Important Tools For Communication Within The Workplace

Effective communication is a must-have in any organization. It is a very important tool that can boost productivity, lessen employee turnover, and improve the overall environment in the workplace. Both employees and supervisors or managers in a company have to make an effort to communicate better because this is what may define the kind of relationship they will have with one another.

The problem, however, is that not all of us consider communication as their strength. This is an important thing to look at especially in diverse workplaces like Canada. So many people from different countries go to work in Canada. These workers speak different languages, and also have unique cultures and ways. In a workplace with such diversity, the proper use of the following communication methods is crucial.

Listening

In the world of business, listening is considered more important that speaking as a factor for effective communications within organizations. As you interact with others, you need to be a good listener to be able to understand what you are being told more clearly. This will also prevent you from getting confused, and more importantly, listening is a sign of respect to the person you are speaking with.

Take note also that listening is different from merely hearing other people’s words. A good listener offers good body language to signal that they are interested in what the speaker is saying. The positive gestures you may use involve nodding, making eye contact, and just keeping still. In a particular workplace, if its members practice good listening skills and behavior, communication will certainly improve.

Speaking

Speaking is a form of art that should not be taken for granted. Every word that comes out of your mouth can yield positive and negative reactions from your listeners. In a workplace, leaders need to understand how powerful their words are. And so, it is ideal for them to let their subordinates to speak first. This way, they may know about each member’s opinions on a specific matter. Taking notes is also recommended so that nothing will be missed. After giving everyone the chance to speak, it will be the leader’s turn to clarify things and put a conclusion to the meeting.

A good leader, especially those who supervise people coming from different background, will affirm what everyone else has said. He or she should also not hesitate to emphasize the things that he liked or didn’t like about what everyone said, whether the input came from an old employee or from a new Canadian immigrant. This way, every opinion is considered, which is important for boosting the confidence of the employees. This attitude of a leader is also likely to be followed by the employees, and this can greatly help improve the way people communicate with one another in the workplace.