Effective communication is the key to building healthy relationships and improving productivity in the workplace. According to an About.com 2014 survey, 62% of employees reported that the topmost reason why they didn’t like their job was communication-related. Despite the explosion of communication technology, poor communication overall remains a major challenge at the workplace, preventing companies and employees from reaching their maximum potential.
If you as a manager are looking to enhance the communication with your team, here are valuable methods you should adopt.
Establish a Rapport with Your Employees
You must earn your employees’ trust if you want them to communicate freely with you. Establish a foundation first and then encourage open communication. Simple as it may sound, going out for lunch or dinner with your team can help you break the ice and make them feel more comfortable around you.
Have an Open Discussion on Regular Intervals
The top way to gain your employees’ trust you is to set up a weekly or monthly one-on-one meeting. These meetings will do wonders for the team and will help you build a better relationship with them. It will also help clear the air, allowing the employees to share any issues or concerns they have with other team members or in general. Trust is a two-way street that works on the law of reciprocity. If they build their trust in you, it means you can trust them to work their hardest as well.
Listen Actively
Just like trust, communication is a two-way process. And it is essential for you to understand that, rather than just trying to get your messages across. If you aren’t patient enough to listen to your employees, there is no point of communication — it won’t work. Give your employees opportunities to discuss their opinions. Always listen with full attention before responding.
Do Not Make Assumptions Quickly
One of the major workplace challenges in the way of communication is that people are very quick in forming assumptions. It is important for you as a manager to listen properly about all the aspects before commenting on a situation or making a big decision. Assumptions that are formed quickly often lead to misjudgement and misunderstandings.
Seek Out the Employees’ Preferred Way of Communication
Being a manager, you might have noticed that some employees quickly reply to your emails while others prefer Skype or some other way of communication. Find ways of communication that are preferred by particular employees. If improving the exchange of information is what you want, then communicating via another person’s preferred style will yield fruitful results.
Use Technology to Enhance Communication
Because of the advancements in technology, we have access to a lot of tools that can help us to improve communication efficiency. You can conduct corporate events or organise corporate away days to enhance interpersonal relations within the team in an informal setup. Use social media as the means to initiate light discussions on trending topics.
Offer Feedback and Appreciation in a Thoughtful Way
All of us have had poor or lousy feedback at least once in our lives. In some cases, it is something that does not yield the best results and can even work counterproductively. Focus on your behaviour while offering feedback to employees. Follow the same rule when providing a compliment — it shouldn’t sound as if it is forced. Avoid any exaggerations when complimenting — the appreciation has to be genuine and thoughtful.
Conclusion
In today’s workforce, where employees eagerly participate in everything that goes on, open and effective communication in every direction and on all sites is the “secret” to success. Managers hold a powerful position as they can influence the way things are done at work. Adopt these methods if you want your team to excel at communication, achieve better results and improve overall productivity.
