The need for effective employee communication in the workplace

Workplace communication is the process of communicating verbally and non-verbally to exchange ideas and information within an organisation.  From an HR perspective, workplace communication is all about how we engage with our employees. And we know that in order for our organisation and our employees to thrive, operate effectively and manage employee satisfaction, workplace communication is an imperative. When encouraged to communicate up and down the chain within an organisation, employees can experience an increase in morale, productivity and commitment.

Whilst effective employee communication in the workplace has manifold benefits, there are three ways effective communication can act as a key ingredient to an organisation’s ability to produce and operate optimally.

1. Employee Engagement

Communicating is more than just talking. It’s about connecting with people. One of the most powerful benefits of better communication in the workplace is more engaged employees. The more engaged in their work that employees are, the better aligned they are with the goals, culture and objectives of the company. Good workplace communication can enhance employee engagement as it:

·         provides a channel for better understanding between employees, employers and organisational goals;

·         enables better understanding of employee motivation;

·         can give a clearer understanding of employees’ skills and talents that may otherwise not be noticed;

·         offers the ability to foster skills and talents in a way that it develops employees in line with the organisation’s goals;

·         leads to a better workplace culture and improved relationships between co-workers that results in a more productive workplace ;and

·         creates stronger relationship development with leaders and managers.

2. Employee Professional Development

When the right communication strategy is in place, this can positively boost productivity by reinforcing employee engagement. Communication skills can also nurture a more productive workforce by facilitating employees’ professional development and understanding team talents and skills more accurately.

When a workplace culture reiterates connecting with others, managers are better able to identify their individual’s talents, pool resources together more effectively to maximise output, and pay more attention to develop their individual’s specific skillset. Understanding the variances in communication patterns can empower leaders to better comprehend the talents and skills of their team.

With the right communication tools, a leader can influence and achieve more buy-in from their team. This greater employee input can also lead to greater productivity and development.

Effective communication strategies also creates a safe place for people to think creatively and express their ideas and concerns. Employees are more empowered to take ownership of the challenges and tasks they are presented with. Employees have to feel safe in knowing they are receiving honest and updated information from their superiors. Open lines of communication to be able to share ideas, feedback and raise any concerns are also crucial for employees within a company.

In summary, if organisations need to improve their bottom lines, implementing a sound and effective communication strategy that filters from top to bottom through the organisational chain is the first place to start.

3. Mitigate Conflict

When there is clear conflict or tension within the workplace, inappropriate communication strategies are often at the root of the problem.

A feeling of conflict within a workplace usually boils down to the feeling of misunderstanding, or being misunderstood. Good communication is even more important if the workforce is diverse.

We know that today’s workforce is highly diverse with a mix of nationalities, races, genders and religion, and if not careful it can be easy to offend an individual’s beliefs and culture. Communication skills such as identifying communication patterns, focusing on behavioural cues and active listening strategies can help employees accurately understand new information and feel more clearly understood.

Since client interactions are usually the difference between a satisfied customer and an unhappy one, when your client facing employees are trained to communicate more effectively and to connect with others, this can also greatly help the organisational productivity and growth.

Check out our new Mybenefitsatwork website and let us show you the power of online engagement with the Mybenefitsatwork portal. You can request a demonstration by clicking here.

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About Mybenefitsatwork

Mybenefitsatwork is a high-impact, low cost employee engagement tool that enables you to tell your employees all about the pension and benefits you provide.