4 Techniques by Which You Can Improve Your Communication With Employees

Open dialogue at work is very important for people. 81% of millennials say they would rather work in a company that allows for honest, clear, and consistent communication than one that offers free room or lunch subscriptions.

And at the same time, only 15% believe that they have sincere communication at work. The boomer generation, in turn, wants a good exchange of feedback, but they are less willing to really communicate what they have to say.

Communication is the link between people, which contributes to the proper functioning of relationships, regardless of nature, both personally and professionally.

Referring to organizational communication, we can say that one of the most important factors that influence the success of a company is communication.

The smooth running of a company depends, to a large extent, on the communication between the employees, but especially on the one between the manager and the team. Clear, open, and transparent communication will help to set common goals, directions, and expectations at the organizational level.

One of the main roles of good communication in a company is to solve problems before they turn into real conflicts. In addition, communication is essential for the effectiveness of a team. Encouraging open dialogue motivates employees, creating a strong organizational culture and team cohesion.

Because the situations that a manager faces are more and more different, it is advisable for him to constantly try to analyze his way of communication, to improve it.

Below are listed 4 methods that help you improve your communication with your employees:

1. Choose to communicate face to face whenever you have the opportunity

Although technology has facilitated many operations, including communication, nothing compares to physical, human interaction, loaded with emotion and authenticity.

Communicate face-to-face with your employees as often as you can - schedule weekly team meetings to discuss the challenges of the week together, find solutions to specific issues, or discuss new ideas and future projects. This removes communication barriers between you, as a manager, and other team members. These meetings shouldn't be very formal.

It is also important to have private meetings with each employee at least once every few months for even better communication. During these meetings, you can offer and ask for feedback from your employees. Thus, you can find out various dissatisfaction about the workplace, you can offer them encouragement and suggestions on how to improve the way you work, etc. Giving and requesting feedback is a valuable process for the efficiency of any team.

2. Be authentic

By communicating authentically, you encourage employees to be more open. As a manager, it is natural to show moments of sincerity and vulnerability that will build a trusting relationship with your team members. It's okay to admit that sometimes you don't have all the answers to all the problems that might arise. The authenticity of communication allows you to create an emotionally secure environment for employees, laying the groundwork for a solid relationship.

3. Pay attention to non-verbal language

According to the available data, when we communicate, the largest share is represented by non-verbal communication, with 55% (body language, movement, facial expressions), followed by paraverbal (tone, volume of voice, rhythm, and accent of speech) - 38 %, while verbal communication (words) is only 7% of what we communicate.

We see, therefore, that the role of non-verbal communication is very large, having an enormous impact on those around us. Make sure you emanate positive energy through both the words you use and the non-verbal language, as follows:

• Smile more;

• Keep your arms open, not crossed, to show openness to others when communicating;

• Maintain eye contact to show that you are listening to your interlocutor.

4. Listen more

One of the main elements of communication is listening to the other, being an indicator that you care about him. Be present in the conversation, give your employees time to find their ideas, and try to devote more time to listening to what they have to say when communicating.

By following the above recommendations, you can improve your communication with your employees and thus help to strengthen the organizational culture.