Communication in an organisation is the process of exchange of information and ideas between the internal and external groups and individuals that have a direct relationship with the company. It can be both cerebral and non-verbal. This includes emails, text messages, calls, notes etc.

“Clear speaking demonstrate clear thinking” – Aristotle

Statistics show that 86% of employees lack effective collaboration and communication. That’s why it is one of the main causes for workplace failures. There are lots of ways to communicate. It’s how we share ideas and convey messages so that we can get things done.

Statistics show that organisations with good communication with employees, show productivity increase by 20-25%.But not all communication is the same, and to succeed in the workplace you need to understand and be able to use specific types of workplace communication. That’s why it is extremely important to provide communications training for employees

Importance Of Communications Training For Employees

1.7C’s Of Communication

Communication training is important for employees because if they are not trained they will not be able to talk or write effectively and their audience will be unable to get their message. They must follow the 7C’s of communication and these are:

• When writing or speaking to someone, be CLEAR about your message. Think about what your purpose is in communication with another person. If you are not sure then your audience won’t be either.
• Be CONCISE, keep your message short and to the point.
• Make sure your message is CONCRETE and gives your audience a clear picture of what you want to say.
• Be CORRECT because correct communication is error free and use language that is understood by others.
• Be COHERENT because coherent communication is logical. It means that all points are connected to the main topic and follow the correct order or sequence.
• Your message should be COMPLETE. After reading or listening to your message, others should know what is to be done.
• Be COURTEOUS, use respectful and polite language at all times.

2.Basis Of Coordination & Decision Making

Communication training for employees is important because it acts as a basis of coordination. The trainee explains to the employees about organisational goals and modes of achieving it. 

Proper communication provides information to the manager that is useful for decision-making. No decision could be taken in the absence of information so it is really important to train the employees in communications so that the organisation grows.

3.Basis Of All Relationships

Let’s imagine a day without speaking to anyone in the office. How would you find it? Difficult and boring, right? So communication is the basis of all relationships. We communicate with others for many reasons.

At work, we talk to our co-workers to share ideas, exchange information and seek help from them. For employees who are not trained for communications, their work life would come to a standstill.

4.Productivity 

Productivity is very important for the organisation as it allows them to be successful and to get revenue. When employees are not trained for communications then poor communications comes into effect with productivity.

That could be a situation where an employer sends an email out to their employee and it’s not detailed enough. This ends up having to be a back-and-forth communication between the employee and the employer.

In this case the end result is that they are wasting time that they could be using to be doing their job and knowing that they could have gotten that message right away with a good communication. When productivity is brought down the employees feel less successful in what they are doing.

This doesn’t only impact their job but it impacts everyone’s job. It also impacts the quality of the job that’s being done.

5.Morale 

An employee has higher self-esteem, higher motivation and wanting to do what they do. Morale is important for employees so that they can have that confidence in their job, their management team and co-workers. 

When an employee is not trained for communications then poor communication comes into effect with their job. There will be bad communication between the employer and employee that can really have an affect on how they feel about their job. Poor communication between management and the employee can make the employee feel like what they are saying isn’t being heard.

This lowers the motivation of employees and they will feel less confident in doing their job. If there’s a group of people that feel as though they communicate better with each other instead of communicating with one another person, then that person can really feel like they don’t belong in their group. They feel like they don’t fit in their job which leads to low morale.

What Are The Elements Of Effective Communication?

1.Listening

Listening is one of the most important aspects of effective communication. Successful listening means not just understanding words or the information being communicated but also understanding how the speaker feels about what they are communicating.

Listening is critical because it provides direction. It helps to form good relationships and to encourage more open communication. Effective listening can:

• Make the speaker feel heard and understand, which can help build a stronger, deeper connection between you.
• Create an environment where everyone feels safe to express ideas, opinions and feelings, or plan and problem solve in creative ways.
• Save time by helping clarify information to avoid conflicts and misunderstandings.
• Relieve negative emotions when emotions are running high. If the speaker feels that he has been truly heard, it can help to calm them down, relieve negative feelings and allow for real understanding or problem solving to begin.

2.Non-Verbal Communication

Wordless communication or body language includes facial expressions, body movement and gestures, eye contact, posture, the tone of your voice and even your muscle tension and breathing.

The way you look, listen, move and react to another person tells them more about how you’re feeling than words alone ever can.

3.Managing Stress

In small doses, stress can help you perform under pressure. However, when stress becomes constant and overwhelming and can hamper effective communications by disrupting your capacity to think clearly and creatively and act appropriately.

When you are stressed you are more likely to misread other people, send confusing or off-putting non-verbal signals and laps into unhealthy knee-jerk patterns of behaviour.

4.Emotional Awareness

The consciousness of your moment-to-moment emotional experience and the ability to manage all of your feelings appropriately is the basis for effective communication.

• Understand and empathise
• Understand yourself.
• Stay motivated to understand and empathise
• Communicate clearly and effectively, even when delivering negative messages.
• Build strong, trusting and rewarding relationships, think creatively, solve problems, and resolve conflicts.

Ways To Improve Communication At Work

1.Empathize On Open Communication

It is also very important to listen to what your teammate has not said. As a leader, taking upon yourself to dig  to the truth, creating a safe space for communication in your workplace. This only benefits you, your company as well as the employee with a new boost of self-confidence.

Instead of relying on end-of-the-year reviews to communicate with your people, a regularly scheduled one-on-one is just so much more convenient as well as makes it easier for you to function. Remain up-to-date on where your employees are at, how they are feeling and what they need from you to excel.

2.Create A Communication Friendly Space

Maintaining a clear and constant flow of communication and good energy for your team should be one of your foremost priorities. Whether they wish to speak about their feelings or share ideas and initiatives, nothing is taboo. Infact, the expression should be encouraged.

There is no better way to do that than by creating a communication-friendly environment. You can do this by setting an example. This means you are the cornerstone for perfection. Always be open and transparent in communication even if it’s something as negligible to you as greeting them ‘Good Morning’ or saying ‘Thank You’.

Along with this you should also encourage social interactions promptly and inspire your employees to interact with each other. Even when it comes to non-work related conversations.

3.Communication Is A Two Way Street

If you expect honest and open communication then you have to mimic yourself and set it up as an example. Communication is something that should never be tapped down. Regardless of the means of your connection, always ensure that you encourage your employees to share their thoughts, feedback and points of contention.

If your whole deal is that you claim to have an open-door policy, you need to keep it as open as you possibly can. A less dramatic way of doing this is merely by reminding your employees that you are there for them to talk to and counsel. 

However, how do they come to you? The answer is simple. During your review ask them to communicate their feedback on your performance as a manager. If you are addressing a larger group of people over a different medium , make sure to encourage everyone to communicate.

4.Stick To Your Own Rules

In addition to maintaining and expecting realistic expectations, your employees also come to rely on you as a beacon of support and consistency. If you have made them aware of their relevance and their duties, it is only fair to be irregular with what is expected of you concerning them.

One of the most frustrating things as an employee is to finish a project only to find out that your manager was looking for something completely different. This can be avoided by being transparent and open with your questions.

5.Read The Room

You should discuss with your team which modes of communication work best for them and for which solutions.

Big decisions probably be made face-to-face, lunches can be arranged over whatever your preferred instant messenger is speaking.

6.Make The Most Of Technology But Know When Works

Keep in mind that messengers and emails are great but only to a point. Often going back and forth on a computer gets complicated. So don’t be afraid to get offline and speak to one another.

Face-to-face conversation skills are imperative in simplifying tasks and preventing miscommunication like perceived sarcasm.

7.Explain Your Motivation, Whatever It May Be

Any case of excitable or easily unnerved employees and there may be a lot of those. You can’t help how humans are built. You will often want to but chances are that you will generate unnecessary anxiety. This comes from your lack of creating a safe space in the first place.

However, if you have already done what I have mentioned above and things are still icy, then we can use motivation as a tool.

8.We’re All Part Of Something Bigger Than Us

For work to be more meaningful, we need to feel like we are part of a bigger picture. Although you won’t always be able to make tasks more meaningful, it also helps to admit that sometimes some things just need to be done and move on to better things.

This kind of honesty is inspiring and shows your employees that being empathetic is always a plus.

9.Don’t Be Afraid Of Positive Feedback

Only a fool would underestimate the power of positive feedback. A common misconception is that positive feedback encourages laziness and overconfidence. Well, not really often we are quick to point out a person’s mistakes while forgetting to see any of the acknowledgements due to their way.

Giving positive feedback can be a powerful tool in your hands, especially in giving employee motivation. With great power comes great responsibility to credit where it’s due. 

10.Differentiative Between Negative Feedback & Constructive Feedback

A compliment sandwich is when you open with a positive lead to a negative and then with a positive observation. You will always want to point out the positives but sometimes the world doesn’t give you that.

Ultimately calling out an employee is nothing but a deterrent. So you should ideally go for constructive critique instead. This relies heavily on facts as opposed to the attitude which can easily be fixed with the right guidance.