In a nutshell, effective workplace communication helps an organization reach its goals faster and such a communication strategy makes things easier both for individual employees and various teams. With a well-developed workplace communication protocol, teams can evade friction, interact and bond better and overall performance is enhanced.
Team Building: What is it?
January 11, 2023
In all types of workplaces, teamwork is a vital requirement for sustenance and growth. Without strong teamwork and coordination between the various departments and employees, productivity and growth get hampered- regardless of the niche and size of the entity. That explains why businesses pay particular attention to developing a strong teamwork culture. However, Team building cannot take place without proper and effective communication between the employees in an organization. These two components are therefore interlinked and they are pivotal for organizational growth.
The basics of workplace
communication
At a workplace, communication mainly denotes professional interactions and the exchange of ideas, and opinions related to work. It encompasses a lot of things, including:
- How individual employees interact/communicate with one another
- How the management interacts with the employees
- How one department in the company interacts with other departments
- How the employees interact with clients and vendors
When there are several teams or departments in a company, certain formalities are followed for communication needs. To ensure the workspace remains productive and there is a mutually convenient ambience, teams have to adhere to specific communication strategies.
Different options for deploying
workplace communication that fosters team building
To enhance teamwork in an organization, certain communication methods and channels are used. These are useful for facilitating proper, effective communication between various teams, employees, and related entities.
- Verbal (face-to-face) communication
- Written communication
- Telephonic communication
- Online communication ( includes email and social media platforms)
In most organizations, all these channels or modes of communication are used- as per the need.
Multiple benefits of using effective communication strategies to enhance team building
When there is a well-laid-out communication strategy in an organization the employees and various teams in it benefit in several ways. The truth is effective communication skills are catalysts for professional growth.
Enhanced employee engagement
Unless individual employers in a company feel motivated and positive about the work atmosphere and culture, productivity will remain sub-par. If the communication protocols are deployed and followed properly, employees can interact without hesitation or woe. Team members feel motivated to work and give their best input. This helps enhance the output of all teams in the long run.
It promotes a productive, collaborative workplace
When team members get the flexibility and freedom to communicate with others, including the management and senior employees, a productive, collaborative ambience is created. There is no fear of being judged for sharing frank opinions and that makes employees interact without woe. Team members with different skills and capabilities are able to understand each other better and that reduces the risk of conflicts in the workplace.
No unnecessary delays and stress
When well-laid-out communication protocols are in place in an organization, employees can save time. For example, junior employees know exactly how they can reach out to their seniors or the management for any problems without worrying about adverse repercussions. This ensures any work-related hassle is resolved without delay and concerned employees do not get stressed about it.
Reaching goals becomes easier with team building
In every company, there are targets to achieve for the workforce as well as the management. When the teams communicate effectively, that has a positive impact on overall performance. The hurdles get minimized and the teams are able to achieve their targets faster, minus hassles. This works particularly well for collaborative projects or time-critical projects.
Faster problem resolution
In any workplace, unexpected problems can crop up periodically. When such problems do pop up, effective communication plays a key role in resolving them at the earliest. As the team members are able to convey their ideas and thoughts on such issues clearly, reaching a feasible conclusion becomes easier and faster.
Factors that affect workplace communication and team building adversely
Before deploying an effective workplace communication protocol, it is necessary to understand certain factors that pose hurdles on the way. Once these factors are assessed and understood, it becomes easier to develop a strategy to resolve the roots of conflicts in effective workplace communication.
Different communication styles
Different employees, no matter how talented or veteran, have varying communication styles. Nuances like the pitch of voice, usage of vocabulary, and body language affect the results of interactions at the workplace. Assertive team members are often perceived as aggressive, opinionated, or rude.
Timely feedback
The response time is a factor worth analyzing. If there is an inordinate delay in communication made at the workplace that can escalate the conflict between individual employees as well as teams.
Medium for communication
Choosing the right channel for workplace communication is another key factor. Some work-related issues are better-discussed face to face while for others, using a channel like an email is more feasible. Not choosing the right channel for communication can hamper teamwork in an entity.
On-time communication
It is also necessary to pick the right time for making communication at the workplace. Some communications are most effective when they are made at a suitable time. For example, a newly inducted team member has to be alerted about serious mistakes he/she is making at the beginning. If the team leaders or senior team members overlook the matter, such errors will be repeated, albeit unwittingly by the employee and that will affect teamwork adversely.
Handy communication tips/strategies to enhance team building at workplaces
Every organization has a distinct work culture and a communication strategy that suits one entity very well may not be viable for another, logically. However, some tried and tested workplace communication tips and protocols prove to be useful for most organizations, regardless of their niche and scale of operations. These communication strategies, when properly deployed help in team development and organizational growth.
Encouraging opinion sharing and transparency
The management in an organization should encourage the employees to come up with their views and opinions on various work-related issues. It can be on conflicts related to work as well. Then, team members are able to discuss issues without woes and seek help for clarity on topics. This helps strengthen bonding between team members.
Having an open mind to different views
In most entities, a conflict between team members arises mostly because one employee refuses to see the point of view of the other. While it is okay to have an individual perspective on a work-related topic, it is necessary to understand that others in the team may not harbour similar views. So, the communication protocol must have room for respecting the ideas and views of all team members.
Keeping room for two-way feedback
To encourage team building and development, the management should keep provision for two-way feedback. For example, if the management decides to alter the existing working hours, it should be prudent to seek the feedback of teams and employees on the issues. In fact, effective communication is taking place when it is from both sides.
Proper orientation for new employees
When new employees are inducted into an organization, it is necessary that they are informed and enlightened on the communication protocols from the beginning. They should be educated on ways to use the communication channels in the organization and deployed protocols for using the same. This will be helpful for them in the long run.
Being tactical about offering criticism
Sometimes, senior team members may need to point out the faults of juniors in the team. However, this type of communication has to be made in a somewhat tactical way so that team building is not hampered. The employee making the mistake should be reminded of the issue and its seriousness but using constructive criticism can be useful here. For instance, the employee may be reminded of his/her previous track record and reminded he/she can do better.
Going offbeat occasionally
While workplace communication is usually formal, sometimes it can be worthwhile to adopt a somewhat off-beat communication style to encourage team-building activities. Some companies try this tactic to reduce work stress and boost the mood of the team members, periodically. For instance, the communication mail or message for workplace-related stress-busting events can be delivered with a dash of humour! This offers a refreshing change in workplace communication and team bonding receives a boost.
Following a schedule
Some workplace-related communications may have to be made without plans, as per workflow and urgency of situations, for sure. However, it makes sense to deploy a routine or schedule for such communications. This can be useful for holding weekly interactions between the team members or monthly interactions with team leaders etc. Adhering to a communication schedule helps everyone in the team stay organized and ready for interactions.
Conclusion
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