Workplace Communication is the foundation of productivity and team effectiveness. If you neglect this integral part of success, chances are bad to work relationships will jeopardize your results. Therefore, as a team leader or a manager, it’s up to you to ensure that communication in the workplace is up to certain standards. So, how is that done?

To manage communication in the workplace successfully, you need to learn how to communicate with your employees, get to know them, and then implement techniques that will help you improve interactions. Are you ready to find out how to manage communication and lead your employees to success?

1. Practice active listening

Communication is a two-way process.  However, many traditional managers forget that they need to be listeners as well! If you want to make your employees trust you and encourage more effective communication, you need to be an active listener. How do you become one?

Active listeners are those who actively engage in the conversation. Don’t interrupt your interlocutor, but ask mindful questions about situations, and try to understand their point of view better. When managers are actively listening to their employees, the level of satisfaction and productivity increase which leads to success. By actively listening to your team members, you’re giving them a chance to be heard and valued as a member of the bigger picture.

2. Have one-on-one sessions

One-on-one sessions are essential for building relationships within a team. Chances are not everyone will be good at communicating and collaborating with others as you might expect. So, these one-on-one meetings are ideal to see where the issue lies and provide your employees with help if necessary. How often should you host such meetings?

These sessions can be extremely beneficial for both sides if used moderately. Once every two weeks is more than enough for employees to gather their questions and concerns to address them directly to you. On top of that, you’re offering them a chance to express their opinion in a safe space.

3. Encourage two-way feedback

Most employees love getting feedback about their work. However, you need to ensure that feedback is timely, relevant, constructive, and behavior-aimed for it to be received properly by the members of your team. Too much feedback or not enough feedback can cause frustration, which will only make communication in the workplace aggressive or passive. So, to avoid that, encourage two-way feedback.

Even though you’re a manager, it doesn’t mean you can’t make a mistake! In corporate cultures where mistakes are punished, employees are afraid to talk about problems they are facing, which only makes them worse! Encourage employees to give feedback to you too, as it creates a positive and healthy workplace.

4. Don’t beat around the bush

In workplace communication, it all comes down to transparency and openness. Long, pointless meetings only draw people apart and jeopardize the communication you’ve built so far. So, don’t beat around the bush! Be clear, and precise in your communication and let your employees know what is expected of them at every moment.

The same principle should be applied to task assigning. Ensure each member understands their role and what they should do before you proceed. Always cut straight to the point and don’t let your colleagues wonder what you want to say or what you mean by saying something. Clear and open communication is the way to improve productivity and engage your team.

5. Use the best method

Communication comes in many methods of delivering the message. It can be written, visual, spoken, or even non-verbal. To convey the message to your employees, you can combine these methods. However, some of these methods may work better for your employees than others. To find out what suits them the most, experiment and ask them for opinions!

In the digital era, written communication is the most effective. It doesn’t require long meetings or conference calls. Quickly inform your employees using email or an employee app. If you don’t know how to do it, check out internal communication examples from some of the best companies around the world. Source your inspiration and strategy through the competition!

6. Increase trust among the team

For effective workplace communication, you need to increase the trust among the team. You can use several strategies to do so. However, organizing team-building activities will increase trust, and honesty and improve collaboration for all. What can you do if the team doesn’t trust their leader or a manager?

In cases like these, the best solution is to ask the members where lies the issue. Gather their feedback and opinion, and act according to them. Stick to your promises and ensure you don’t make those you can’t fulfill. Such interactions ensure trust among the members and increase the level of productivity and collaboration in your teams.

7. Develop skills further

Even if you’ve mastered communication and listening skills with your team, you shouldn’t stop there. Communication and psychology are the sciences that develop further. Therefore, you’ll always have a chance to learn a new technique or a way of communicating in the workplace.

Don’t exclude your employees from new knowledge and skills! Organize an online course and provide them with a guide to studying courses to help them obtain and master new skills. Refresh your and their communication skills from time to time. It will definitely boost communication in the workplace and relationships between the employees.

Final thoughts

If you set an internal communication strategy properly, you’re securing effective communication and productivity in the workplace. These tips will provide you with guides on how to manage communication and how your role as a manager can improve it. Don’t forget that communication is a two-way process so nurture it!