How to have effective communication within the workplace
Effective communication occurs when a message is sent and received accurately. Just because you believe you are communicating ideas and information properly in your organization, does not necessarily mean it is effective. Workplace communication is important for streamlining internal communication. Maintaining effective communication ensures that management and the team below them are on the same page. That means that employees are confident with the work at hand and managers are assured that team members are correctly undertaking that work. (Cheng, 2020)
With this being said, in today’s article, we will be discussing seven ways in which your workplace can have more effective communication.
1. Communicate face-to-face when possible
Face-to-face communication is one of the most important aspects of successfully communicating within the workplace. In most conversations, real meaning often occurs from nonverbal gestures and facial expressions, so, it is more effective in interpreting what the other individual is trying to express. Along with this, through face-to-face conversations, your employee’s may feel more comfortable in sharing any personal concerns as well as questions that they may have within the workplace environment.
2. Ask questions
In order to have effective communication, it is crucial that the use of questions is being normalized within your workplace environment. Your employees should feel comfortable in communicating their feelings within the conversation between you or between other employees in the business. By normalizing the use of questions, your workplace will be an open safe space for all to share their concerns and or feelings moving forward.
3. Conduct team building activities
Creating team building activities is a great way to improve communication and teamwork within your workplace because it assists in creating stronger more open bonds with those who are involved in the company. Through these team building activities, employees are able to collaborate and interact in a fun way, instead of in an environment that is high in stress. It gives each employee the freedom to speak their mind and bounce around ideas with colleagues on a daily basis.
4. Motivate and Inspire each other
Motivating and inspiring one another is essential in effective communication within a workplace. As a team, it is important to uplift each other and communicate how proud you are to be working with the team that you are with and express what a great job each individual is doing. By doing this, great communication will form and create a healthy workplace environment.
5. Provide clear instructions
In order to ensure that effective communication is being implemented, it is crucial to make sure that you as well as your employees are clearly providing the required instructions with any task that needs to be completed. If clear instructions are not provided, miscommunication could occur and can apply a short-term or long-term setback. So, next time instructions are being given, ensure that you are communicating well and that the employee receiving the information is interpreting it correctly.
6. Implement a Team Communication Application
Although face-to-face interaction is the best way to communicate with team members, it is not always possible, depending on specific circumstances. With this being said, through implementing a task management software, your workplace can make communication streamlined between all employees. Along with this message can be shared regarding any current or future tasks that need to be completed as well as gives employee’s a way to share and exchange their similar goals and objectives while working at the company.
7. Don’t just hear, listen clearly
Listening is an important communication skill that is key in communicating effectively. In a lot of situations, it is common to hear what the other individual is saying when they are communicating with you, whether it be a concern they have or just instructions on how to successfully complete a task. With this being said, many people mistake hearing for listening however, they are two very different things. When we listen, we are clearly understanding what the other person communicating is trying to tell us, so we then gain a strong understanding of what is being said.
The final message
To conclude effective communication occurs when a message is sent and received accurately. Just because you believe you are communicating ideas and information properly in your organization, does not necessarily mean it is effective. Workplace communication is important for streamlining internal communication. Maintaining effective communication ensures that management and the team below them are on the same page. With this being said, through analyzing the steps listed above, your workplace is a step closer to having better communication.
