Effective workplace communication is something that all organisations strive to achieve, as effective communication can add to the quality and efficiency of productivity. The importance of effective communication stretches far beyond our interpersonal relationships and is now recognised as a key skill many employers are looking for when hiring new team members. The demand for effective workplace communication has become so great that there are a variety of tertiary courses to help you develop your skills further and be better prepared for your next professional progression.
Having a better understanding of effective communication strategies is a great asset to all team members, remember it’s not important just for the managing team members, it’s also important for ‘ground’. Being equipped with good communication skills can be a key factor in creating a more friendly, open, honest and cohesive team and working environment.
As noted, the importance of effective workplace communication is high, so what exactly are the key components of effective communication? Below we examine some of the key elements of effective communication and just how they can affect the workplace, productivity, task completion and working relationships.
Efficiency
- Effective communication doesn’t necessarily mean talking more; it means improving the quality of your conversations so that the actions and directions are followed in a clear productive manner. As the Recruitment Consultant Jamelah Henry highlights, good communication forms the basis of a healthy work environment, which is an essential part of enabling employees to work efficiently.
Trust
- Managers and leaders seeking and expecting high level productivity, need to consider the level of transformative trust across all sectors of the organisation. Business Consultant Sue Bingham says that trust is directly linked to efficiency, and inversely linked to productivity cost. “When trust goes down (in an organisation), speed goes down and cost goes up”.
- Trus is imperative on a personal level, particularly when team members face challenges in their personal lives. Such discussions require an environment which embraces trust, a commodity which ultimately comes out of effective communication and strong management.
Understanding amongst team members
- One of the great benefits of effective communication is a deeper understanding of who your coworkers are, including all of the skills they possess. According to Incedo Group, one of the responsibilities of a great leader is to tap into these diverse skills and optimise processes in the workplace; “A great leader will have the communication skills designed especially to bind everyone together and understand how to manage this diverse team.” In this era of multi-tasking and multi-faceted roles, tapping into a variety of skills is communication at its best, because it has the potential to boost your productivity.
Effective problem solving
- Every job, regardless of industry, experience, or salary, comes with its own set of challenges. If you’re a part of a team, you’ll need practice in effective communication to reach quick and vigorous solutions when facing problems/challenges. According to conflict resolution expert Tim Hicks, understanding each team member’s interests is a crucial, yet often missed, step in the process of problem resolution – “Effective problem solving does take some time and attention…But less time and attention than is required by a problem not well solved”.
United workforce
- Effective communication in the workplace isn’t just about getting things done; often the communication required from a workplace leader is the kind which will inspire better quality of work. Irene Froehlich stated in Forbes, verbally appreciating great efforts by employees is the most effective reward a manager or team leader can give. She further states that providing specific positive feedback and encouraging new ideas are some of the most important things a manager can do in motivating their team.
