Good communication is the key to every successful business. If you want your workplace to feel good and you want to keep everyone happy and working towards the same goal, then making sure that everyone is communicating freely should one of your highest priorities. It’s not only about creating a safe, healthy environment, although that is a big part of it, it’s also about keeping everyone up to date and on the same page. Bad communication can cause frustration, confusion, lack of focus and can overall negatively affect the workplace. If you’d like to avoid all those bad things and improve information flow in the workspace, we suggest that you stick around for a few more moments as we’re about to take a look at some of the most effective ways to improve communication in any workplace.
1. Create A Bond
One of the best ways to build trust and a good relationship is to form a bond unrelated to business. That way, as a leader, you’d feel closer to your employees and they will feel more comfortable approaching you with any problem that may arise. For example, you could have lunch with one of your new employees to welcome him to the team. Instead of talking shop, you could get to know each other on a more personal level and create a bond that will allow for better communication down the road.
2. Build Trust
The most common theme around workplaces around the world is that the regular workers don’t really like or trust their bosses. In situations like those, it’s impossible to maintain a healthy workplace where information flows freely. Showing that you care and you trust your employees and leading by example is one of the best ways to gain their trust. Show genuine interest in any problems they may approach you with and you’re guaranteed to have brilliant communication from that point on.
3. Schedule Regular 1-on-1s
A game of pickup basketball could probably help, but that’s not what we’re suggesting. Even if you have an open-door policy and you welcome everyone approaching you with any concerns or problems, people still value other person’s time, especially their superiors, and out of respect they might not want to bother you. That could cause some problems. To avoid that, schedule regular one-on-one meetings or conversations with your employees so you can freely discuss any matter at hand.
4. Schedule Weekly Team Meetings
1-on-1’s are essential for voicing and dealing with individual concerns, but it is equally important to make sure that the whole team is up to date and on the same page. Weekly team meetings are the perfect way for people to share their weekly goals and find out what other people on the team are working on. The result is greater transparency and more opportunities for collaboration.
Team meetings are also an excellent way for managers to unveil new projects, progress on team goals, and anything else that might be relevant. Find time for an inviting Q&A at the end of the meeting, so people can ask questions, make suggestions, or voice concerns to the entire team.
5. Incorporate Digital Signage Into The Workspace
By adding digital signage to your office or workspace, you can be sure that everyone will always be up to date with the latest developments, goals, upcoming projects, or scheduled team meetings we’ve just mentioned. Many leading experts in the digital signage field, such as indigoworkplace, advise that you incorporate this into your office. Even for the sole purpose of lighting up the mood.
6. Explain Why Something Is Asked Of Someone
Fair warning – if this is not done correctly, it could have a completely opposite effect. The goal of this is not to show that you’re better than someone else, on the contrary, it’s to show how important every member of the team is. By explaining to someone, in a positive and informative way, why their part of the project is very important, will make them feel like a part of something bigger, something better and it’ll make them feel appreciated. When people feel appreciated, they’re much easier to talk to and cooperate with.
7. Actively Listen
Communication isn’t just about getting your message across and then drifting off. It’s not a one-way street. It’s about giving and receiving information. When you’re actively listening to what the other person is trying to say and you engage in the conversation, the chances of that conversation being useful and effective are very good. if you’re not listening, it’s not really easy to end up on the same page.
8. Give Constructive Feedback
Feedback is essential in a business setting. It is paramount to make sure everything is going in the right direction. If someone’s doing a good job, positive, reinforcing feedback can be even more motivating, or in the other case, it could prevent future mistakes from being made. However, negative feedback can often come across as a personal attack. That’s usually the case when the feedback is not constructive and is just pointing out the errors. On the other hand, constructive feedback offers solutions and is based on facts and observations, not judgments.
9. Assign Clear Roles In Vital Group Projects
A well-organized group project will do great things. On the other hand, if the roles aren’t assigned right away, the group dynamics can easily crumble and communication may suffer. There has to be a group leader, the one who has the final say. Otherwise, it’s possible that everyone will try and assume that position which will ultimately lead to failure.
So, what have we learned from all of this? More often than not, it comes down to creating and maintaining an environment where people are confident enough to express what they really think, explore new ideas, and are just comfortable enough to ask questions that might come across as foolish. Managers are responsible for setting an example for their team by demonstrating what it means to be a good communicator. This means practicing active listening skills, giving team members a chance to speak, setting clear expectations, and providing constructive feedback.
