Effective communication is the foundation of strong leadership. No matter how intelligent you are, or how many good ideas you have, if leaders can’t communicate properly with their team, all knowledge and ideas become irrelevant. Communication barriers in the workplace mean nothing will ever get done. Poor communication impacts motivation, morale and productivity.
If you want to improve your bottom line, find ways to improve team communication in your organization. You’ll energize your staff and reignite their passion for their jobs. With everything else already piled on your desk, it may seem too overwhelming to take on another challenge. However, improving your communication skills can be simpler than you might think, and we at Pascoe Workforce have outlined ten easy ways to open the communication channels in your office.
How to Improve Team Communication in 10 Easy Steps
- Set Expectations: Let your employees know specifically what your expectations are. If they understand your expectations for their position, be it short or long term, they are better equipped to achieve both your goals and theirs.
- Hold Effective Team Meetings: Let’s be honest – sometimes meetings drag on and employees begin to grow bored. Or even worse, the topics aren’t relevant to everyone present. Restructure your meetings so that they are the most effective, and efficient, for everyone involved.
- E-mail Non-Essential Messages: Instead of pulling employees away from their desks every time you need to address an issue, communicate via e-mail so your employees don’t become distracted and disengaged.
- Use Simple Words and Visuals: Members of your staff might all have different learning styles – some individuals are visual, some are auditory and some are kinesthetic. Be sure to utilize all of these communication techniques so that your message is properly received. Also be sure not to over-complicate or misrepresent your messages as your intentions could be lost along the way.
- Create a Receptive Environment: Remove the tension. Get your employees to relax, especially if the conversation lately has been revolving around employee turnover. Deflate the tension in the workplace to boost communication on all levels.
- Show Appreciation: Say “please” and “thank you.” Let your staff know when they’ve done a job well. When management clearly appreciates their employees, from junior management to entry level, it shows in their work.
- Use Technology: Technology is especially important when communicating with remote employees. Using online meeting tools with screen-sharing options or video conferencing that allow you to effectively communicate your goals and objectives no matter the physical distance between team members.
- Be Open and Honest: Transparency will improve your employees’ sense of job security. It will encourage open dialogue and allow them to feel like they have some stake in the direction of the company – meaning they’ll care more about their work.
- Establish Deliverables: Be clear with your expected outcomes and how you plan on measuring their success. Your employees will work more effectively and efficiently if they can clearly see the path to success and how you will evaluate their performance.
- Encourage Collaboration: Get your team to talk to each other. Provide opportunities for them to work together in an open and candid group setting.
If you’re looking for new and innovative workplace solutions for your company, contact us at Pascoe Workforce Solutions. We have proven strategies that have helped hundreds of businesses get better results from their staff.