How to Communicate Clearly Within the Workplace

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The key to any successful business is communication. As soon as this breaks down, efficiency falters, morale slips and standards fall. Therefore, if you want to grow as a company or an individual, sharpening up your workplace communication is essential.

Here we will take you through just a few of the ways you, as an individual, can improve communication and remove any pre-existing obstructions.

Steps

1

Determine the correct Mode of Address. Each situation requires a different mode of address. You wouldn't speak to a director in the same way that you might with friends in a social situation, so ensure that all lines of communication are open. Within the workplace, most people expect a relatively professional level of discussion. Fall short of these expectations and you could either change the dynamic within the team, or be viewed as uncaring or unprofessional. So maintain your ability to be personable and speak to those at all levels, while also understanding when it's time to sharpen up. Effective communicators are often chameleons, being able to seamlessly move from one situation to another without breaking stride. It's not always easy, but then again, if it was, we would all be experts.

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   Maintain Clear Lines of Communication. As soon as you close the door on anybody within the same company, you create a barrier - sometimes physical, often mental. For instance, some management can appear elusive; this may involve failing to respond to emails, rarely getting involved in office conversations and even being unable to recognise individuals. So make sure you make the effort. Regardless of where you are within a company hierarchy, you should feel comfortable talking to people both above and below you. This is why many businesses initiate fun days or activities that enable everyone to mix and get to know each other outside of a working environment. Once those barriers are down, a company and its employees can truly thrive.
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   Maintain Confidence. Following on neatly from the two previous points, the issue of confidence is often key to communication. If you don’t have confidence in yourself, how can you expect others to have it in you? A big booming voice is by no means a prerequisite, nor indeed is faultless sales patter. Confidence comes from your own knowledge and ability to share or even lead. Portraying this within your communication will ensure that it is returned by those around you.
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   Seek Face-to-face Discussions. Discussions on the phone or via email are rarely as fruitful or swift as those that are carried out face-to-face. So go and discuss things with the team, ask questions to the real experts and don't be afraid to have a meeting. If everyone feels like they have a voice, this can build an unbreakable sense of inclusion. This helps to build confidence and allows all members of a team to generate a good rapport. So don't hide behind a phone or send a bi-monthly email, get out there and speak to people.
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   Maintain Accuracy. While verbal accuracy is hugely important, both in terms of factual content and delivery, the written word shouldn't be ignored either. It doesn't take a great deal to spell-check an email, company newsletter or other company literature, so continuing to send out typos and grammatical faux pas' can show a lack of care. So just take a little time and ensure every document is double checked - even if it is just a quick reply. When it comes to clear communication, accuracy is the first and easiest step to take. 
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