If you were to ask any employee in a company what causes problems and issues, communication would likely be near the top of the complaints. Effective communication is essential in the workplace. Without it, projects can derail which can cost a lot of time, money, and revenue. What’s more, a breakdown in communication can hinder employee productivity, which can lead to feelings of unhappiness and increase staff turnover.

Managers across every market need to implement plans if there are communication issues. If you’ve noticed a decline in productivity, it’s your duty to sort it out. With that in mind, here are some measures you can implement to boost workplace communication.

Actively Listen

Active listening is a critical strategy for enhancing communication and understanding within the workplace. For example, have you ever been in a situation where you have been talking with someone and felt the other person was not really listening to what you were saying? Did it seem more like they were mentally preparing what to say next, regardless of what you were saying? This is the opposite of active listening.

Although it’s tempting to use this approach yourself, you must remember how you felt when somebody used this tactic. Active listening is true listening. When an employee is speaking, listen to the actual words they’re saying, their tone of voice and body language, and what they could be implying but are not saying outright.

Understand Different Communication Styles

In management, you will find not everyone communicates in the same manner. Some people will be direct, while others are the complete opposite. Others concentrate more on feelings, whereas others like to focus more on outcomes. The greatest lesson on effective communication is simple. In a communication situation, it’s your responsibility to ensure the other person understands your message correctly.

You may benefit from taking an online course to better your communication skills. These programmes are designed to enhance communication and leadership skills, which are mandatory traits for any manager.

Schedule Weekly Team Meetings

Weekly team meetings are a core component of a business. Managers need to sit down with their team to check in and see how everyone is performing. Use these meetings as a chance to engage with employees. Encourage them to open up and make sure you listen to their viewpoints. Make sure you display positive body language, be clear and concise about what you want to get across, and give everyone the opportunity to speak up.

Make sure to notify your team about what the meeting will entail in advance. You should also set a time limit so employees stay engaged from start to finish. Try not to let meetings overrun, as you have to remember your team has other important things to be getting on with.

Give Positive Feedback

Managers who find themselves in charge of others must go out of their way to deliver positive feedback when it’s earned. In the management sector, you will need to confront bad behaviour and give negative feedback too. However, tempering this with positive feedback can help encourage your team to communicate openly with you rather than shying away.

The same goes for the entire team. Provide positive feedback when an employee helps you or communicates well with you. Once you do, this helps the employee learn how you communicate, strengthening the relationship.

Have 1:1 Meetings

While group meetings are part and parcel of business, you should conduct one-on-one meetings too. When meeting with employees individually, you may be surprised at the insight they are willing to share. All managers should have an open-door policy that enables employees to come to you and open up.

Sitting down and speaking to your team one-on-one can be an excellent way to strengthen communication and break down barriers. Employees may share vital information you can use to improve communication across the workforce.

Get to Know Your Team on a Personal Level

While we’re all at work to get the job done, that’s not to say you shouldn’t allocate time to get to know employees on a personal level. Doing this helps you build empathy and compassion for your team and understand their situation both professionally and personally.

What’s more, your emotional intelligence will improve, allowing you to see what is going on in other people’s lives and what you can do to keep your team performing at their best.

For your team to follow orders and work to the best of their ability, effective communication is essential. As a manager, it’s up to you to lay out the above into your way of working. When you make small changes, you’ll find promising results regarding communication.