10 Tips to Improve Workplace Communication

Improving your communication skills will enable you to establish better working relationships increase your productivity by being a more effective communicator. Today’s workplace is more complex, with more people involved in the workplace and projects, both internally and externally, effective communication is critical.

Improving your communication skills will enable you to establish better working relationships increase your productivity by being a more effective communicator. Today’s workplace is more complex, with more people involved in the workplace and projects, both internally and externally, effective communication is critical.

An effective communicator is not only productive, but successful in business and workplace relationships as misunderstandings communication can play a negative role in effecting these relationships.
If you want to become an effective communicator, here are some tips and advice:

1.    Specify: Be specific in your direction and instructions. Many people used to think being straightforward is offence, actually, beating around the bush and confusion frustrates people more and makes it hard for them to do their job.

2.    Conflicts: Don’t get involved in conflicts and problems that do not fall under your scope. Remember the saying, too many cooks in the kitchen…

3.    Listen: To be a good communicator, you first have to be a good listener. This will help you stay on track with the issue at hand and find a solution without getting sidetracked.

4.    Don’t involve the gang: Don’t be tempted to involve everyone in a problem as it only confuses the situation further. Try to solve problems within your immediate team.

5.    Limit your complaints: Give constructive criticism where appropriate and stay within the areas that are seeking to be improved at hand. There is no use trying to fix everything in one go. If it’s important, raise it so it can be tackled down the line.

6.    Share visions and missions: The best way to keep everyone on the same page and travelling towards the same goals is to share the mission and vision with the rest of the team.

7.    Share information: Keep your team members across information that is important and relevant to their roles and projects they’re working across.

8.    Steer clear of gossip: It’s anti-productive, de-motivating and a productivity killer. The more you become entangled in it, the more you may be jeopardizing your position.

9.    Be fair and consistent: When applying rules and guidelines and introduce new policies to employees in a respectable manner, especially if it affects their position.

10.    Open the floor: For everyone to have their say and input in a productive way. If issues are raised that require follow up, look into the matter.

Effective workplace communication can create a work environment of high productivity and performance, as well as harmony and efficiency through respect and understanding. Also, don’t overlook the power of effective communication to resolve stress in the workplace and lead to a well balanced environment and happy employees.