A human being is a social animal and when it comes in contact with other people, we communicate. Be it verbal, written or non-verbal mode, communication is a necessity for the survival and interaction. While we talk or dance or send messages, whatever be the form of communication, it is important that the other person perceives if correctly. Especially at the workplace, communication has a bigger role to play as the success of the business is dependent on the human capital that puts best efforts to help the organisation meet its objectives.
If you are not comfortable with your manager, you will not be able to communicate the message that is imperative in accomplishing the project on time. And if at the workplace everyone carries such an attitude like the minion shown below, god knows how the tasks will come to fruition within the deadline.
It might seem easy, but communicating effectively actually takes quite a bit of finesse. Choosing the right words, listening with our minds instead of just our ears, and getting our message across are skills that we all need to work on.
1. Don’t Act before analysing the situation
Is it right to ask an employee to apologize for the wrong that they have not done? Won’t this situation give rise to ego clashes? As a matter of fact, do not jump onto any solution without analyzing the situation. Enquire about the depths of the matter and then accordingly come to a right conclusion to solve the messed up scene. The key to arriving at a cordial solution is to interact with both the parties that are involved in the tussle and then seeking their opinion.
2. Be Solution-oriented Not Problem-oriented
When the problem comes to the desk, do not focus on finding who did the wrong. Rather, focus on the time that is required to solve the situation. After the problem is resolved, then look out for other relevant details. For say, if there is heated argument going on in the organisation, that is killing the productive time of other employees, do not add to the scene. Take the involved parties into a separate room and talk to them. After they cool down, then ask then to resume the work. Do not poke deeper into the reasons that led to an argument. Call for an option that will prevent arguments in future especially on the office floor.
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3. Delegate tasks directly
Delegation is another integral part of good communication. When you assign a task, it should not be routed from different channels. Others might miss the relevant information that was crucial for the execution of the assignment. If you wish to delegate responsibility, directly approach your subordinate and assign the tasks that need to be done. Also, preferably keep written copies of the tasks being allotted in the form of email or other modes.
4. Welcome "Open Door" Policy
An open-door policy means that the employee can directly reach the boss without having to pass the hierarchy. They can give suggestions, seek redressal and make complaints about the misbehaviour by their immediate manager to the top layer. Putting this policy in place ensures that the flow of communication is not hindered and that employees feel comfortable bringing anything to the attention of top management. This policy might consume a little time of top management, but office politics will be reduced to a great extent. Co-workers will be more productive and the manager more employee-friendly.
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5. Organise Training Sessions
Training ensures that employees possess a complete know-how of the new practices being put in the place. A training session will only save the effort of the manager to communicate the information to each employee separately. In a single session, all the information can be disseminated and tailored as per the requirement of the listeners. If the workers are more comfortable in seeking the demonstration of the new technology implemented, then a practical interface can also be demonstrated. Training as a source of communication fails only if there is no feedback mechanism.
6. Encourage Feedback
As mentioned in the previous point, be it performance appraisal cycle, training session or the manager’s performance, every activity should include a feedback mechanism. Feedback from employees ensures that your message has reached them in true essence and that they will adopt the new ways and means to improvise the quality of their work.
If you feel we have missed any important aspect that can help improve communication at the workplace, please share them in the comment selection below. To continue reading such articles, please subscribe to our newsletter. We would gladly send interesting articles related to job search and job prep directly to your inbox.
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