Open communication between employees and management is essential if an organisation is going to run effectively. Communication encourages collaboration, and collaboration helps keep productivity and innovation high.
People need to know what needs to be done, if procedure or goals have changed, or if something needs to be improved or a problem solved. If there is a lack of communication, operations can get mired in confusion and indirection, with potentially disastrous consequences.
Healthy, open dialogue improves employee relations, staff development, and talent retention. It also helps make the workplace a better place to be. Without it, a negative workplace culture can develop, harming cooperation and motivation, and potentially giving your company a bad reputation.
It’s important that communication is maintained at all levels and across levels. Employees need to communicate with their peers as much as they do with management. However, invisible barriers might be in the way.
So here are some steps you can take to develop a culture of open, constructive communication between management and employees.
State your intentions
Make it known that you intend to operate on a policy of open communication. It should be clear to employees that they are free to speak with management when they feel the need. The policy should include all employees, with nobody left to feel as though their opinion isn't valued.
Ensure your employees know you are genuine, rather than just repeating clichéd sound bites. Provide training opportunities that help educate and encourage equality in the workplace to let all your employees know that they can use their voice.
For example, you can offer training to try to prevent sexual harassment issues and make it clear that everybody is considered a valued member of the team. Also, consider establishing a whistleblowing channel (there are some good online services), so employees can raise concerns anonymously.
Listen
Actively listen to what people are saying. Active listening doesn’t just mean sitting down and letting people speak to you; instead, it means taking in everything being said and considering it carefully.
Remember that although something may not be important to you, it can be really important to someone else. If you disregard issues you feel are unimportant, it may cause employees to feel you are not genuinely listening to them.
Also, take notice of body language, and if you think somebody isn’t being honest, then remind them that they are free to speak openly if there is something on their mind.
One way of showing that you are genuinely listening is to take action on feedback and let employees know the reason for the action.
Of course, it's not feasible to act on every piece of feedback you get, but acting on good and reasonable suggestions will show that you consider and value what people are suggesting.
You could even consider giving perks to employees when their recommendations have been acted on, making it clear to them and everybody else that their input is important.
Meet regularly
Regular meetings should be a habit, preferably once a week, maybe even more if needed.
Make sure that you allow everybody to contribute to the meeting if they wish to. Remember that your employees are on the front line, meaning that they are in a great position to know what is going well and what needs to be improved.
Also, arrange regular one-on-one meetings with employees in private. Again, encourage them to raise any concerns or observations they might have and consider what they say carefully.
One-on-ones are an excellent opportunity to pass on your own feedback, like to praise their sales skills or commend them on an innovative idea. Make sure that any negative feedback remains constructive and explains the reason for the input without being judgmental.
Directly ask for feedback
Regular meetings are effective at encouraging open communication, but everything doesn't have to be formal. You can also take a more proactive approach.
Managers should actively and directly ask employees for feedback. For example, ask “How do you think this could be improved?” and make sure to ask all your team members.
Some people can be pretty shy, making them reluctant to give their thoughts, but you can encourage them to contribute by asking them directly or by using online channels, which some people are more comfortable with.
You should also thank everybody for their contribution, which will give the more timid members of the team more confidence to offer their thoughts in future.
Keep employees updated
Managers should keep their employees updated on relevant changes as much as reasonably possible.
In keeping employees updated, it’s clear that management is willing to keep to their side of the bargain and communicate openly with employees.
Keeping employees up-to-date also helps to ensure that everybody is in the loop when it comes to changes in procedures or targets.
Get more tips for building good employee relationships.
Create a conducive physical environment
Communication is much easier when people can speak freely with each other in a comfortable environment.
Try to remove physical barriers that might prevent people from speaking with each other, and check to see if any of your employees are sitting away from everybody else.
Remember, some people might feel left out if they aren’t involved with other peoples’ discussions. If you can, set aside an area of the office for some comfortable seating that provides a less formal environment for people to talk.
Most of all, remember that management should also be part of this open communication policy. Therefore, try to encourage managers to work with the rest of the team where possible instead of being in a separate office behind a closed door.
Organise social events
It’s a good idea to occasionally organise social events where everybody can get to know each other better, including managers.
Try to arrange something that everybody will enjoy, like a meal in a local restaurant. In a relaxed setting, people are more likely to speak personally, and bonds between individuals can begin to form.
If you have lots of people working remotely, schedule in some time for everyone to catch up in a social way. You might meet for an online group call, where people can share a drink and a laugh. Having a theme can help people relax.
During social events, managers can stop being authoritative figures and be one of the team. When employees get to know managers on a more personal level, it becomes a lot easier for them to approach them in the workplace.
Ensure management is respectful to employees
Some managers can be pretty curt or even downright disrespectful to employees, and that's not conducive to encouraging open communication and engagement.
Ensure that all management is respectful to employees at all times and that all employees are treated as valued members of the team instead of simply being subordinates.
It may be beneficial for you to arrange training for managers so they can learn and understand how they can better interact with the people they’re working with. Employees will also benefit from training to improve their communication and leadership skills.
About the author
Lindsey Wilcox is a Digital Marketing Specialist at the Clear Law Institute, an online provider of compliance training and advisory services.
