Communication in the workplace can make or break your organization. If your employees are communicating effectively at work, your company is going to be much more successful.
When your employees are communicating effectively at work, it:
- Strengthens the company culture
- Increases productivity and quality
- Avoids confusion and duplication of work
- Keeps everyone accountable and on-track with their tasks
However, if your people are snapping at one another out of stress or not following up after meetings with an action plan, things can go sideways quickly. I call these “communication bombs”, because they can blow up your organization!
In the recent months, I’ve seen a number of COVID-19-related communication issues among remote employees, including:
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Staff not responding to email requests to complete a task.
Some people really need to be told to do something face-to-face. Instead of prioritizing emails that come in, some employees procrastinate or avoid these asks altogether.
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People reacting negatively when asked to complete a task.
Some employees react with anger when they’re emailed a request, either because they don’t want to do the work, don’t feel like they’re part of the team because everyone is working remotely or don’t understand what you’re asking of them.
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Employees treating others poorly.
We see this type of behavior all the time online. People are much more willing to make derogatory, insulting or unkind comments anonymously behind their computer screen.
And while your employees aren’t anonymous, some staff members will treat their coworkers much differently over email or Zoom than they would face-to-face in the conference room.
This is generally due to pandemic stress and overwhelm. According to a survey by the mental health provider Ginger, about 7 in 10 employees say that the pandemic is the most stressful time of their entire professional career. This has aligned with large increases in new prescriptions of antidepressant, antianxiety and anti-insomnia medications.
When someone is stressed out and burned out, they’re much more likely to lash out at their coworkers. While it’s not acceptable, as a leader it’s your job to understand not just the behavior of your employees, but the root causes—their health and safety depend on it.
How to Keep Your Team Acting Like a Team
I’ve shared tips before on managing teams remotely and creating a great remote workplace culture. Your employees are looking to you for direction and support, so communication in the workplace is more important than ever.
Here are 3 ways to prevent communication-related dysfunctions within your team:
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Always keep kindness in mind.
Often, your remote employees are working in a shared common area, with loved ones or coworkers coming and going throughout the day. If your words are chosen in anger, remember that others can overhear your rant.
Be kind and straightforward when asking for something or providing feedback. Otherwise, the person may be embarrassed in front of family or other coworkers. This is one of the fastest ways to build tension and resentment—you could even lose one of your best employees.
While the pandemic isn’t an excuse for unexplained absenteeism or poor quality work, it’s important to realize that many of your staff are balancing working from home with childcare, homeschooling, caring for sick family members or even grieving the loss of a loved one. Your empathy and support will go a long way right now.
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Empower your people with expectations.
If people don’t know what you’re expecting, how can they know where they’re going? They will try their best but that might mean going in a completely different direction than what you have in mind.
Start by asking your staff to look at the goals they set at the beginning of the year. Then, provide feedback as to what is realistic for them to achieve. When employees help create their goals and know they will be held accountable, they’re more likely to be successful.
Having clear SOPs (standard operating procedures) will also keep everyone communicating effectively at work. These are the documented processes that enable employees to effectively and safely perform their jobs.
Every single employee in your organization needs to understand, complete and follow these step-by-step desk procedures—especially right now.
No matter what procedure or policy you’re enforcing, communication in the workplace is so important if you want people to follow the rules. This can even relate to how you want your employees to dress when they come back to the office.
Many people have gotten quite used to working in their PJs and not combing their hair unless in a video meeting! Having a clear dress code will ensure people are wearing professional attire when they come back to work.
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Encourage open two-way communication.
Too often, leaders don’t open up the lines of communication. They request work, give feedback on that work and periodically do performance evaluations—without asking the employee what they’re thinking or feeling!
Your staff will be much happier if you make feedback a continuous process. Ask them what’s working and where they can use some support. Have daily or weekly check-ins with your staff, and let them know your virtual office door is always open.
Also, implementing what’s known as two-way communication can really help your employees understand expectations and avoid confusion. Here’s an example of two-way communication:
You send an employee a message about a project you’re finalizing this Friday. When the employee (receiver) gets the message, they send back a response, acknowledging the message was received and stating when they will complete the task.
This creates a “paper trail” that you can refer to if a task isn’t completed, or if there is confusion down the road.
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Whether you prefer a culture of formal or informal communication, it’s critical to focus on how you’re communicating with your employees—and vice versa. Your organization’s success depends on it!
But with some extra thought, clear expectations and continuous communication, you can create a much more rewarding and productive workplace, even if everyone is contributing 100% remotely.
Don’t risk losing your best and brightest employees because of ineffective communication. Book a free consultation with me here or by calling (903) 245-2199.
Business Leadership, Productivity, Team Management