Communication forms the very foundation of any relationship. It not only helps you open up to anyone but also establishes a level of comfort between those who are communicating.
Talking of businesses, communication is used by everyone at the workplace. And healthy communication is the best foundation that can be laid for any business.
Workplace communication refers to transmitting of information between one person or groups to other person or groups in an organization.
Efficient workplace communication has many benefits like improving the employee’s productivity and increasing employee job satisfaction. It also promotes a sense of professionalism in any business.
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When aims, goals and other business critical information is not communicated well in an organization, it can lead to decreased productivity in a company along with a lot of confusion among the employees.
So here are a few basic tips and styles to make communication easier in a business, that everyone at a workplace must know:
According to a research by American Psychological Association, one-fourth of the employees cannot trust their employer in an organization. It might seem a simpleton fact but it is indeed true.
The trustworthy attitude at the workplace can help in better communication among employees and better productiveness in any business.
The key is to show a genuine interest, show empathy towards the concerns and dilemmas of the employees and other colleagues at the workplace. It is a proven fact that people can communicate better with someone they can trust easily.
The employees and rest of the staff are bound to communicate in a much better way if you establish a level of trust with them. You will also be able to communicate the goals and challenges in your business in an effective way if your employees know that they can work together to find a solution.
Psychologists suggest that people tend to do something in an effective way if they have reasons for it. It not only imparts a sense of positivity and comfort in your communication but also shows the importance of a task in an informative way.
For example, if you are assigning a task to one of your employees, you can say “This presentation is a wonderful way to communicate with the customers. Do you have any suggestions on the approach or can it be presented in a better way?”
In this way you’re offering vital information to the employees at the workplace and giving away an opportunity to ask questions, they may have otherwise hesitated to ask.
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One of the most difficult tasks at the workplace is to communicate criticism. It is often a type of conflict to receive and give criticism that arises at the workplace.
If you are a leader or a manager at a workplace you might feel yourself in a position to offer criticism to your employees at times. The best is to focus on realistic expectations and not communicate out of the way about unrealistic goals and targets.
This way both of the parties can work out a way to change without having a negative impression of it. If you are on the receiving end of the criticism, try not to be defensive and request for examples instead.
Being defensive can only heighten negative emotions. Communicate by paraphrasing your responses so that both of you can agree on the same issue. It is also important to admit when you are wrong so that there is a constant flow of positivity in the communication.
The most important is to keep the conversation collaborative and solution-oriented so that an emotional control is appropriately maintained between the talking parties.
With businesses turning global, the world is shrinking. Companies are not only hiring foreign employees but also working with more partners abroad.
As a result of this, there is a need for businesses to be culturally sensitive so that they are well aware of the elusive and delicate differences in the way people of different nationalities and religions interpret different words and gestures.
In certain cases when businesses are not aware of nation-wide differences, a cultural faux pass could lead to far more serious implications.
Therefore, there is a need to create an environment that is sensitive and suitable to the needs of all their employees. This communication practice is bound to earn appreciation and better understanding from employees in any business.
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It is easy to understand how effective communication at a workplace can lead to greater success and understanding of thoughts at any workplace.
It can be a building block for greater achievement and happiness for both your company and your employees. The key is to be clear and precise instead of just keep on talking and using unnecessary jargons for a longer time.
You will be surprised to see a significant impact on the employee productivity, and profitability of your organization through effective communication practices at the workplace.
Thus, it is always beneficial to remember the golden goose for communicating, “Tell them what you are going to tell them. Tell them. Tell them what you just told them.” This way you can help build a psychologically healthy workplace.