“Great things in business are never done by one person. They are done by a team of people.”
-Steve
Jobs
As the face of Apple Inc., Steve Jobs is one of the most
successful and well-known entrepreneurs and businessmen of all time. He KNOWS business. He KNOWS the importance of a team. What is
the root of a successful team? What is the foundation of a team?
Communication.
Communication is the glue to a team. Imagine the famous 1992 Dream Team (Michael
Jordan, Scottie Pippen, Larry Bird, Charles Barkley, Magic Johnson, and
others), out on the court with their mouths zipped shut and not saying a
word. Okay, that might be a bad example
because they probably still could have pulled it off! But unless you are a one-man team in your
garage, you need communication in your team.
Even after you and your team have been together for a while you may need
to revamp how you communicate!
Today, I will share with you some ideas and strategies
you can use to help upgrade communication with your team... It never hurts to go back and reevaluate your
methods to make sure you have not veered away from a solid communicative base!
The first two suggestions are key for building a solid
base for communication in your workplace.
1)
Establish your company culture.
This is a particularly important
part of establishing a foundation for communication within your company. The company culture sets the tone for
respect, workplace norms, and expectations in the workplace society.
A great starting point here is
to define, or redefine, your company’s mission statement and core values. These key factors in a company may become
outdated and a refresh can bring a spark to your company culture. You also want to reinforce this mission and
these core values in everything your company does: coworking, sales, marketing,
etc. [1]
Another great step in
establishing company culture is understanding and embracing diversity. [1] This awareness help to ensure no employees
feel left out, unappreciated, or disrespected.
With a diverse workplace comes fresh and inclusive ideas to help revamp
communication and innovation as well.
When building your company
culture, it is also important to show care for your employees. This can be by having different perks for
working in your company (gym discounts, pizza Fridays, snacks in the break
room, etc.). [1]
Show your employees you love and care for them anyway you can!
2)
Invest in a cohesive team
The hiring process is especially
important for each individual you are considering bringing onboard. When you are looking to foster communication
in your office, you want to be sure to hire individuals who will feed that
mission.
Interviews should be thorough and
take into consideration how the person expresses themselves, the clarity of
their nonverbal cues, demeanor, manners, and anything else that will influence
their interactions with your team for the position they are applying for. [4] For example, you will want to evaluate the
clarity of their nonverbal cues, demeanor, manners, and anything else that will
influence the members of your team.
Lastly, the new hire must embody
and be willing to embrace your company’s culture, mission, and core values to
ensure they are a great fit for the communicative environment you want to
build.
These next suggestions are in no order but great for
fostering and revamping communication amongst coworkers and employees.
3)
Open channels for communication.
Consider the layout of your office. Does everyone have individual offices? How
are cubicles arranged? Are there common
work areas? A breakroom? Where can
people convene either for work or for a break?
Think about how you could rearrange the office to give people more
opportunities to interact. [2] Even small policies such as an “open door policy”
where those in their offices keep the door open unless privacy is required… I
won’t lie, I got this policy from living in the dorms in college and it did
wonders for making friends and meeting the people on our floor! It also makes people less hesitant to reach
out, chat, and collaborate. A closed
door can be intimidating.
Another way to open channels is to
welcome feedback both ways. Managers can
reach out to employees for suggestions on how they can better manage to make
their voices her and improve reciprocated communication based on their needs
and observations.
Finally, the practice of “notice,
connect, respond” is great for building between coworkers, superiors, and
subordinated on a more personal level so work feels a little more comfortable. [4] By noticing a picture on someone’s desk,
relating to it, and responding to it, there can be a bonding moment between coworkers
which tends to open communication when work matters arrive in the long run.
4)
Educate your team.
This is possibly the BEST way to
revamp communication in your office.
Providing resources for your employees via email, in staff meetings, or
in one on one meetings can help them advance their communication skills and
make them a better coworker and employee. [1]
One valuable resource you can
share with your team is this list of TED Talks which focus on communication. [3]
Another way to educate employees
on interacting is to bring in a communications expert. They can give insightful presentations, evoke
participation in activities, and provide even more resources to expand
employees’ knowledge base.
5)
Build team morale.
When work isn’t such a miserable
place to be, employees have shown to be happier, more productive, and employee
turnover rates drop. [1] Investing in workplace morale is well worth
it for the company cost wise as well. With
happy, productive, loyal employees comes less training new employees, less time
off, and increased production and profits. Companies can boost morale by
working to build traditions in the workplace (celebrations for big sales, team
bonding activities, success incentives, perks, etc.).
In conclusion, effective communication in the workplace
can be the solid foundation for a companies success. When communication is revamped, employees
will be more productive, happier, and more loyal which will make the company
thrive in the long run. Communication promotes
innovation and creativity to expand between workers where ideas can flourish
where one individual may not have been able to grow it alone.
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[2] Banning, S., & Coleman, R. (2009). Louder than Words: A Content Analysis of Presidential Candidates Televised Nonverbal Communication. Visual Communication Quarterly, 16(1), 4-17. doi:10.1080/15551390802620464
[3]
Eisenhauer, T. (2014,
November 07). 16 TED Talks on Effective Communication in the Workplace.
Retrieved July 7, 2020, from
https://axerosolutions.com/blogs/timeisenhauer/pulse/281/16-ted-talks-on-effective-communication-in-the-workplace#:~:text=
16 TED Talks on Effective Communication in,is a leader.
[4]
Miller, K. I. (2007).
Compassionate Communication in the Workplace: Exploring Processes of Noticing,
Connecting, and Responding [Abstract]. Journal of Applied Communication
Research, 35(3), 223-245. doi:10.1080/00909880701434208
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