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There is no shortage of communication tools in offices today. There is a consistent stream of text messages, emails, Zoom meetings, meetings down the hall, video calls, conversations around the water cooler, newsletters, and good old postal mail. All this communication can easily challenge even the best communicator. It can be overwhelming when navigating communications, switching back and forth between email, text, and in-person conversation.  It is also inefficient, time-consuming, and stressful, and legitimate business needs can be lost in the chatter.

A business needs to pick the right tools for their workplace communications. The right tools will help ensure that all team members have the information they need without getting lost in the noise of technology. To keep the team focused, start by untangling the communication methods.

Here are some things to consider.

Use the Right Tech Tools

Many workplace communication issues can be addressed through the implementation of the right tech tools. If managers want to stop answering the same questions repeatedly, they need to implement a company knowledge base. Knowledge sharing is the center of social and collaborative technologies.  There are software solutions that can assist in developing a system that can contain nearly all the information your team will ever need to access, all in one place. The team needs to be clear that while a few people must be the custodian of the information, everyone is responsible for using the data, reporting any wrong information, and suggesting new information to be added.

Management should also consider implementing project management software. When employees share a single platform, they don’t waste time sifting through lengthy email chains and direct messages. Instead, their communication is project-specific and tracked within the software. To help avoid confusion about who is responsible for what, nearly all software platforms allow system administrators to assign a role to each user.  Managers can map out project details and assign tasks to specific functions, avoiding email entirely. As soon as assignments are made, the team can get right to work. According to the McKinsey Global Institute, “The average worker spends 20% of their week trying to find their colleagues to track down internal information.” (1)

Improve Meeting Habits

Research suggests that up to 15% of the time spent in an hour-long meeting is wasted just setting up the equipment. Ineffective meetings cost companies billions of dollars each year. Without preparation, drifting from the agenda and meeting more frequently than necessary are guaranteed to waste time and confuse teams. (2)

The first step to address this waste is to consider how many meetings you hold. Some teams thrive with weekly or even daily meetings. Often, it’s better and less complicated to replace meetings with effective communication throughout the day.

If you’re considering scheduling a meeting, do so with careful consideration. Ask yourself, “Is there a better way to communicate? Will a text or an email work just as well? Does this material need to be presented in a meeting so you can measure people’s reactions?”

If a meeting is necessary, ensure that you create a consistent, transparent practice regarding how the meeting is conducted. Provide a schedule that sets time limits on topics to be discussed and stick to it. Allow attendees time to review material, especially if feedback is necessary.  Check a few hours in advance to make sure all key participants will attend that day. If not, reschedule the meeting.

Develop Communication Protocols

In the absence of a plan to direct traffic, your communications will quickly become cluttered. Anyone who has stopped working to check a message that had absolutely nothing to do with them knows the impact this has on productivity.

Linear communication protocols are standard in large organizations. Employees are instructed to speak to their managers but are not permitted to “jump the queue” and talk directly with board members or the CEO. Flat organizations such as startups and family-run businesses can develop more open but still straightforward communication protocols. This will help ensure that an employee’s question or comment can be answered by the individual who can best address it – the first time. Train people to understand the priority of messages and response times.

Communicating business or organization goals is necessary to the success of any operation. When tackling something with a team, frequent updates will keep everyone on the same page and the process on track to reach the common goal. The only way to do that is to keep the information flowing through internal communication channels (email, text, Slack, etc.).

Today’s workplaces accommodate people from a variety of age groups. A knowledge gap in communication technology might make it tough to be consistent with the tools being used. For example, Boomers and some Gen X’s prefer email and phone or voicemail over a text message.  In comparison, Gen Y, Z, etc., prefer text messages, project management tools, etc., so they can track communication. (3)  This doesn’t mean that one preference is better than the other, but it does mean that getting everyone within a team to understand the “norms’ of the team communication is essential to productivity, competence, and morale.

Require Your Team to Share a Calendar

Another tech investment to consider is an online calendar. An online calendar helps your employees manage their own time, improving communication between team members. When someone sees that a colleague is in a meeting, they won’t call their cell phone. They’ll also know to send an email they can respond to afterward rather than a Slack message that begs an immediate reply.

Look for an online calendar solution that can be easily shared and has scheduling links. Scheduling links allows everyone on your team to share their availability with co-workers and clients. This eliminates those annoying back-and-forth emails as you try to coordinate schedules.

A shared team calendar can also record due dates and submissions, providing information that might otherwise generate an email or phone call. Any asset you use to cut down on short bursts of messaging will do wonders to declutter your communications. If Microsoft Teams is not an option, use something such as TimeTrade as a team calendar for coordination. (4)

Break Down Communication Barriers

Identify the communication problems within your organization. Are employees afraid to talk to you? Is there a lack of camaraderie on the sales floor, which is leading to miscommunications and frustrations? Is the production line experiencing errors because of overwhelming demand and not enough trained staff?  The first requirement is to uncover and track issues without moving too quickly or blaming anyone.

Team bonding outside the workplace tends to break down boundaries and help members loosen up. This bonding needs to be encouraged. Managers can help the bonding along by sponsoring a team activity outside of the confines of the workplace. Interactions between team members are more natural outside of the office. This interaction carries over into better communication during the workday. Over time, employees will feel more comfortable addressing their questions and concerns with you as well.

Another way to break down communication barriers is to host a training seminar. For example, introducing a new software package can provide an excellent opportunity to hold a workshop where communication protocols are reinforced. Be careful not to single anyone out and offer examples of poor communication with an effective counterpart.

Today’s workplaces contain people from a wide variety of age groups. A knowledge gap in communication technology might make it tough to be consistent with the tools being used.

Promote Transparency

Transparency in the workplace promotes trust, collaboration, and accountability. Each of these attributes provides a boost to overall morale and dramatically improves communication.

The best way to promote transparency in the workplace is to start at the top. Strive to be consistently open with employees regarding policy changes, expectations, and company stability. If applicable, seek out opportunities for one-on-one time with every employee while avoiding the perception that you are micromanaging.

How does your system respond when something goes wrong? It’s a given – something will go wrong. Murphy Law states that “Anything that can go wrong will go wrong.”

When it goes wrong, and you need rapid answers, use a crisis room (more commonly called a “war room.”)  These rooms can be done virtually, in person, or as a hybrid of both. It’s essential to the success of these rooms that they have a collaborative environment for dealing with what went wrong. First, “How do we fix this?” and second, “How do we prevent this from happening again?” The war room process will get everyone on the same page, possessing the same information responding with the same game plan.

Transparency promotes a healthier, happier workplace. Employees will communicate far better in an environment where they feel safe and included.

Don’t wait to untangle workplace communication issues. It might be tempting to sidestep common communication issues as “not a priority” when a current project is making its way toward successful completion. However, planning before a crisis strikes and mitigating potential damage can help keep your organization and people on track for growth and success.

  Discover more inspiring ideas for exciting experiences that boost morale and engage your people. Contact Gavel International for details.

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SOURCES:

  1. https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/high-tech/our-insights/the-social-economy
  2. https://socialmediaexplorer.com/business-innovation-2/how-to-untangle-messy-workplace-communication/
  3. https://learn.g2.com/internal-communication
  4. https://www.timetrade.com/

 

Eloisa Mendez
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