4 WAYS TO IMPROVE COMMUNICATION IN THE WORKPLACE

Effective communication within a team is paramount in order to succeed. It can seriously make a difference in what the team achieves, and a lack of it can have detrimental results to a business. In support of this is a Watson Wyatt study. It was found that companies who have effective internal communication are 50% more likely to report lower employee turnover levels.

I understand that we all experience miscommunication from time to time, we are human after all. However, if a lack of effective communication in the workplace is affecting a team’s ability to succeed, it may be time to do something about it! Take a look at a couple of these tips that can help improve communication in your workplace:

1. Establish a foundation first: The more effort you make with members of your team, the more likely they are to trust you. Taking the time out to get to know your colleagues can go a long way. Small gestures of kindness will encourage your peers to communicate with you when a problem arises (be it work related or personal).
2. Organise 1:1s on a weekly/monthly basis: Sometimes all it takes is to schedule time in your day to have a chat with all of your team individually. You will get to hear their views on the team’s current dynamics, what’s working well and what isn’t. It’ll also give you a clear idea of what needs to be improved so your team can be as effective as possible.
3. Listen carefully: People can often assume that communication is just getting your point across, but you would be wrong in thinking that. To have an effective line of communication in the workplace it is important to both, take on board what people are saying whilst also getting your point across.
4. Make it two-way: Communication shouldn’t ever be solely one-way, or from the top down. It’s important that you always solicit your employees to share their thoughts, offer feedback, and get involved in a discussion.

Although these are only a few quick tips to improve communication, they could go a long way. Do you have any other tips to help improve communication? I would love to hear them. Leave a comment below!