If you are a manager or boss in the company, you must accurately communicate to employees; otherwise, chances are that they will not do the work under how you want it to be done.
Various companies employ different means to communicate better with their employees, but they all agree that proper and effective communication is a must, otherwise, things at the office bound to fall apart.
If you want to know, how to communicate to employees in a better manner, then following these employee communication techniques and tips will help you a great deal and lets you know the importance of communication.
Types of Employee Communication:
Each office has its hierarchy, where the people who lower down in the general order of things expected to take note of what the seniors say and work accordingly. There are primarily three levels of employee communication in the workplace.
- First implies the communication from the manager to his employees.
- Second is the communication from the manager to the directorial board in the office.
- And finally, it is the communication among the employees themselves.
Managers can choose different ways to communicate either directly or indirectly. Directly implies with the employees, in person and indirectly implies though some other source, means or tools.
Internal Staff Communication:
The following mentioned are a few tips on the internal communication strategy and the importance of internal communication in an organization.
1. Helps the employees to work as a unit:
Internal staff communication is very important as it ensures that everyone in the office is working as one comprehensive unit, toward one single goal. If all employees are not working towards one goal, then achieving anything will be impossible.
If the manager does not communicate to the employees the plan of action, then chances are that the employees are going to be rather clueless and confused about what they ought to do. The better your instructions, the better will be the quality of work which will be submitted by the employees of the company. To attain success, focus and diligence are essential.
2. Makes the employees feel more confident:
Internal staff communication is good and useful as it ensures that the employees are confident about what they are doing. If they have any kind of trouble, they know that they can communicate their problem to their co-workers or even the manager who is in charge of them.
If the employees feel like there is no one who they can speak to or share their worries within the time of their trouble, then it’s very likely that the work which they deliver may be incorrect or not of the standard which expects from them.
3. Can make or break the company:
Internal staff communication, keeps the company functioning like a well-oiled machine. If the employees have no internal communication with one another, then they are never going to even get to know one another better.
The moment employees start communicating with one another, not only are they able to forge some friendships in the workplace, but in addition to this, they are also able to share ideas or pieces of information. Breaking the ice between the staff members is essential in any company. The more ideas the employees can come up with, the better it will be for the company.
4. Ensure everyone is aware of any changes:
When working in a company it often happens that instructions often changed or altered in the event of a sudden problem presenting itself. In such a case there should be a proper communication medium by which the employees can speak about such changes.
If the internal staff communication is not good, then chances are that the message will not even be able to reach some employees in the office. Such is the importance of effective communication. The business world is an unpredictable one indeed, where things change in a matter of seconds and employees must be willing to alter or upgrade the work immediately.
Staff Communication Tools:
1. The office telephone or text messages:
Staff communication tools are the tools that the staff members use to communicate with one another or the tools of communication which the manager makes use of, to communicate with his employees when it is necessary.
One of the most effective and popular tools which are made use of is the office telephone, where if you have to communicate something to one individual then you simply dial his extension number and tell him what you need to say.
In addition to that, another effective staff communication tool is the mobile phone, where all employees can be sent text messages or a broadcast message.
2. Via E-Mails:
Most employees working in an office have their laptops or computers open before them all through the day and in the event of them receiving a mail they bound to read and respond to it immediately.
In the event of needing to communicate with another employee or if a manager needs to communicate something to a staff member, he can do so by simply sending an email and communicate, which has proved to be an effective staff communication tool.
If the message needs to send to many people, simply input all their email id’s and they will instantly receive the email. Tell them to send a confirmation message on receiving the information.
3. By an office speaker:
Having an office speaker or intercom is very effective especially when there is an urgent message which needs to give to the employees. By installing an office speaker or intercom, you can be assured that all the employees are going to receive the message immediately.
With the other staff internal communication tools, chances are that if the mobile or internet connection is not available then they may not receive the message. But for communication via this medium, there is no such thing required.
All that needs is some electricity. Yet the major drawback is that employees who are not within the confines of the office will not receive the message directly.
4. Social media sites or Video calling:
People make use of social media for different reasons. Many companies make use of social media as an effective staff communication tool, to get in touch with employees as and when required. Very often companies have a ‘closed group’ on Facebook, where if some message needs to convey to the staff, then it can be done so by simply posting on the group.
In addition to this, staff communication at work can be done through video conferencing or calling, through tools like Skype or Hangout. These mediums work well and have become incredibly popular in recent times since people can now access the net even on the go.
5. Effective Communication through Message boards:
When we think of staff communication tools, nowadays, our minds almost instantly go-to technology and modern communication tools. But there are plenty of other communication tools that can make use of the workplace if something needs to communicate to the workforce. Having message boards in the workplace is very helpful and useful.
These message boards can contain any vital information which the employees need to be notified about. Such boards should place somewhere where all employees ‘attention immediately drawn to it in the office.
Top Effective Communication Methods:
An employer needs to comprise of good communication skills, as they will be in charge of organizing and managing their employees. Effective communication helps the employer to interact better with their team and also builds a better relationship.
Clear and open communication with your employees will help you complete your project on time and completely error-free. So the relationship between the employer and employees holds a great role in company growth and development.
And the key to having such a good relationship is effective communication. You also need to make sure to choose the right way of communication for better results
Here we have listed a few top ways of effective employee communication.
Types of communication in the workplace:
- Open and efficient meetings
- Being appreciative (thank your listeners)
- Communication via emails
- Gesticulate
- One on one basis
- Accept feedback positively(ask for feedback or suggestions)
- Setup a receptive atmosphere (calm and moderate)
- Make use of presentations
- Training
- No fumbling
- Showcasing extreme seriousness and confidence
- Right tone while sharing information
- Using simple words
- Acting out your message works well
- Visuals work out better
- Being Humorous
- Interacting with your colleagues
- Being articulate
- Using body language
- Prevent repetition of words
Ways to Effectively Communicate to Employees about Changes:
1. Tell them directly if possible:
If you are a senior in the company and need to communicate to employees about some change or the other, then it is better that you do the needful in person, so that in the event of them having some questions for you, you can give them answers immediately.
If you not around at the moment to answer their questions then that does nothing but cause even more time to waste. When they told directly, then they can also assure that the source is reliable and they need not doubt the things which told to them.
2. Inform them as soon as you get the information:
When changes need to be made in something which had been decided earlier then it is important to inform the employees about these changes as soon as possible so that they can alter their work properly. Not divulging the information immediately is a big mistake that you cannot afford to make.
Anyone who works in an office will know that in the corporate setting, time means money and wasting either, will cost the company heavily in the long run. So ensure that you do whatever is in your power to spread the word when a change or alteration has been made.
3. If not in person, send a stamped circular around:
When you need to communicate to your employees about some change then as mentioned above try your level best to do it in person. Yet if that is not an option, then it is advisable that you still do not choose to send out the information via a third party.
If this third party does not understand what is being said or even alters your original message to suit his convenience then things are going to be confusing.
So in such a case, ensure that you as a manager or boss sends out a printed circular mentioning all the changes which have been made and ensure that the paper is both signed as well as stamped.
4. Use simple language, do not complicate things:
When trying to communicate a change that has been made, ensure that you use simple language when conveying the message and repeat your instructions 2-3 times to ensure that it sinks in.
Make it a point to mention to your employees why the change has been made, just so that they are well aware of what is going on and they can adjust their work accordingly.
Creative and Different Ways of Communication with Employees:
1. Have an interesting presentation:
Rather than simply doing things, try and make things a little interesting for your employees. There are plenty of ways to communicate things to your employees and if you communicate well, then the employees too will be inspired to do their work more creatively.
As opposed to a long speech, a presentation will help to achieve much more and you can be assured that the information being given to the employees is going to stay with them much longer when given to them in this comprehensive form.
2. Make use of visual aids to help you:
Making use of visual aids is a highly creative way of communication with your employees. Going that extra mile will yield rich dividends for the company. The use of videos and pictures will give employees a much clearer idea of what is trying to be communicated to them.
3. Speak in an inspiring and captivating manner:
When communicating with your employees, ensure that you speak accurately. Make sure that your body language is appropriate and you make use of gestures to highlight the point which you are trying to make.
Your words should be able to broaden their horizons and encourage them to think outside the box. Speak by furnishing your words with interesting examples or anecdotes as and when required.
Conclusion:
Not all bosses can communicate effectively with their employees and neither are many employees able to communicate well with each other. Companies should ensure that they employ only those employees who can communicate effectively; else things will not be able to function easily.
If employees do whatever they want without communicating with their co-workers or bosses about what they do, then there is bound to be utter chaos and anarchy all around.
So ensure that you train employees to constantly give each other a heads up when they are doing something different or making some changes.
