Good communication in the workplace not only helps your employees understand what needs to be done and accomplish it more effectively, it also makes everyone feel more comfortable. As a leader, it’s important to encourage your team to feel free to express their thoughts, ideas and concerns. It’s also important for you to clearly communicate to your team what you want from them. This will help eliminate a lot of confusion and frustration, and encourage success. To help your team meet their goals and maintain a positive work atmosphere, here are six steps for how to promote effective communication in the workplace:
1) Show Instead of Just Telling
To avoid having to unnecessarily repeat yourself, take every opportunity to show your team what you want them to do, instead of just saying it to them. You can hold meetings where you instruct multiple team members at once for group projects, and do one-on-one instruction for individual projects. This will help your team learn and understand what needs to be accomplished more quickly. Promote effective communication in the workplace by using visuals. This can include PowerPoint presentations that team members can hold onto for future reference. Also, create visuals to display around the office for important rules, values or announcements you want to be at the front of everyone’s mind.
2) Hold Town Hall Style Meetings
The next step in how to promote effective communication in the workplace is to hold open town style meetings where you can pass on important information to your team while also expressing your passion for what is going on in the company. Try to create an inspiring and relaxed atmosphere at these meetings, where team members feel comfortable expressing ideas, concerns and giving feedback. Holding these meetings on a regular basis will help all of your employees feel included and united.
3) Use Positive Body Language
When you talk with your team, be sure to look them in the eye and stand up straight to show that you truly mean what you are saying and to avoid appearing distracted. Smile to convey your message in a more relaxed manner. Also, use hand motions to bring more attention to what you are saying from your team members and help impart the importance of your message.
4) Use Humor
A tense work environment is a huge damper to workplace communication. will not promote effective communication in the workplace. Whenever possible, promote effective communication in the workplace by bringing humor into your interactions with your team. Encourage your employees to laugh with each other throughout the day. No one feels comfortable in an office so quiet and serious you can hear a pin drop.
5) Encourage Feedback
Keep your door open and encourage employees to come to you with any questions, concerns or ideas they may have. Not only does encouraging employee feedback help promote effective communication in the workplace, but it also helps you to determine whether your message is being understood properly by your employees. Also, it’s important to recognize that employees may not always feel comfortable expressing their concerns to you or in front of others. Create a channel for anonymous feedback from your team members, such as a drop box by your office or anonymous email address or online forum.
6) Don’t forget the effectiveness of email
While you want your team to feel comfortable speaking to you and each other face-to-face, you don’t want to overdo it to the point it interrupts your employees’ workflow. It’s also important to promote effective communication in the workplace through email. Send out weekly newsletter highlighting employees’ accomplishments, announcing company profits and awards, reminding employees of company events, and informing your team on other important things going on in the company.
Author: Jessica Cody
Jessica Cody, a native of Fairfield County, Connecticut, has a background in online marketing and public relations. Currently, she works at VHMNetwork LLC in the role of Marketing Analyst. She is a graduate of the University of Connecticut, where she studied Journalism and Political Science. She is also an avid runner with a passion for the outdoors.
