A common mistake that management teams make is not sharing information throughout the organization. An open and clear communication is necessary for the organization to adopt and understand the organizations vision.
The challenges are when information is released to specific individuals only on a need-to-know basis, people have to make decisions in the dark. They do not know what factors are significant to the strategy of the organizations; they have to guess. And it can be hard to guess right when you are not encouraged to understand the bigger picture or to question information that comes your way. Moreover, when people lack information, it undermines their confidence in challenging a leader or proposing an idea that differs from that of their leader.
Transparency fosters conversation about the meaning of information and the improvement of everyday practices.
As a CEO of Fretex Miljø AS I work each day to be open for new ideas from my employees. I try to build and foster a culture where my employees are encouraged to come up with new ideas, no matter what their position is. I work to build a transparent management culture. As a senior executive and as a mentor I see workplace communication as a transmission of information from one person or group to another person or group in an organization. It can include face-to-face communication, e-mails, text messages, voicemails, notes, and so on.
Workplace communication is vital to an organization’s ability to be productive and to operate smoothly. There are at least three major benefits to effective workplace communication.
Workplace communication improves worker productivity:
- Research shows that effective lateral and work group communication leads to an improvement in overall company performance. It has also been discovered that employees who were graded highest in productivity had received the most effective communication from their superiors.
Workplace communication can increase employee job satisfaction:
- Employees feel empowered if they are able to communicate with senior management. This type of communication happens when information flows upward in an organization, and it usually consists of employees providing feedback to their superiors. If bosses or managers are able to listen to employees and respond appropriately, this two-way communication usually leads to an increase in employee job satisfaction.
Workplace communication can also have a positive effect on absenteeism and turnover rates:
- Communication flow is very important to workers. Employees have to feel confident that they are receiving truthful and updated information from superiors. They also want to have the ability to share ideas, thoughts, and concerns within the company. Studies have shown that even after a layoff, companies with excellent communication are able to retain the surviving employees.
Transparency:
When management don’t share information throughout the organization. It can be understood as lack of confidence to its employees, and, as a result, it can lead to distrust. The best way to prevent this is to practice open, transparent communication. It’s a good idea to share information throughout your organization, as it creates an environment of trust and a feeling of being in it together. Concerns about overwhelming your teams are almost always unfounded.
Inter-departmental collaboration:
Many workplace failures stem from lack of collaboration and poor communication. This secretive, “us versus them” mentality divides people and can lead to interdepartmental friction. When employees aren’t communicating across departments, leaders should identify this as soon as possible, and immediately put into place practices that strengthen relationships between different teams. At Lindorff Accounting Group, we had a strong culture of open feedback and communication, but this was something that was built over time by establishing genuine human connections.
Clarity regarding roles and rules:
Often, a lack of alignment within a team directly diminishes productivity. If employees don’t know what their roles are or what the rules are, their productivity levels are bound to suffer. On the other hand, employees who have clear roles, responsibilities, and deadlines are more likely to be held accountable—and they’re more likely to hold themselves accountable. In any situation where rules and roles are not completely clear, make sure everything is spelled out. Vagueness is conflict’s biggest ally.
Diversity awareness in all communications:
Cross-cultural communication is imperative for companies that have a diverse workforce and participate in the global economy, so it’s important for employees to understand the factors that play a part in an effective, diverse workforce. Cross-cultural communication has become strategically important to companies due to the growth of global business, technology, and the Internet. As a result, understanding cross-cultural communication is important for any company with a diverse workforce.