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It’s common knowledge that maintaining effective communication between management and the workforce is essential for maximizing productivity, but a lot of companies fail because it’s easier said than done. Effectively communicating with your workforce isn’t just about telling them or asking them “what’s up.” It requires the right approach.
- Use the right communication platform
A big part of effective communication is sending information through the right platform. This means picking an internal communication platform that is accessible by everyone in your company. For example using a mobile company communication app is an excellent option because all your employees need is a smartphone to stay in the loop, giving even non-desktop employees access to the right info.
Aside from apps accessible via smartphones, you should also consider cloud storage for relaying info such as new product details or workflow updates that your employees can just download and review at their own leisure.
- Minimize irrelevant info
Mixing important messages with irrelevant data may seem like a no-brainer, but you will be surprised by how often companies tell employees about information that may not be relevant to them. This usually happens when messages meant for one department is sent as a general message to the entire company. If this happens too often, employees may opt to just tune out of updates and end up missing relevant info.
The best way to minimize irrelevant info is by making sure the right announcements go to the right people. This means having to double check if the message is sent only to the concerned employees and assigning subgroups in your internal communication platforms for more organized information exchange. Doing this ensures that your employees only read or hear what they really need.
- Take the right tone
Some announcements such as big company decisions are supposed to be formal while others can be said in a more relaxed tone. For example, telling a team that they are underperforming, but in a very casual, lighthearted tone might imply that it’s not that big of a deal when it actually is. On the other hand, you wouldn’t want to announce congratulations or planned company parties in a very serious tone.
Always consider the nature of your messages when deciding on the tone of your message. This not only helps establish that you are, first and foremost, a professional during serious meetings, but it also allows you to connect with your workforce when discussing less serious matters. thus encouraging stronger employee engagement.
- Speed is essential
Effective communication is not a one-way street; you can’t just have management doing all the talking. Both sides need to keep an ear out for each other. This also means prompt replies are essential. The faster the response between messages, the easier it is to exchange ideas while the thoughts are still fresh.
Minimizing response times also have the extra benefit of showing interest in your employees. For example, an employee asking for clarification would greatly appreciate a prompt explanation, but if you take too long to respond, they might even feel like they’re not important enough to be recognized by the higher ups, which could be a sign of poor employee management.
Effective communication may not be as simple as some people think, but it’s also not that difficult. As long as you understand how to get the point across and respond accordingly, you can maintain good relations, improve overall team coordination, and have a more efficient company as a whole.
