phase your words. If you have no idea what your communication style is, take the assessment today.
2. Keep A Open Communication
Many of these communication ideas revolve around a single word: OPEN. Open is just a communication approach where every individual taking part in the communication is free to place thoughts on the table.
Working OPEN requires effort, though. And not just effort but courage to face the consequences that come with open communication. This especially stands true when the communication is not going anywhere, and the environment is becoming stressful.
3. Be Direct & Concise
Vagueness in workplace communication can be fatal. Your words can be molded into different shapes and sizes. This can result in low misunderstanding morale. You must be clear with what message you want to convey. Instead of going around the bushes, come directly with your words.
4. Use 1-to-1 Meeting
One one one meetings are best. This helps both individuals understand each other’s thought processes without any disturbance. Furthermore, one on one meetings encourages people to become more open about their perspectives.
5. Focus On Feedback
A conversation with your peers will be incomplete – surely incomplete – without any feedback. Just like listening is a fundamental part of improving workplace communication, feedback is important for better communication while working in a team.
6. Ask Me Anything
This point might be related to feedback but is anonymous in nature. Organizations can build an infrastructure where employees can ask anything to the organization or complain about things that they find problematic. This helps the employees with a medium to talk about things that they usually do not talk about in the organization.
7. Listen carefully; We Mean Really Carefully!
Here is one thing: no matter how good we are, we all need advice in our professional and personal lives. However, the sad reality is that people do not emphasize the positive aspect of listening to others. So, start listening to others; you will find that you now have a better understanding of them.
