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Overcoming Communication Blunders in the Workplace

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Having effective internal communication strategies can boost a company’s revenue and raise employee engagement. Though internal communications are an important part of a company’s runnings, they can sometimes be pushed aside and neglected, leaving employees unengaged and less likely to communicate with you about any problems they may have. Having effective internal communication can be incredibly beneficial to companies as it raises employee engagement and takes less employee turnover in the long run. If your communication within your company is subpar, this information is for you as there are many things you can do to improve things quickly and easily.

Visibility is Key

Consider publishing team and company goals somewhere that everyone is able to see them. Yes, print out goals and keep them visible. This creates the ability to reach out to employees through setting goals while maintaining an open mind. Employees tend to work better when they are clear on the goals that the employer has set and they are easy to understand. These goals are much more likely to be reached, and it allows employees to feel as though they have some control in the situation. It is also important to take some time to recognize employee work. This provides them with a sense of excitement and value. By helping them to understand that their work within the company is overall helpful, they have a better sense of responsibility and begin to push themselves in work. This helps maintain both individual and group work, and improves overall efficiency.

Not Everything Requires an Email or Meeting

Obviously, it is not expected of you to completely eliminate emails and meetings, but reducing them can drastically improve internal communication. There are times where it is necessary to have meetings. These situations include realigning goals, going over priorities, and discussing potential places where the employee or employer can do better. Other than that, most things can be accomplished through email, especially if you want to reach a large amount of employees. However, these should really only contain important company information and updates that directly impact the day-to-day functions of the job. Sources like Unified Communication by Gamma allow employers to communicate with their employees more effectively and efficiently without constantly interrupting their day. Flooding them with emails and updates will only decrease productivity, annoy your employees, and make it less likely that they will open the memo. So, only send out information when it is important and necessary to avoid communication barriers.

Work on Yourself

The thing employees want to see the most is that their boss is just as human as they are. It is important to remain honest, courageous, and involved in the workplace. If you cannot lead by example, how do you expect your employees to be motivated? Take time to learn how you could be communicating better to them. The people who spend the most time with you are likely to know the best ways that things can improve. Communication is not as easy as it may seem, but considering the employee’s and your personal needs can make things run much more smoothly and lead to higher employee retention overall.