Workplace Communication is the means by which employees exchange information and ideas. Communicating effectively is a critical aspect of getting any job done, whether it occurs in-person or virtually and is part of the internal communication efforts within an organization. Communication involves a two way process, of transference and understanding of the information. It won’t make sense if one party conveys the information without the other party understanding the information. If one group member speaks only Italian and other members do not know the language, the Italian speaker will not be understood. Workplace Communication is the transmitting of information between one people or group and another person or group in an organization. It can include emails, text messages, voicemails, notes, etc. Effective communication in the workplace is an integral part of company success. Quality communication in the workplace can eliminate unnecessary problems and promote better performance. The ability to communicate effectively in the workplace can increase overall productivity, and create a strong team.
Function and Direction of Communication at Workplace
There are four major functions of communication within a group or organization;
- It acts to controls the behaviour of members and provides guidelines to employees.
- It fosters motivation by clearly informing the employees as to what they must do and how can they improve doing their work.
- It helps employees to emotionally express their needs, feelings, satisfaction and frustration.
- It helps in facilitating decision making by adequately transferring the information needed to identify and evaluate choices.
Communication can flow vertically or laterally. In vertical communication, information that goes from one level or group or organization to a lower level is known as downward vertical communication. Similarly if the communication process flows to the higher level in the organization, it is known as upward communication. Lateral communication involves communicating among the members of a group or an organization without any hierarchical divide. Organizational communication involves the divide between formal communication and grapevine.
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Types of Communication at Workplace
Today, we communicate with our employees nearly constantly. From saying “hello” to your co-worker, having virtual coffee with a distant team member or sharing a gif of a cat in pyjamas. When you talk about communicating at work, you’re talking about talking about work. Knowing when and how to communicate well at work can help you avoid misunderstandings, improve team morale, boost collaboration, and build trust. Teams that can communicate successfully at work are better equipped to handle challenging circumstances. However, developing effective communication skills requires time and effort, which is where this article can help.
Any form of communication you have at work regarding work is considered Workplace Communication. This covers matters like discussing specific tasks, disseminating project progress updates, and providing managers or staff with feedback. Effective collaboration depends on having good communication skills because poor communication can lead to misunderstandings, confusion, or even accidental hurt sentiments.
In the workplace, communication can take place in person, in writing, via video conferencing, or at a group meeting. Additionally, it can take place asynchronously or in real time when discussing work via email, recorded video, or a platform like a project management application. Here are some examples of Workplace Communication:
- Team conferences
- 1:1 remark exchanges
- Obtaining data and information
- Describing the status of a project or its progress
- Working together on cross-functional projects
- Nonverbal Communication
Components of Effective Communication
How do you begin improving your Workplace Communication now that you are aware of the types of communication that are permitted? There are a few fundamental principles to follow. First, aim to properly explain your message. Whether you’re sending a normal message, writing an email, or sending an impromptu response. Be careful of what and how to convey your point. Second, focus on solving problems than creating them. You’re contacting to address a concern or encourage productive teamwork on a task or project. In the workplace, effective communication can highlight obstacles or offer feedback, but make sure the ultimate objective is to improve on the current situation. Most importantly, the foundation of productive teamwork is collaboration. You must put open and honest communication into practise if you want to develop good team collaboration abilities. This does not necessarily imply constant agreement; teamwork also requires the ability to disagree and resolve conflicts. Communication and collaboration abilities are rather “chicken and egg” situations. Effective communication is the foundation for excellent cooperation, but collaboration skills are a crucial element of effective communication. In essence, this basically means that over time, you’ll have to practise honing your teamwork and communication abilities. As your team collaboration skills advance, you’ll become more adept at sharing information and thoughts in a professional setting; as a result, that open communication will make collaboration feel more natural.
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