THE POWER OF GOOD COMMUNICATION IN THE WORKPLACE

WHAT IS GOOD COMMUNICATION IN THE WORKPLACE?

Effective communication in the workplace involves tactics that eliminate

misunderstandings, ambiguities, and questions between individuals to foster a more
cohesive, seamless and supportive environment for task and project completion.

There are a few core components at the heart of good workplace communication.
Organizations that put effort into incorporating the following will see workplace
communication improvements cascade across all levels — and spur an overall
enhanced workplace.

1. CONSISTENT PERFORMANCE FEEDBACK

Nearly one out of every two employees today wishes for more direct performance
feedback. Employee feedback loops are consistently ranked as a top feature that
individuals assess when rating an organization’s overall culture , up there with offi ce
positivity, camaraderie and a sense of respect.

Yet “more” feedback is not synonymous with “good” feedback. Both managers and
peers crave the insights gained from meetings dedicated to reviewing task-
management tendencies, with particular attention placed on how both these
categories align with an employee’s career goals.  Such performance feedback can
take many forms, yet the key is in their consistency:

 Weekly or biweekly one-on-one meetings, for managers to touch base with

team members and hear their concerns first-hand

 Structured conversations around performance strengths and growth areas ,

ideally more than once a year

 Two-way feedback loops, where employees give feedback to their own

managers on strengths and growth areas
  A general environment that encourages learning and development while
sharing successes — and doesn’t shame mistakes when they occur

2. STRONG, GOAL-ORIENTED DISCUSSIONS

Effective workplace communication also creates an environment where professional

goals can be identified and initiated, then leading to employee growth.

During these goal-oriented discussions, individuals are encouraged to think deeply

about the future of their careers, then commit to professional development
opportunities that will help them realize those goals. Managers and leaders take
time to sit with employees, discussing motivations, interests and professional
direction. The result is a robust workplace communication practice where everyone
feels listened to and supported — and far more likely to contribute positively to the
organization.

3. PRACTICAL WORKFLOW PROCESSES

Employees must know where to turn when specific concerns or questions

strike. They should have tools and communication channels at their disposal to
reach out to peers, in ways that are convenient, coherent and intuitive.

What’s more, these tools and channels should support  overall project management
processes — the ability for employees to “check off” their value-adding tasks, then
pass the work along to the next relevant team member until completion. Clear
communication creates clear workflows for everyone to follow.
4. THE ABILITY TO QUESTION — AND GET ANSWERS

Open-door policies are the final successful communication technique in the

workplace.

Team members should feel they work in an environment where their questions and
insights are not just encouraged — they’re prized. Managers and team leaders with
strong workplace communication practices foster this environment by making space
for queries and concerns. They directly elicit questions, dedicate time in meetings
for Q&As, encourage creative brainstorming sessions and set up systems to open
and close question loops. Workplaces where employees have the freedom to
question are, ultimately, workplaces with more effective communication.

WHY ARE GOOD WORKPLACE COMMUNICATION SKILLS CRITICAL?

Strong workplace communication practices carry quantitative as well as qualitative

benefits for organizations that adopt them.

1. INCREASES EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT AND RETENTION

Employees who say their managers take the time to learn their career goals and
share their workplace successes report engagement rates nearly three times higher
than employees without such managers.

These increased engagement rates show how essential effective communication

techniques can be for employee morale. When employee morale is strong,
individuals are far more likely to stay at an organization beyond the  average four-
year tenure. Other business results follow suit:
  Employees who classify themselves as engaged are  59 percent less likely to
even passively look for other job opportunities.

 Employees who say their team leaders and managers communicate

transparently and openly stay at organizations over 30 percent longer.

 Organizations that maintain employee satisfaction and support initiatives,

such as stronger workplace communication practices, see worker happiness
levels rise. When happiness levels rise, so does worker productivity — happy
workers are up to 12 percent more productive, according to some studies.

2. CLARIFIES JOB DUTIES AND EXPECTATIONS

Up to 43 percent of new hires quit their jobs within their  first 90 days. The reason?
Role ambiguity.

When an individual feels unclear about their value-adding contributions and position
within an organization, they’re less likely to stay with that organization. Role
ambiguity causes further ripples, too. Turnover expenses climb as departments
continually struggle to fill positions, and teams suffer as a result of open roles and
shapeless responsibilities.

Effective, consistent workplace communication ensures job titles and activities

match. It provides structure and clarity at the onset of a job to counteract ambiguity
— and also on an ongoing basis, which is just as critical.

 For Individuals: Good workplace communication outlines everyday roles and

contributions, as well as what those contributions mean for the
organization’s overall goals

 For Teams: Good workplace communication keeps teams in the know about

everyone’s workloads and achievements, harmonizing individual tasks and
projects
  For Departments: Good workplace communication allows entire departments
to be more streamlined and to operate more smoothly, keeping peers in the
loop and processes tailored to departmental habits, preferences and needs

3. SAVES MONEY

Employee turnover can cost organizations around $15,000 per new hire. In some
industries, that replacement figure is even higher — sometimes over 30 percent of
the replaced individual’s annual salary. Further research indicates that nearly three-
fourths of cases where employees chose to leave an organization  are due to
preventable cultural issues.

Good workplace communication creates an atmosphere where employees want to

remain. With strong employee retention comes several institutional cost-savings:

 Reduced recruitment costs, as fewer resources need to be dedicated to

continual job listings, interviews and onboarding

 Limited separation costs, as an organization manages fewer instances of

severance pay or continued benefits

 Maximized productivity costs, with reduced role gaps and absenteeism

allowing personnel to learn, grow and thrive in the organization

TOP WORKPLACE COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUES AND STRATEGIES

So how exactly do you cultivate effective communication practices in the

workplace? Are there different skills to stress depending on your role or title — and
where precisely can you start?
Consider the following top communication techniques as a template for your own
professional development — then see the power they leverage for improved  work
processes and project management.

1. PICK YOUR CHANNELS WISELY

Savvy use of today’s many communication platforms is the first effective way to
improve your workplace communication.

Practice matching your medium with your message based on timing and needs. The
more urgent the matter, the more likely real-time communication channels will be
called for.

 Relay complicated or critical ideas directly, ideally face-to-face or over the

phone

 Use email when communication requires documentation or for tasks and

questions that can be answered quickly, in a few straightforward sentences

 Employ chat boxes and instant messages  for informal-leaning conversations

or topics

2. PRACTICE ACTIVE LISTENING

Active listening is key to the common understanding of “good” conversation. Active

listeners aren’t engaged in conversations just to hear their own voice. They listen to
take in and digest the full meaning and implications of the talk around them, then
give a response that meets others where they are.

 Paraphrase what you’re hearing to ensure all parties are on the same page
and understanding the same things
  Remain fully committed to the person or people speaking — not texting,
answering emails or engaging in side work

 Use affi rming body language such as steady eye contact, head nods and arm
gestures to relay someone has your full attention

3. EMPLOY CODE SHIFTING

Code shifting allows you to match your message with its audience, therefore
communicating thoughts and ideas in the most effective way. Skilled code shifters
are people who craft face-to-face interactions, emails, chat messages,
presentations, reports and more to connect with a specific audience, be that a boss,
a peer, a client or an external business vendor.

For example, the email you send to your direct supervisor will likely use a different
tone than the one you send to a new client, which will be different than your work
buddy three desks away. And that’s okay! Code shifting is an ultra-strategic
communication technique studies show actually  advances a person’s reputation and
offi ce relationships, not hinders them.

4. BALANCE BREVITY WITH A “HUMAN” TOUCH

Clear, concise communication is a premium in today’s workplaces. While you don’t

want to sound like a robot, you do want to respect everyone’s time — including
your own.

Most employees don’t have hours to sift through long unorganized email chains or
sit through endless meetings only to hear one thing relevant to them. Practice
slowing down and prioritizing what’s needed from an interaction, when it’s needed
by and how best to achieve those needs. Leave the rest.
5. WHEN IN DOUBT, SCHEDULE IT OUT

Any professional development initiative requires effort. What better way to

maintain that commitment than by setting aside time in your work schedule
specifically for communication-skills development?

 Sharpen your written communications with books or courses, and practice

activities where you write clear, concise briefs, presentations, emails and
more. Have a trusted coworker critique them.

 Sharpen your face-to-face communications by scheduling more one-on-one or

small-group meetings or by phoning someone with a question rather than
sending that habitual chat message.

 Sharpen your digital communications by allocating time in your schedule for

chat messages, using online work communications portals and by adopting
code shifting strategies in your emails.

BEST COMMUNICATION PRACTICES AND SKILLS BY INDUSTRY

Every industry requires good workplace communication to function. Yet those

communication skills, needs and technologies themselves will vary, with the
following sectors serving as prime examples:

1. IT WORKPLACE COMMUNICATION

IT departments straddle multiple mission-critical domains. From protecting network

security and writing code to building safe work platforms and backing up crucial
business data, their daily operations call for specific communication improvements:
  Balancing people-oriented with task-oriented communications,  ensuring the
analytical, task-directive communication style typical of IT  doesn’t come at
the expense of the human.

 Breaking down technical jargon and industry vocabulary  into layman’s

speech anyone outside of IT will understand.

2. GOVERNMENT AND PUBLIC SECTOR WORKPLACE COMMUNICATION

The public sector’s communication strategies work best when tailored for
transparency, user ease and resource maximization. Rather than introducing new
communications protocols or technologies, the public sector can instead focus on
bettering what they currently have:

 Improved top-down communications, with employees at all levels looped into

current mission-critical initiatives and priorities.

 Two-way feedback channels, strengthening public employees’ input on

existing processes and initiatives, as well as feedback portals accessible to
the general public.

 Internal communication practices that amplify employee successes ,

bolstering individual morale and increasing public-sector employee
engagement.

3. NONPROFIT WORKPLACE COMMUNICATION

Nonprofit organizations by their nature operate for the greater good. Yet relaying
their missions and building momentum behind their causes requires communication
finesse unique for this workplace environment:
  Savvy code shifting that best communicates information to relevant
stakeholders, such as code shifting when delivering an annual report to board
members versus delivering that same annual report to a group of volunteers.

 Human-centered interactions that complement the mission and identity of

the nonprofit, ideally built to support as many face-to-face or personalized
touchpoints as possible.

4. PRIVATE/COMMERCIAL WORKPLACE COMMUNICATION

Research indicates private sector employees today value work-life

flexibility, autonomy and efforts to reciprocate signs of respect. The best
communication practices for commercial organizations, therefore, are ones that
shape work culture to support rather than obscure these values:

 Clear communication workflows where tasks can be routed and questions

answered quickly and linearly, maintaining overall offi ce productivity.

 Manager-employee interactions that are authentic, meaningful and uphold

the dignity of the individual as a complex human being with interests and
goals, not just some nameless worker bee.

 An energizing mix of face-to-face, digital and written communications

opportunities, paying attention to who thrives in each.

SOURCE: https://www.m-inc.com/article/the-power-of-good-communication-in-the-
workplace/