How to Communicate Better with Our Employees

We all know that no matter what sort of business we operate, we can always improve how we interact with our staff. When we focus on internal communication, we will discover that we are more effective since essential information is not lost. In addition, employees will be more devoted to our company in the long run if they understand what we are doing and why we are doing it.

Understand The Role of Communication

Improved communication benefits include enhanced efficiency and morale. Both what we say and how we say it are critical components of effective communication. When everyone in our organization is on the same page and knows precisely what must be done, everything runs smoothly and effectively. This enhances output while saving time and money in the long term. Effective communication fosters a positive environment in which individuals feel valued and respected.

Think About Engagement

All too frequently, we leave a business meeting feeling drained instead of inspired. As a result, when we schedule staff meetings, meeting engagement should be at the forefront of our minds. This is especially true for remote teams. With remote teams we may not get the same body language clues about whether people are engaged as we would if we met in person. Meeting engagement tools allow us to help our employees focus during business meetings. 

We will be glad to hear that a recent study found that 78% of business firms use video conferencing software for remote meetings. In addition, 67% of employees believe they are more likely to engage in team meetings through video conference calls. One of a leader’s key responsibilities, whether everyone is in the same room or interacting digitally, is to keep the team invested.

Practice Good Communication Skills

There are many basic communication skills that we can use to improve our communication with our employees. To avoid defensiveness and distrust, we must always be open and curious when talking to employees. When listening, it’s important for us to ask follow-up questions that dig deeper into what is being said while still being focused on the other person. 

We should also pause when someone expresses their thoughts or feelings about a work situation. To establish the tone for a challenging conversation we can use “I” phrases to explain what we think or feel about a situation. It is also important to stay positive. Employees who react positively in the workplace have deeper relationships, higher psychological safety, and improved learning, creativity, and motivation.

Tips to Improve Internal Communication 

1. We need to ensure everyone is on the same page. Making sure everyone in our business knows the company’s vision, goals, and objectives is the first step toward effective communication. This means we should make sure our team members are aware of our goals and what they must do to contribute to the achievement of those objectives. 

2. We need to encourage open communication. Creating a climate in which workers can express themselves honestly and candidly is vital. We need to encourage workers to share their ideas, concerns, and comments with us and with one another. In addition, we should understand how our employees like to communicate with each other. We should communicate using those channels instead of trying to force them to use our preferred method. 

3. We need to encourage two-way communication. Effective communication must be two-way. We should make certain that we are delivering our message well and that we are listening to and considering what others are saying. If our employees don’t feel like they are being heard, they will end up disengaged from their work. 

4. When talking with people, we need to make sure our messaging is clear and precise. We should avoid using jargon or technical terminology that may confuse our employees. We should also check in with our employees to find out if they understand what we are expecting from them. 

5. We should always communicate using as many channels as we can. To reach out to others, we could use several methods like email, face-to-face communication, video conferencing, or even social media. It is also critical to understand what type of communication each employee wants to receive. Some might prefer a quick in person meeting whereas others might prefer having information written down in an email so that they can reference the note later.