In today’s diverse working world, communication can’t just be cross-functional. It also needs to be cross-cultural, intergenerational, and designed to seamlessly span multiple time zones and country codes. Effective organizational management isn’t just about top-down or bottom-up leadership anymore; it’s about up-to-the-minute, multilateral information sharing.
With so many variables in the mix, it’s easy for messages to get lost in the shuffle. And poor workplace communication can have serious consequences, like decreased morale, disengaged employees, and gaps in crucial institutional knowledge. To win, every company needs a continuous feedback loop where leaders and teams keep each other in the know.
Here are six ways to start building an airtight communication strategy.
1. Give Every Task a “Why”
Most employers consider strategic alignment in an overly simplistic way. They think they can explain the company mission to employees, assign tasks accordingly, and expect them to work like a well-oiled machine. But while your team members may understand their general roles, they don’t always realize how individual objectives fit into the bigger picture.
This can lead to major communication breakdowns. Without truly grasping the full significance of each action they perform, workers may not know when to provide updates or ask important questions.
To keep every member of your organization engaged and in sync, provide context for every project. When assigning tasks and setting goals, communicate your reasoning to your team. Emphasize exactly how each contribution will directly impact the company’s success – and when and how to speak up if an issue arises.
2. Get to Know Your Colleagues
To foster closeness and rapport, ditch the happy hours and not-really-optional “optional” field trips and instead consider targeted self-disclosure exercises. In these exercises, participants share gradually increasing levels of personal information and insight in order to build deep, genuine connections. Over time, these connections can lead to increased trust, engagement, and knowledge sharing.
Find ways to identify your team members’ unique skills, interests, and characteristics. Personality tests like the CliftonStrengths assessment and the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator can help determine colleagues’ communication styles and inform important interactions. For instance, a more introverted employee may struggle to express their ideas on the fly at a large staff meeting.
But if given the opportunity to share their insights in writing, that same person could generate incredible innovations for the company. Knowing how your employees communicate best – and offering them flexibility accordingly – can improve performance, job satisfaction, and engagement.
3. Treat People the Way They Want to Be Treated
Effective communication goes both ways, which means employees need to feel psychologically safe. Encourage openness and honesty and ensure folks aren’t afraid to tell you what’s really on their minds. Inviting disagreement can make space for new discoveries and more effective solutions. Let your team know it’s OK to question and poke holes in your decisions.
Create opportunities for employees to openly share feedback. Try anonymous surveys or suggestion boxes, dedicated time during meetings, email or Slack channels, or one-on-one check-ins. Show your team members that you value their opinions, and don’t penalize constructive criticism – even if it’s hard to hear.
4. Build Inclusivity Into the Fabric of Your Communication
Inclusivity is fundamental to both communication and success. Research consistently shows that more diverse teams have measurably better outcomes than their competitors. But diverse hiring and diversity, equity, and inclusion trainings aren’t enough. All employees need to be heard so more ideas can take shape and gain traction.
Leadership should weave equity and accessibility into every workplace protocol.
You can help make your workplace communication more inclusive by:
- Making sure training videos and virtual meetings are accurately captioned
- Providing accommodations like sufficient seating or extra processing time for employees with physical or intellectual disabilities
- Mandating the use of inclusive language in all internal and external communications
- Putting systems in place to give women and under-represented populations equal speaking time
- Supporting employees who code-switch to their primary language or dialect when conversing among themselves
5. Make Every Meeting Matter
Schedule regular one-on-one meetings with each of your direct reports, ideally half an hour once a week or biweekly. Use this time primarily for listening. Invite your team members to share updates, ask questions about ongoing projects, and discuss potential barriers to performance.
On the flip side, cap total weekly meeting time at around 20% of total time worked. Schedule as few group meetings as possible and keep them to 30 minutes or less. Research shows that too many meetings can be bad for productivity and morale. Overly frequent status update meetings can make employees think their managers don’t trust them to do their jobs.
6. Shun Not the Emoji
Strategic GIFs and emojis can liven up an otherwise somber digital public space and create a sense of camaraderie when used correctly. Celebrate your employees’ achievements across the company-wide Slack channel with widely recognized symbols that signal a job well done. Acknowledge a win with a fun animation or show support for a good idea with a “100%” emoji.
Well-chosen, office-appropriate images can add nuance to personal exchanges, too. A smiley face in a dry-sounding email or chat can let an anxious subordinate know there’s no need to dread their next check-in. GIFs and emojis can also help you get a better read of what’s on employees’ minds. So make sure your team members feel as comfortable using them as you do.
Becoming a Model Communicator
Whichever tools you use, remember that no amount of personality tests or Slack channels can undo the harmful effects of mistrust and micromanagement. Use the guidelines above to augment a baseline of clarity and mutual respect – not as quick fixes for a toxic office culture.
Never forget that, at the end of the day, your employees are human. If you model positivity, integrity, and constructive feedback, your team members will naturally follow suit.
