Last year, 80% of people in the workforce felt work-related stress because of poor communication.
If the people on your team are struggling to communicate with each other, then it is time to do something about it before it causes a significant impact.
Clearly, communication within the workplace can be a problem whether it is between you and your employees or between coworkers. There are plenty of tips for effective communication so no one needs to feel stressed on the job.
Keep reading for our guide to seven of the best tips and tricks for effective communication in the workplace and learn how you can get started today.
1. Use Face-to-Face Communication
As employees, we all dread the weekly meetings or check-ins with our boss but when effectively using communication in the workplace these meetings are a must. Face-to-face communication can give you and the other person a chance to express your opinions in an open and free environment.
Being face-to-face with your audience also lets you read their body language. Saying something that they may either like or not like can be determined by the way they react.
Sending a text message or email may seem like an easier or more efficient route, but meeting in person can help to get your point across in a clearer way. Plus, if there is a problem that needs to be addressed you can get it out of the way much easier.
2. Provide Feedback
If your team is struggling with workplace communication, then you need to make sure that you’re providing feedback. Let each employee know what they’re doing well and what they could work on.
Some employees might not even realize that they need to learn how to communicate effectively at work. Pointing out where they could do better is the best place to start with your team members.
Make sure to provide advice for them to do better.
3. Use Your Listen Skills
Communication isn’t only about being heard but rather about listening to what others have to say. Especially as a manager you need to make sure that you’re using your listening skills to see what your team needs.
When you’re listening to an employee make sure that you’re focused on the conversation at hand and not thinking about what you’re going to be doing next.
A good way to improve your listening skills to paraphrase what the other person is saying in your head. This way you will be able to listen and remember what they’re saying better. Try to keep a list of everything that they’re talking about during the conversation.
You’ll find that once you start listening and acting on what your employees have to say that they will become happier and more productive at work.
4. Get to Know Your Team
A great way to have open communication with your team members is by getting to know them better. When you get to know your team, then they will feel more comfortable coming to you with any problems or requests.
Being friendly and asking about things not related to work is a great way to communicate and get to know the people you work with.
As a manager, you should avoid getting too personal or start gossiping. You still want to remain authoritative in certain situations. Yet, getting to know the people that work for you is key to better communication.
5. Keep Everyone Informed of Changes
One of the best effective communication tips is to make sure that everyone is informed of changes that could happen throughout the day. We all know that changes happen at work all the time, but it can hinder our jobs if we aren’t aware of them as soon as possible.
For example, if a deadline is changed or another part of a project isn’t completed on time, then this could impact another team member’s work. The sooner they know of the change, then the quicker they can adjust their schedule to get things done.
This post goes in-depth with how changes in the workplace can affect the dynamic of the workflow. It is obvious that if your team doesn’t know of the changes, then they will struggle to get things done. This is why you and your team should always keep everyone in the loop when changes or obstacles could occur.
6. Reward Employees for Effective Communication
Positive reinforcement can go a long way even in the workplace. If you notice a particular employee who has stepped up and started to effectively communicate better with their team members, then be sure to recognize them.
You don’t need to throw a huge party or find a big prize. Rather, by saying “thank you” or “good job” is a great reward and recognition for employees in the workplace.
Plus, when other team members see one person getting recognized for doing something well, then they too may start to communicate better for a chance to get recognized.
7. Team Building Exercises for Communication
In some instances, employees might not know how to start communicating better. Asking them to do something that they don’t know how to do won’t get you very far.
If you feel like your team is a lost cause when trying to effectively communicate, then try out some team-building exercises for communication. There are plenty of different games and activities that you can play as a group to learn better communication skills.
You can either make a day of team building or try out an activity during your weekly meeting. This way they will be exposed to communication skills and will get to know each other a bit more during each meeting.
The Best Tips for Effective Communication
If your team is struggling to communicate, then be sure to start implementing these awesome tips for effective communication. When your team works better together then you will notice less stress, better motivation, and even an increase in time management.
Make sure that as a manager you are also using your communication skills effectively as it starts from the top of the chain.
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