How to Improve Communication in The Workplace

Communication in the workplace is (partly or fully) responsible for important people-focused metrics, such as productivity, engagement, and retention. It does not come as a surprise, then, that workplace communication is a top concern among businesses—including the most successful businesses out there.

Gallup’s State of the Global Workplace 2022 Report reveals that out of the 31 million employees interviewed, only 13% of their leaders practiced effective workplace communication. 

However, if your workplace communication is scattered, inconsistent, and overall not clear, there’s a higher risk that you’ll not only damage your company culture and internal engagement but will also jeopardize productivity, retention rates, job satisfaction, motivation, etc., which in turn makes it challenging to achieve your business goals.

What is good communication in the workplace?

Communication in the workplace involves the exchange of ideas and thoughts, expectations, and strategies concerning work. Clear and effective communication ensures that there are no misunderstandings between employees (or between employers and employees); expectations and objectives are clearly outlined and understood by both the sender and the receiver without leftover uncertainty or doubts.

Effective communication in the workplace is, from the sender’s perspective, not just relaying information to a team member but explaining it in a way they understand what is expected of them. On the receiving side, it entails that the receiver gains the entire meaning of the conversation and makes the other person feel heard and understood.

Benefits of effective communication in the workplace

Effective communication in a workplace will boost employee motivation, engagement, and satisfaction, which will reduce workplace conflicts and enhance productivity. Let’s look at the main benefits of investing time and energy in effective communication in the workplace:

Increased employee engagement

One benefit of effective communication is that it nurtures positive, more genuine, and better relationships between management and employees and among employees themselves. 

Employee engagement is a result of that, of course. When the management considers employee needs and motivations and speaks to them correctly, it’s easier to foster deeper connections and encourage them to use their skills and talents toward the same goal.

Improved productivity

Effective communication in the workplace can have a surprisingly huge effect on productivity levels. If everyone in the company, from top management down, effectively, politely, and clearly communicates strategy, needs, goals, and expectations to other employees, productivity becomes a natural byproduct.

By ensuring that information is communicated in the right manner, employees better understand their roles and perform their functions competently, without uncertainty or doubt. 

Greater loyalty

Transparent and effective communication in the workplace also brings about corporate transparency, which, in turn, fosters loyalty. Managers who communicate sparsely and appear shady and ungenuine in their language when communicating feedback, expectations, goals, and strategies are more likely to alienate their team members. 

Many jobs require years of experience before an employee has sufficient expertise to drive innovation, solve critical problems, and lead others. How an employee feels toward the company — based on how they feel they are treated and valued as individuals — impacts how loyal they will be.

Higher retention rates

All of these aspects contribute to higher employee retention. In the long term, keeping employees for many years can add strength to the company and impact the bottom line. Not to mention the not-so-hidden costs of having to re-hire for a position after a dissatisfied employee leaves the company.

Effective, genuine, and transparent communication in the workplace can change that and ensure higher job satisfaction, loyalty, motivation, and thus retention. 

How to improve workplace communication

Communicating effectively with your employees is even more important for leaders and managers during remote work. If you’re a fully remote or hybrid company, you’re already hyper-aware of how important it is to be clear about expectations and goals at work. When check-ins and in-person time with your employees are scarce, everyone must have a clear idea of the scope of their work and beyond. 

Clarify expectations 

As I mentioned before, expectations are among the most important things to state and clarify early on. Stating them upfront and repeating them at the end of a communication can help you and your employees remember them and avoid misunderstandings or doubts. 

Remember the power of in-person 

Exchanging emails and text is a great way to manage time and keep the focus sharp, but a lot can be misinterpreted or get lost in translation without additional cues like tone of voice and facial expression. 

Remember not to sacrifice video calls or phone calls (or even the well-placed face-to-face meeting) for the sake of ‘saving time.’ They can establish a better connection and shared understanding, giving others a chance to surface areas of misalignment.

Show you care 

Showing that you care isn’t about going out of your way to ask people about their personal lives; rather, it’s about showing humanity, compassion, and understanding when talking to people and communicating about work-related matters. 

People have lives and issues outside of work, and communication in the workplace should also be mindful of that. Before taking a video call or sending an email, try picturing the person on the other end.

Show appreciation

Being effective is not always about firing off one request after another and always pushing people to do more and better. Showing appreciation for one’s achievements and efforts is also part of improving communication in the workplace.

People need a good balance of being pushed to do better and being recognized for where they are. And where that balance lies may change from person to person. As a good employer, manager, or team member, it’s up to you to motivate people and find what moves them in the right direction.

Prioritize two-way communication

Communication is as much about listening and understanding what the other person is asking as it is about communicating what is on your mind. Effective communication in the workplace involves speaking, active listening, and feedback. 

To avoid missing important information of any kind, don’t listen to a coworker just so you can reply. Instead, listen to understand them. At the same time, be open to embracing feedback. 

Ask your team members for feedback on your message and communication style, and note their comments and concerns. Constructive feedback also involves first appreciating their work and then pointing out how to improve. Allow them to share their thoughts on your feedback, too.