As a business owner, you need to understand the role that good communication plays in keeping your company running smoothly. Businesses run well when employees are clear on their job roles and they feel like their reports are being heard by the higher ups. If employees run into a problem and the chain of command isn’t clear, chaos would soon ensue. It is therefore very important that both internal communication within your organisation as well as the communication skills of your employees are running efficiently.
Otherwise, the internal and external structure of your business will face numerous challenges that will ultimately lead to its demise.
Open door policy
Open door policies are a great start, but they often they end up being hollow, rarely-used entries in employee handbooks. To create a true environment of open communication, you should encourage collaboration and feedback between departments, as well as between management and staff. Productivity will improve as a result of a more positive office morale.
Use technology to your advantage
Technology is constantly evolving to make our lives easier, so keeping in touch with your colleagues is now instant, and more effective than ever. After all, you can use mobile apps to efficiently manage your business, so why not use other apps to improve workplace communication. Use software such as Slack, Hipchat, or Campfire to instantly pass work updates to your colleagues, share files, start conversations for group projects, and automate tasks. This is quicker than typing an email and waiting for the recipient to type one back. Also, you can’t underestimate the value of a good business phone system to communicate internally with employees, and externally with partners and customers. Finally, you can use technology to keep track of everyone’s daily progress. Time is money, after all, so it’s good to know that everyone is productively working towards their deadlines and business goals.
Training time
Forcing employees to learn on the job can be extremely inefficient and overwhelming for your new worker. Instead of expecting them to effectively accomplish a task with little to no instruction, set aside some time understand what they already know, and teach them the necessary skills to do their job. Make it clear that it is okay to ask questions, and they don’t have to present themselves as an expert. In the long run, you will have an employee who knows how to do their job well, and you won’t have to read new job applications for a while.
Reward hard work
If you’re smart, you’ll already have an employee recognition program in place. People work better if they’re rewarded with more than just a paycheck. Recognizing their efforts and contributions will make them feel appreciated and they will continue to be productive workers. However, you should remember that one employee will be happier with a private “thank you,” while another might prefer a more public acknowledgement. But either way, they will think more highly of you if you think highly of them.