Important Tip for Effective Communication - Essay Example

Running Head: Effective Communication Effective Communication [Institute’s Effective Communication The ideas surrounding employee motivation and productivity in the workplace have evolved greatly from what they were ten years ago. Where ten years ago, there was minimal focus on the uses of effective communication in a workplace, today it has become vital to the well functioning of a successful organization. Communication in a workplace is essential for getting the job done, for getting the message across and for upholding the mission of the organization in question. With better and more effective communication, the difference in the productivity and the morale in a workplace can be clearly seen. Effective communication has an impact on every aspect of the workplace, both positively and negative and so it has now become a necessity (Caputo, 2003, pp. 20-27). In an organization, with its many tiers of hierarchy, tens, and hundreds of employees (depending on the size and structure of the organization), it is essential for commands and messages to be sent back and forth. The bigger the organization, the more difficult this task becomes, and the bigger the organization, the more important it is to ensure effective communication. Means of communication include phone calls, meetings, text messages, emails, and memos. With all the possible means available, one would think that communication would be very effective today, but studies and surveys show otherwise. Both leaders and subordinates agree that there are misunderstandings and lapses in communication that affect the productivity of an organization. Sometimes, these problems arise from overusing a certain mode of communication. For example, studies showed that in 2011, employees received on average 75 emails a day and sent 37 (Adair, 2011, pp. 42-50). When so many emails are sent back and forth, important details can be overlooked or misread, and so communication is far from effective in these scenarios. Moreover, many companies also agree that meetings have become burdensome for both, the employees and the leaders of an organization. We live in an era where it can be seen that every company and organization conducts several meetings per week, it has become so commonplace that it seems that it really is the most effective way of communication, but surveys, once again, show otherwise. While meetings are useful in bringing all the employees together and creating an environment where ideas and critique can be exchanged, at times, they can be redundant and counter-productive, wasting time without actually achieving anything significant. For instance, oft-times, many of the employees present have nothing to discuss or contribute to the agenda at hand, and their time could be spent elsewhere. Moreover, even the meeting suffers, as those less interested can be disruptive in the meeting. One of the biggest and most obvious barriers to effective communication in the workplace is not listening properly. This can happen when the audience has no interest with the topic at hand, or when working in a noisy and disruptive environment. Another problem is the information overload that employees sometimes face. Many times, as was seen in the National Health System in the UK (Bryan, 2009, pp. 60-66), nurses received multiple emails from different senders relaying the same information, and so over time, they started ignoring these emails or only reading a few. Because of this, many important emails were also neglected, leading to breaks in communication and commands not being relayed. In fact, so important is the need for effective communication in healthcare that many times, a diagnosis can go wrong if a patient has not divulged information correctly, or if another doctor has not clearly indicated the history of the patient’s disease in his or her file. Another major problem with communication is that sometime conflicting messages come into play (Fielding, 2006, pp. 28-31). For example, when it is not a direct autocratic form of leadership, employees may not always be sure who their supervisor is, and may get orders or tasks from more than one superior, leading to conflicting results. Leaders and employees alike should realize the need for effective communication and work towards achieving it. For one, superiors should try to minimize the number of meetings they call in a week, and which employees they call to these meetings, in order to save time and achieve their aim better (Adair, 2011, pp. 57-62). Furthermore, superiors should pay attention to maintaining a friendly relationship with their subordinates in order to reduce friction and allow for a more conducive working environment. This friendliness can be best achieved by communicating effectively in a way that lets the subordinates know that you are in charge while also allowing them room to work in a comfortable manner without fear of being sacked. Another way of communicating effectively is to realize the time and place for everything. For example, in 2009, one of the state life insurance companies was suffering from breaks in communication (O’Rourke, 2009, pp. 15-24). They hired an analyst to sit in on their meetings and gave him records of their minutes and performance reviews. It was found that the manager often left discussions about heavy topics such as finances or policies until late in the evening, and since that was the time of the day when employees were busiest, or most tired, the message was often not received well, and so these subjects suffered in terms of being achieved properly. Another important thing for a superior to realize is that at meetings, it is often very important to know how to relay your information. Body language and clarity is essential when communicating effectively, especially when delegating tasks to subordinates. A good leader would have the agenda of the meeting noted down on a paper, and speak clearly and without mumbling when retelling it to his workers. Another important facet of effective communication is following up on what has previously been discussed. For example, the Marks & Spencer president of operations divulged that the reason the brand’s goals and missions have never been compromised are constant follow-ups. Every two weeks, every employee of the company receives a memo reminding them and updating them on the different things they need to be looking out for, and so, employees are regularly kept in the loop as opposed to being left in the dark for 6 months after a meeting. Feedback is often the most important tool in ensuring effective relaying of information and orders. Communication in the workplace is a work in progress, and no matter how big or small the organization, or how much one tries to ensure effective communication, there will always be lapses and setbacks therein. That said, it is essential to never undermine the importance of effective communication, and every member of an organization should take it upon himself or herself to ensure its practice in a workplace (Arredondo, 2000, pp. 25-27). Be it using the correct tone, or the right body language, everyone has a responsibility to ensure that his or her messages are being relayed properly and without confusion. Making employees take mandatory workshops and training to enable them to communicate effectively without wasting time or losing the message can also ensure good communication. Effective communication is important in the smooth running of a business, and lack thereof can increase dissent within a company, leading to high employee turnover, sour work environment, and even decreased productivity. Clearly, the advantages are abundant, and so should the effort be to ensure effective communication (O’Rourke, 2009, pp. 31-38). References Adair, J. 2011. ‪Effective Communication‬: ‪the Most Important Management Skill of All‬. Pan Macmillan. Arredondo, L. 2000. Communicating Effectively. McGraw Hill Professional. Bryan, K. 2009. Communication in Healthcare. Peter Lang. Caputo, J. 2003. Effective Communication Handbook. Dramatic Lines Publishers. Fielding, M. 2006. Effective Communication in Organisations. Juta and Company Ltd. O’Rourke, J. S. 2009. Effective Communication. 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