Proper communication is the foundation of any great workplace. In essence, internal and external communication among workers represents an organization as a whole, including its reputation. The fact remains that problems can still arise regardless of the communication measures in place.
If workplace communication is not in good form, then you can bet that the organization’s operations will be heavily affected. Aside from that, the interpersonal relationships between people are also affected, and it does nothing but foster an unhealthy working environment. If you’re in management or a higher position, then you must do something about the situation.
In this article, we’ll be discussing the various communication problems that can happen in the workplace and the steps we can take to address them adequately.
Listening Skills
Talking is easy to do, but the real measure of a person’s communication skills is their ability to listen. In the workplace, listening is crucial in order to follow instructions, work as a team, and be successful with your everyday activities.
It is so important for all aspects of anyone's job to understand, appreciate and fully listen to your coworkers, and vice versa, in the end it benefits the entire workplace. Since listening is crucial for any company, try hosting a seminar or workshop where employees learn more about the importance and benefits of communication.
Lack of Motivation
When a company experiences a downturn, it’s often partly due to a lack of motivation among employees. Lack of motivation or general interest is sometimes caused by poor workplace communication or how management treats employees.
You simply need to talk to your workers and engage them as much as possible. If they have any problems that affect their performance, then try to understand and address them. You can also refer them to another staff member who can help for additional assistance.
Attitude
Everyone has an attitude, and some attitudes are stronger than others. A person’s attitude can sometimes make or break workplace teamwork and other endeavours if not appropriately addressed.
An example would be during a meeting, where everyone’s feedback is appreciated. One person may speak over their fellow worker, and then it comes into a full-blown argument. Talking alone is not going to get the job done, so it’s crucial to address the attitude of workers.
Perhaps the best way to do this is to talk directly to an employee and consider how their work is affected. If their attitude suddenly appears to you or other people, you have to stand your ground and tell them that there’s a better way to handle the current situation with their attitude aside.
Oversharing
Oversharing is a problem that many workplaces experience. When not addressed, oversharing information throughout an organization causes gossip. Aside from that, it can also lead to exchanging sensitive, inappropriate, or fabricated information.
To combat this, you have to instill the importance of confidentiality in the workplace and discourage gossip. You must also refrain from including sensitive information in communication mediums such as email.
Quality of Written Communication
In bigger workplaces, employees tend to use written communication as a way to relay messages. Some common examples include emails and corporate software.
To avoid miscommunication in written format, you must double-check your message to ensure it’s free from grammatical errors. For extra security, you can ask your co-workers to check your message for you. Your co-workers will act as a third-party checker so that even the most minor mistakes can be corrected.
Proper Use of Communication Tools
Communication must be done properly depending on the type of message being relayed. In the workplace, face-to-face communication is the most effective for those working in an office environment. But given the shift of working from home, the best approach depends on what your co-workers are comfortable with. Now this could be a Video meeting (so don’t miss the non verbal communication) or a phone call. To put it plainly, you must know when to use different methods of communication.
A good example would be using emails for non-sensitive information, considering emails use public networks that are not encrypted. Internal enterprise messaging tools are often secured with encryption to ensure your message is private. There are many methods of communications today like SMS or Text, Email, Social Messaging apps (like Facebook Messenger, Linkedin, Instagram or Whatsapp) but using the right tool for the right situation can add to the communication problems so start with a communication strategy outlining which tools should be used in the situations you will face in your organization.
Conclusion
Proper communication in the workplace removes any unnecessary problems and promotes overall office efficiency. Effective communication boosts productivity, which in turn creates a stronger team. If a workplace has communication problems that are not addressed, then it’s doomed to fail.
BrantTel is a digital consulting group specializing in creating solutions for communication and productivity in the workplace. We believe that communication is the catalyst for a successful business, which is why our advisors will come up with definitive plans to bring about changes for the betterment of your workplace. Contact us today to learn more!