How to Master Effective Communication at Work
How you talk to your employees matters—a lot. Even if you view yourself as personable and involved in the day-to-day workings of your business, you should take a closer look at your communication in the workplace. The way you share information, check in with your employees, and even write your emails has a significant impact on your business.
Learning various communication styles and tailoring your information dissemination strategies to align with the needs of your workforce will improve communication at work for everyone.
With that in mind, here are some actionable tips for fostering effective communication in the workplace.
Why Is Communication Important in the Workplace?
A growing body of research demonstrates the importance of effective communication in the workplace. The way you talk to your team and share information with them affects their level of trust in you, day-to-day output, attrition levels, and more.
For instance, Gartner found that helping your staff understand “how their work connects to the goals of others and the company” can boost their performance by 10%. If someone knows how what they do helps the business or their teammates, they are going to do a better job.
Increasing a single person’s output by 10% may not have a huge impact on your business, but if you can achieve that at scale, your organization will reap significant benefits.
A survey from Deloitte demonstrates a strong connection between communication in the workplace and the ability of an organization to reach its big-picture goals. In the survey, 69% of executives agree that transparency in internal communications will increase a company’s ability to realize its mission.
When you are open and honest with your team, it becomes easier to unify them and achieve great things. Moreover, you can reduce workplace conflicts, nurture feelings of loyalty toward your organization, and potentially curb turnover rates.
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Communication Touchpoints in the Workplace
Everything from your run-of-the-mill email to onboarding presentations falls under the umbrella of workplace communications. The key to improving communication at work is to decide when to use each communication style.
Informal Interactions
Informal exchanges include saying “Good morning” to your team members in the break room, sending a quick email to a coworker, or exchanging direct messages throughout the day.
These types of interactions form the backbone of team chemistry and are vitally important to effective communication in the workplace. As a business leader, set the tone by being kind and consistent during your informal exchanges.
Meetings
Regardless of how large or small a meeting may be, it must include two critical components. First, communication must be a two-way street, with each participant having the opportunity to contribute. Second, meetings must be structured and purposeful to keep everyone engaged and avoid wasting participants’ time.
Presentations
While similar to meetings, presentations are mostly one-sided exchanges of information. It’s important to include Q&A time at the end so attendees can get clarity or voice any concerns.
When planning your presentation, include engaging visuals to keep participants interested and involved. Also, remember that your employees value transparency and honesty, so be clear and upfront.
Lateral Interactions
A lateral exchange is a more formalized communication between employees at the same hierarchical level within your organization. A member of your sales department sending an invoice to the accounting team is one example. When employees communicate with coworkers they don’t typically engage with, it’s important to be formal and respectful.
Downward Communication
Downward communication, sometimes called leadership communication, refers to formal messages from managers or executives to their staff. You should always be professional and transparent when delivering downward communication like mass emails or newsletters.
Ascending Communication
Messages sent from line-level or mid-level team members to their supervisors are considered ascending communication. Generally, these communications should be sent to a person’s direct supervisor unless the situation requires circumventing them.
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How to Choose the Best Form of Communication
Deciding which style of communication to use is only part of the equation. You need to pick the right communication tools. You’ll also need to comply with any regulations that apply to employee communications.
Emails are a versatile communication tool that you can use for short, informal messages as well as more formal requests. You can leverage email when communicating with both on-site and remote teams.
Messaging Apps and Project Management Tools
For short, non-essential communication, remote tools like Slack can be a quick way to connect with team members.
If you’ve got a project management tool that you use with your teams, like Asana, Teamwork, or ClickUp, you can comment directly on tasks and projects, tagging employees where their attention might be necessary.
Phone Calls
A phone call is one of the fastest options for delivering a quick message or asking a straightforward question during work hours. If you need an immediate response, call the person on their work phone.
Texting
Sending a text message can often get you a prompt reply. It’s also less formal, which makes it useful for building rapport and keeping conversations low-stress. However, if you’re addressing sensitive issues, such as counseling an employee about poor performance, it’s best to use a more formal channel like email. Also, some employees may not be comfortable receiving work-based texts on their personal phones.
One-on-One Meetings
A one-on-one meeting can be a great tool for building rapport and learning more about an individual’s goals. If you’re working on a project with someone, these private sessions also give the two of you an opportunity to achieve synergy.
Team Meetings
Team meetings represent the pinnacle of group communication. While it’s important to stay organized, you should also give everyone a chance to feel heard. This approach keeps participants engaged and provides a broader perspective.
Videos
If you have a remote or hybrid workforce, it’s vital to invest in meeting tools like video-conferencing software. While video meetings may not be as engaging as in-person gatherings, they’re the next best thing for remote workers. By strategically using video in your organization, you can create a strong, performance-centric culture among remote workers.
How to Improve Communication Skills in the Workplace
Stronger workplace communication skills can benefit teams of all sizes. They can prevent misunderstandings, clarify expectations, and help to shape a more positive workplace culture.
Here are some great ways to improve workplace communication:
Create Shared Standards
As a business leader, you set the tone for how your team talks and shares information. Establish formal policies regarding communication and also outline how you expect employees to speak to one another (e.g., with compassion and kindness).
Most importantly, exemplify your standards. Whether you’re speaking to a line-level new hire on their first day or a long-time manager who has been loyal to your company for years, be consistent and live out your values. Your staff will take notice.
Proactively Work on Team Building
While it’s important for your team members to build chemistry organically, you can (and should) give them a nudge in the right direction. This is especially important when bringing in new talent.
For example, assign new hires a mentor so they have someone to turn to for advice or questions. You can also integrate department managers into onboarding sessions so that recent additions to your team better understand your organizational hierarchy.
Know Your Team
Before you start revamping your internal communication strategy, get to know your team and their preferences. While you may not be able to accommodate everyone’s preference, simply taking the time to ask how they like to exchange information demonstrates that you care.
Implement strategies that promote creativity and leverage your employees’ strengths. For example, if one of your top project teams performs best in free-flowing planning sessions, make your meetings less structured.
Gather Feedback and Apply It
Many employees will be hesitant to provide unsolicited feedback. Eliminate this barrier by asking them their thoughts on your communication style. Consider making the process anonymous to encourage honesty in their responses. Most importantly, apply what you learn to make the employee experience better.
Face Challenges Head-on
If you uncover a barrier to effective communication in the workplace—like a lack of the right tools or employees feeling unheard—attack it. Encourage everyone to voice their concerns and opinions openly (but respectfully). Creating an environment where constructive criticism is welcome will help the entire staff become better communicators.