With technological advancements and interconnectedness, the way we communicate has evolved, and with this evolution comes both opportunities and challenges.
Creating a harmonious work environment which enables proactive coaching and management, while embracing the digital age in which we work, is one of those challenges.
In this blog, we look at the relationship between effective communication and employee satisfaction, and how you can create a harmonious and successful work environment where everyone thrives.
Nurturing growth
Fostering trust is the bedrock of any successful relationship with your employee. When time is scarce and we have a long to-do list, sending an email or quick Slack message seems like the easiest way to communicate with your staff.
But let’s pause for a moment and think about how we can improve communication with our staff to achieve better results and ultimately benefit everyone involved.
Here are some pointers:
Communicating with staff
Whether it’s through technological channels or in person, your communication should be purposeful. Preparing for the conversation, no matter how big or small, will give you time to consider what questions would be helpful, ensure you can keep it concise, and set yourself up for success.
Team meetings
The same goes for team meetings! By detailing a clear agenda for the meeting and following it, you can prevent those dreaded tangents and keep the team focused on the topic or message you want to send.
One-on-one interactions
There may be situations that need to be handled delicately, such as performance or behavioural concerns, welfare, or personal matters. In these situations, relying on email or chat messages is like tiptoeing through a minefield of miscommunication. It’s best to schedule a (formal or informal) one-on-one meeting, whether it’s in person, over the phone, or via a video call.
This means you can communicate your intentions clearly and answer any questions your employees may have straight off the bat, and show that you value their time and input. These types of interactions also serve to build trust while giving you a greater chance to gather feedback and understand the other person’s perspective.
Fostering success together
An open, collaborative learning environment can be transformative to your business. In today’s fast-paced digital age, effective communication has become more crucial than ever, especially when it comes to fostering an open and collaborative learning environment within your business.
By promoting transparent communication, encouraging collaboration, and recognising individual contributions, you’re helping to create a positive and inclusive work culture where employees can feel valued and have a sense of belonging.
When employees feel that their work matters and that they’re part of a larger purpose, they’re more likely to be motivated to go the extra mile and embrace company objectives and values.
You can create this whether your staff are in-house or working remotely, but it comes back to our point on purposeful communication when engaging with each other through technological changes, in meetings, or in one-on-one interactions.
It’s about creating a safe environment for all staff to share their knowledge and skills (which is why you hired them in the first place) and what will foster success together in the workplace.
So, how can you support this objective?
Have an open-door policy
This is all about building trust and allowing your team to voice questions, concerns, and suggestions any time of the day. A team leaders’ accessibility is important when our goal is to promote mutual trust and open discussions among employees. This will help problems and other issues resolve quickly and improve efficiency and satisfaction amongst your teams.
Set up regular one-on-one meetings
Whether it’s weekly, fortnightly, monthly, or quarterly; setting aside time to keep in touch regularly will give you a better idea of how the team is operating and help iron out any wrinkles that may need attention. Remember, you shouldn’t only be checking in with your employees when something has gone wrong or you want to address concerns with them - you should be supporting your employees’ professional development so they can thrive.
This involves regular communication in a one-on-one forum to discuss how work is going, what challenges they’re facing, what’s going well and what their goals are moving forward. This is an ideal way to share and express thoughts without any pressure and build a stronger employment relationship that’s a two-way street.
Work on your active listening skills
A key aspect to good communication is focusing on your active listening skills. By doing so, you’re being open to others’ ideas and creating an environment in which employees can freely share those ideas.
Recognise and celebrate great work
While it's important to communicate constructively when tackling problems, it's equally important to acknowledge a job well done. Whether it's in an open forum or in a one-on-one setting, praising exceptional work boosts employee engagement and motivation, and ultimately increases overall productivity.
Formalise an onboarding process
A solid onboarding process for new employees is crucial to help them navigate their way around the workplace and experience a training program based on your company culture and ethics. This can also help to ensure clear expectations are set from the get-go so there are no surprises!
Learn more about why onboarding is so important.
Communicate, comply, succeed
Under section 4 of the Employment Relations Act 2000, it's clear that both employees and employers must deal with each other in good faith and avoid misleading or deceiving one another. This means being active, constructive, responsive, and communicative in establishing and maintaining a productive employment relationship.
Whether you're communicating new employment terms, discussing potential redundancies, or handling other delicate matters, it's crucial to approach these conversations professionally and in good faith. It’s important to note that if it gets to that stage, courts may question whether all reasonable steps were taken to engage with employees in good faith given the circumstances at hand.
By focusing on clear and purposeful communication where employees feel respected and supported in an open work environment, these conversations will naturally become easier to manage. Even in complex situations such as performance management, disciplinary action, or medical incapacity, you'll have the confidence as a manager to effectively engage with employees and fulfil your employer obligations.
To sum it all up, here are the key takeaways:
- Work on building trust. It's the foundation of effective communication.
- Communicate with purpose. Prepare for conversations, keep meetings focused, and handle delicate situations in person or through one-on-one interactions.
- Take extra care and time when dealing with delicate employee situations. It pays off in the long run!
- Utilise technology to your advantage, but make sure it doesn't harm your business culture.
Effective communication plays a vital role in today’s evolving workplace. It’s not just about exchanging information; it’s about nurturing relationships, fostering collaboration, and fulfilling employer obligations. By prioritising clear and purposeful communication, you can create a harmonious and successful work environment where everyone thrives.
The MyHR team is experienced in supporting businesses with successful employee communication. Get in touch with us to learn more, or book a free demo.
