In an ideal environment/ firm, communication between employees or team members should be open, friendly and professional. Imagine an environment where all key team members are informed of their roles and tasks. Employees would feel comfortable asking questions, and team leads would be encouraged to give answers in a polite, kind and promptly; work would run effortlessly like clockwork. This way, it is easier to get the job done efficaciously and right on time.
Unfortunately, we do not live in an ideal environment, and we are not superior people. Ideas never run as smoothly as we anticipate or as perfect as we plan. Individuals coming together from different backgrounds with different orientations to achieve a singular purpose are bound to have misunderstandings, arguments and undermine authority. The growth of a firm depends on the success of its team; hence, we must strive for the ideal environment. Good communication, in essence, would seek to ensure that everyone is carried along in a group. Firms/ organizations come up with different solutions to tackle communication barriers across a whole team, and below are ten easy ways to improve team communication in your firm.
1. Keep the doors of communication open: Creating an environment where everyone is free to voice their opinion is crucial; this is a way to solidify trust amongst team members. It subtly sends a message of value to members of your team.
2. Never treat information as communication: Telling your team members what to do is entirely different from communicating with your team members on matters arising. The common mistake is when the team leads dump information on their team members and mistake it as communication. In the grand scheme of things, communication stages are never complete without feedback. Hear from members of your team, be open to constructive criticism. No one is perfect.
3. Show appreciation: learn to give props to your colleagues, team members and staff. Showing appreciation for work done well boosts morale and makes employees feel valuable to the firm, and it creates an environment of staff wanting to do more.
4. Discover individual strengths and leverage them: Never make an employee or team member feel redundant. Also, bear in mind that individuals communicate differently. Some people prefer written forms of communication, while auditory people benefit more from face-to-face meetings. Realizing that everyone is different allows for better communication. Still, it also sends the message to your team members that you value them as individuals and recognize which form of communication works best for them.
5.Team Building Activities: Provide an environment that creates room for team bonding activities. Team bonding help colleagues understand each other better and enhance collaboration.
These and many more are the ways to create good communication amongst employees within a firm.