Image Source: Pixabay
The workplace has changed drastically over the last few years, and some workplaces are so large that it can be nearly impossible to rely on face-to-face communications. It has been found that internal communications drive employees to stay with your company longer and even stay more productive. So how do you implement good communication skills into your workplace?
Internal Communications
Many owners and managers think that employee engagement is driven by the workplace environment and not organisational skills. It is essential to make it easy for employees to communicate with you and each other through company assets. They should be able to find the person they need to speak to easily. Any instructional material should be easy to read and follow. If employees feel that instructions are too complicated, they can be discouraged and not complete the task correctly.
Employees can become disengaged when they feel that information is not being presented promptly and that they are seemingly the last to know. Instead, you should be proactive and provide information the moment you receive and digest it. This may look like an app or department group chat. Keeping them in the loop makes them feel as though they are genuinely a part of the business.
When internal communication is not there, employees can spend hours looking for the information they desperately need. This can lead to lower productivity. You can lose hours of essential work when your employees spend so much time looking for information that should be readily available. They can also get frustrated and look at the task as tedious instead of moving the company forward. You need to share knowledge and focus on problem-solving.
It would help if you created a communication plan that makes a positive company culture. You should also back your policies through your actions and invest in the right technology to do so. You should ask employees how they use and like any communication tools you implement and always be transparent about changes and upcoming projects.
Although employee engagement is crucial to the success of your business, it has been found that over 70% of employees do not feel engaged in their workplace. This is an alarming number, especially when you consider that engaged employees are more likely to stay motivated, productive, and likely to provide a better customer service experience than employees who are not engaged. One of the best ways to keep your employees engaged is by providing feedback. This can be about many things, not just performance. It can even be about talent development.
Researchers have found that employee wellbeing is connected to their job performance. When an employee feels good about themselves and their health, they can then focus on their job tasks and produce more. This is not just about physical health but emotional well being as well. Your customers will also be treated better when your employees are happy.
Each job provides its employees financial incentives, and that is the main reason why we work. When employees are not worried about how they will pay a bill, they are more focused on the task at hand. If they know there are opportunities to gain more, they will work hard to get to that point.
In big corporations and offices, it can be not easy to get to know every one of your employees honestly, but it can be crucial to keeping them for the long haul. It would help if you took time to talk to employees from time to time and customers. You can also provide positive reinforcement from customers, so your employees know who they are helping and the impact they make.
A good practice to get into as a manager is to write down one good thing that a team member has done. You should then thank them for it and explain the impact they have on the company. Raises and bonuses are two ways to reward employees, but they cannot be the only ones. You should find creative ways to recognize and reward a job well done, like swag or even a free lunch.
Millennials have changed the workforce drastically and will continue to do so. There is now a new market to keep happy, and it is made up of millennial parents. Millennial parents require more flexibility in their schedules than previous generations, which means companies need to adjust how work is assigned and completed.
They also want childcare to be a requirement and not a benefit of joining the workforce. This includes an expansion on parental leave. The next generation seems to be taking notes and wants similar incentives. Gen Z, however, prefers face-to-face communications and work environments.
It has been found that the main reason that employers leave a company is because of poor communication. This can be a lack of direction from management or constant changes that are not effectively being communicated. Engagement measures how motivated your employees are regarding their role in the company. The most significant factor that employees harp on is feeling recognized for their work and contribution to the company,
It is essential to develop a communication plan that considers your audience and uses a suitable medium. You will also need to establish a social media strategy and have an employee resource group, so employees have a safe space to support each other. Your communication plan should touch base on all forms of communication, not just about work-related topics but also a way for coworkers to interact and get to know each other better.