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Building Effective Workplace Communication
Building Effective Workplace Communication
[Name of the Writer]
[Name of the Institution]
Building Effective Workplace Communication
Introduction
The world consists of a huge amount of information, especially in current times. This information needs to be imparted in some form so that it can be utilized in a useful manner. This exchange or imparting of information or knowledge is known as communication. Communication holds extreme importance for both humans and animals alike (Perera, 2015). Human beings and animals tend to communicate with each other in their own specific languages and style, in order to express their concerns, emotions, feelings, and objectives so that the other end can receive and interpret them (Nazim, 2014).
There are two major ways of communication; Verbal and Non-verbal. Verbal communication refers to the use of language, words, sounds, and clear expressions in order to express oneself. Both written and spoken conversation come under the umbrella of verbal communication (Modi, Chhatwal, Gupta, & Singh, 2016). On the other hand, the type of communication that makes use of expressions, gestures, postures, and body language to send and receive messages is known as non-verbal communication. Non-verbal communication does not make use of words or sounds to carry on the communication process.
Communication garners even more important in the case of professional life, where the verbal and nonverbal communication is carried on at the workplace to pass on important messages. Effective communication at the workplace is imperative in a leadership role (Watson & Reissner, 2014). The following piece of writing will look into the factors that contribute towards building a positive and strong communication process at a workplace and why these practices are necessary for the proper working of and at the workplace.
Discussion
There is an old aphorism which says, “It’s not what you say, but how you say it." Exceptional communication skills separate a good leader from a poor one. Effective communication poses to be the key to good leadership. There are a number of ways to build a strong, workable, and effective workplace communication process (Angelo, 2014). Some of them have been elaborated as under
Open Door Communication
Keep the doors of communication open for everyone. The communication process should not be one-sided; rather it should flow from both the ends. It should not be in a way that orders only flow from upward to downward direction, but the ideas should also flow from downward to upward direction and in parallel directions.
Create a Receptive Environment
Try to create a receptive environment instead of a tense and stressful environment. If the leaders try to maintain a stressful and intense environment at the workplace, it may demotivate the employees, and the message being shared may lose its actual meaning.
Usage of Appropriate Language
Use of language matters a lot in case of communication, especially verbal communication. So a leader should pay special heed to the language he or she is using (Deveugele, 2015). He should choose appropriate words according to the designation of the employee and the matter under discussion.
Using Simple Words
As already discussed, language plays a very crucial role in the communication process, so the leader should pay special attention that the language is kept as simple and as understandable as it can be. The simpler the language, more clear and understandable will be the message.
Usage of Body Language
Not only the words but body language also play an important role in the whole communication process. Thus a leader should make use of appropriate gestures and expressions in order to make the message more meaningful and convincing (Zulch, 2014).
Be Appreciative
Always appreciate the input from your subordinates or lower staff, regardless of their position and designation. No matter how impractical their idea may be, always appreciate them for at least speaking up and communicating their ideas. This will encourage them and make them feel valued.
Importance of Effective Communication Practices
Effective communication holds extreme importance in the case of professional life, especially at the workplace (Austin & Pinkleton, 2015). Effective communication practices help a lot in building a positive environment at the workplace and encourage the employees to form efficient teams. Effective communication practices also encourage the employees to give maximum input, and thus, the culture of diversity and freedom of expression is encouraged (Jadhav, & Gupta, 2014). Moreover, these practices also encourage brainstorming, which results in the form of many new and unique ideas, which may prove to be very useful for the organization (Okoro, E., Washington, M. & Thomas, 2017).
Effective communication practices also increase the level of job satisfaction in the employees as they feel heard and valued. An open and receptive communication process makes the employees feel that their opinion matters for the organization, and their voice is being heard, which boots up their confidence and motivation level. This motivation is both towards their job and the organization. This feeling not only keeps the employees motivated but also kept them committed to the organization for a longer period of time.
Conclusion
In a nutshell, it can be seen that effective communication at a workplace is vital for the propagation of a culture of diversity and corporation. There are a number of ways in which an effective and strong culture of communication can be developed at a workplace so that the flow of work runs smoothly and efficiently. The practices include keeping the doors of communication always open, giving respect to everyone, providing feedback, and encouraging the inflow of ideas. Effective workplace communication boosts up the confidence level of the employees and motivates them to work more passionately towards the organizational goals. Moreover, it makes them feel heard and valued, which makes the employees more committed to their job and the organization.
References
Angelo, G. (2014). The 7 effective communication skills: How to be a better communicator now. Seisnama.
Austin, E. W., & Pinkleton, B. E. (2015). Strategic public relations management: Planning and managing effective communication campaigns. Routledge.
Deveugele, M. (2015). Communication training: Skills and beyond. Patient education and counseling, 98(10), 1287-1291.
Jadhav, T., & Gupta, S. K. (2014). Global communication skills and its relationship with emotional intelligence. American Journal of Management, 14(4), 82.
Modi, J. N., Chhatwal, J., Gupta, P., & Singh, T. (2016). Teaching and assessing communication skills in medical undergraduate training. Indian pediatrics, 53(6), 497-504.
Nazim, M. (2014). Communication skills.
Okoro, E., Washington, M. C., & Thomas, O. (2017). The Impact of Interpersonal Communication Skills on Organizational Effectiveness and Social Self-Efficacy: A Synthesis. International Journal of Language and Linguistics, 4(3), 28-32.
Perera, H. J. M. (2015). Effective communication skills for medical practice. Journal of the Postgraduate Institute of Medicine, 2.
Watson, G., & Reissner, S. (Eds.). (2014). Developing skills for business leadership. Kogan Page Publishers.
Zulch, B. (2014). Leadership communication in project management. Procedia-Social and Behavioral Sciences, 119, 172-181.
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