What are the ways to improve communication in a workplace?

Communication is one of the most crucial skills in the workplace. It is how co-workers interact with each other.

Healthy communication is the best foundation for any business as it improves team efficiency and avoids confusion.

There are several tips you can use to develop and improve your or your team’s communication skills and build positive company culture.

Think twice before you speak:

Words have power and can both encourage and discourage people. Your choice of words are signs of your consciousness and intellect. The more you see the impact of your words, the more you realize the significance of selecting the right words to express. Try not to say the first thing that pops into your head. Take a deep breath and ask yourself whether your words are inspiring, helpful, kind or disrupting.

Pay close attention to what you say and the way you say it. Body language is an important non-verbal communication skill. Here are some tips to help you adjust your body language:

• Don’t cross your arms when talking;
• Make an eye contact with the person that you’re talking to;
• Pound your fists and adapt a power pose (if you need to build a confidence before a big talk) to emphasize your message.

Research shows that 65% of all communication is non-verbal which signs often reveal more than we think they do. Even though you aren’t saying words, anyway you make communication. Make sure that your body sends the right signals.

Learn to listen:

Our biggest communication gap is that we don’t listen with the intend to understand. We simply listen to reply. Active learning is part of effective communication. In its turn, effective communication plays a key role in creating a healthy and favourable business environment.

First, seek to understand, then to be understood. Try to perceive the true meaning under words. Listen carefully whether the person in front of you is making a suggestion or expressing an opinion. Put yourself in their shoes. It is ok to kindly check whether you understand them correctly and only then respond them. People love being heard and understood.

Empathy is a crucial skill in the workplace.

Treat everyone equally:

Respect everyone and treat them equally! Try not to make favorites for you and for your business environment. The justice in a workplace will build trust and respect between employees.

Improve internal communication:

Promoting internal communication tools within the company is a top solution to improve overall workplace communication. Employees can easily connect and interact with each other. The platform also empowers to share useful information, documents or ideas in a judgement-free environment.

Use humor:

Did you know? Most people find it hard to receive information from someone who has no sense of humor. One of the most important factors is finding ways to lighten the mood by adding entertaining stories and intonations into your conversation and not taking everything too seriously and personally.

Workplace fun plays a key element in employee happiness. Research shows that happy people tend to be healthier, more inspired, productive and satisfied in their job. Just make sure your humor is relevant for that situation. Using humor, you break the ice and reduce obstacles in your workplace. A great humor is a way to relieve the stress when communicating as well it can be the reason of generating new ideas. Solve the boredom in your working environment by just being positive and crazy!

Focus on company culture:

Ensuring effective communication should be part of your company culture. It inspires employees to connect with each other and aligns them to your organization’s goals. Try to ensure that everyone is involved in the interactive and engaging activities.

Read also Soft Skills In The Workplace

Share important news with everyone:

It is necessary to share company news with everyone in the office whether they are pleasant or difficult to hear. Being direct and honest is important. Provide all the facts that you have and allow your employees to react and ask questions. Make them feel part of the process.

Reward and encourage employees:

Encouragement is a motivational strategy which will tend to the innovation of new things. If you let others know that they are wanted and appreciated, they will be much more likely to give you their best and contribute to company success!