How Communication Affects Productivity in the Workplace

Good communication is one of the major skills employers look for when hiring new employees. Communicating effectively is absolutely necessary if you want work done well and on time. It also affects trust, both among employees and between workers and management. Getting it right also means you retain your workforce over time.

A study showed that companies with good communication practices were more likely to have less employee turnover than others. If you’ve got responsibility for a company, you want to know that communication practices are the best they can be. Have you ever wondered if communication in your office can be improved? Here’s everything you need to know about the effect of communication on productivity in the workplace.

Manager-Employee Communication

Around half of employees say they regularly get confusing or unclear directives from their superiors. Confusing instructions from managers equals more time spent to complete tasks. This means decreased productivity in the workplace. Don’t encourage a culture where managers assume their instructions will be understood. The time an employee spends trying to interpret an instruction is time that could be spent on actually carrying it out.

Different Communication Styles

Do you know how employees prefer to communicate? Have a look at your internal communication methods to make sure they are both efficient and effective. Standardizing communication preferences is one of the major ways you can get to the root of communication problems in the workplace. Some employees work well with face to face conversations. However, that’s not always possible or convenient. Some alternative methods are email, telephone, text messages or written notes and memos. Using these methods ensures that the employee can get the timely responses they need. Then they can get on with the business of being productive.

The Pros and Cons of Technology

The use of technology can be both good and bad for productivity in the workplace. It’s important to remember it’s a tool, just like anything else. Use it effectively and you can increase your productivity and employee morale at the same time. Did you know that research shows a third of an employee’s day is spent dealing with interruptions like emails? While electronic messaging is a timesaver in some situations, companies should not rely on it 100 percent of the time. Train your workforce to use in-person meetings for tricky or complicated issues. Nonverbal communication is a large part of how people understand each other. What’s more, a quick meeting is better than endless back and forth emails that disrupt productivity.

Improving Productivity in the Workplace

When preparing for your next meeting, keep these tips in mind. When everyone understands each other, you will begin to see an improvement in productivity in your workplace. You can even extend these strategies to external relationships and improve customer satisfaction.