The importance of Communication at the Workplace
Communication. In this case, the good kind. It plays a fundamental role in our daily lives. It’s about understanding and responding to instructions and requests, about asking questions, and passing on information. Remote working and dispelled workplaces have meant that now more than ever, interaction between employees has been at the forefront of many businesses.
Good communication skills are essential in today’s workplace. In this blog, we’ll cover some of the most important skills that lead to successful communication, and the reasons why these are important for you and your career.
Before we dive in, here’s a brief overview of why effective communication is beneficial and what it can lead to for you and your company:
The benefits
So why is communication within the workplace so important? One survey found that up to 69% of managers generally feel uncomfortable when communicating with their clients, even when it comes to basic, everyday communication. And not just clients, employees too. If you’ve ever had your boss avoid you like the plague, insisting they’re ‘busy’ when you want to raise something, you’ll know what we’re talking about. For supervisors and employees alike, ineffective communication can easily cause difficulties within every level of the industry.
But quality communication within the workplace is an integral part of a company’s success. In fact, research has shown that up to 70% of errors within businesses are due to poor communication. So how do we get around this issue? Below are some of the most important skills that you should be practicing actively in order to improve your own communication at work.
1. Being an active listener.
The ability to listen in general is a good skill, and we mean really listen. It’s one of the most important skills you can have, and it will have an impact on your job effectiveness, both the quality of the work you produce and your relationships with your co-workers. But to be an active listener, you should be listening to obtain information, to understand, and to learn. If you’re finding it hard to grasp the concept of just what active listening entails, here’s a great article that sums it up in more depth.
2. Choosing the right communication method.
Depending on your situation, the right form of communication can help to increase the effectiveness and the delivery of information. You should consider who you are communicating with before deciding on a method, for example sending an email or a letter vs a phone call or a one-on-one meeting. If you’re in the application process for a job, sending a formal email to a potential employer would be one of the best communication forms in that situation. If you’ll be sharing a lot of in depth, complex information, it may be worth holding a conference call. Being able to recognise the right way to communicate in different situations is an important skill, and choosing the most effective way will optimise your ability to share and respond to information.
3. Be confident.
When presenting your own ideas and making suggestions, you should deliver them with confidence. This alone makes people more likely to responds to them. However, if you’re an individual that gets cold sweats at the mere thought of speaking out loud, confidence is something you may well be lacking or unable to portray. In this case, you can help yourself to appear confident by making eye contact when addressing someone, by sitting up straight and maintaining an engaging posture, and by ensuring that you prepare beforehand so that you know exactly what information you’re presenting and you’re able to answer any potential questions. This is not only important for communicating ideas in work, but also during the interview process.
4. Sharing and receiving feedback.
Effective, quality communication means being able to give and take feedback, both good and bad. If you’re a strong communicator, you should be able to accept critical opinions and make note of where you can improve. You should also be able to provide constructive input to others. Negative feedback doesn’t have to be a bad thing – it can help you make meaningful, real improvements to your performance and professional development. When you receive constructive criticism, make sure you take the time to discuss with the person and how you can apply those points in your future work. Providing and accepting feedback is an essential workplace skill, and your ability to do so can help to answer questions, provide solutions, and help strengthen projects at hand.
5. Empathy and respect.
The ability to show empathy in both team and individual settings is an essential communication skill when showing that you not only recognize but can share the emotions of others. You should be able to acknowledge others’ feelings – positive or negative – and try and understand the reason why they might feel a certain way. Likewise, being respectful when initiating and responding is also key. Respect doesn’t have to be just the way you treat and speak to people. In the workplace, it can be as simple as allowing others to speak without interruption, staying on topic, responding fully to questions you’ve been asked, and even being mindful of using other people’s time. Sometimes it really is the smallest things that can make the biggest impact.
So, now that you’ve read some of the most important skills, it’s good to know why they are beneficial to you. What will improving your own communication actually result in?
1. Mitigated conflict.
If you truly do have effective workplace communication, it can drastically reduce conflict or tension. Misunderstandings can often make employees feel like they’re not understood, disregarded, or not being listened to. By being able to communicate effectively, many of these issues can be resolved in a professional and civil way, with minimal conflict arising.
2. Improved client relations.
The root of good communication will run throughout your entire organisation, right through to your clients. If you communicate effectively within your workplace, you’re more likely to build solid relationships with and retain customers as you can prioritise client communication. You will be able to value your relationships and keep customers loyal and connected to you.
3. Healthy workplace environment.
Maintaining a healthy and positive environment to work in is an integral part of workplace culture. Being able to share a culture of all different races and beliefs where open communication is present will result in an accepting environment that can make you and your fellow employees feel equal and understood.
4. Strengthened team building.
Trusting others in your team to work effectively together comes hand in hand with good communication. It ensures everyone is on the same page in terms of expectations and roles within your team. If clear guidelines and instructions are communicated properly, team members will know how to behave as part of a team and will result in a more synchronised work effort.
5. Increased job satisfaction.
If you work in an organisation that practices good communication, you are more likely to feel satisfied within your role. In a transparent and trusting environment, you will be able to enjoy your work and feel engaged in your position. Who says you can’t look forward to Monday morning!
Going Forward
Now that you understand the importance of communication within the workplace and the benefits that can come as a result, you should try to apply these skills and build upon them in your work life. But it doesn’t have to be just in the workplace. Good communication comes in many forms and can be applied in your personal life too, and help you improve relationships, understand others, and to be understood.
So go ahead and make us proud, excel in your communication! We know you can do it.
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