Poor internal communication is a common struggle for businesses of all sizes. In fact, workplace failures are often caused by this issue, as recognized by up to 86% of working professionals. By directly improving communication within your company, you can enhance workflow efficiency, increase retention rates, and boost revenue. Remember, effective internal communication correlates with improved external communication.
Surprisingly, 60% of businesses lack a long-term strategy to address internal communication problems. However, your company doesn’t have to be one of them. By following the business communication best practices outlined below, along with our tips for developing an improvement strategy, you can set your team up for success.
How to improve small business communication?
1. Create a reliable environment
Managers who foster a culture of communication and transparency have the power to enhance worker efficiency and establish trust. Team members exhibit higher engagement when they perform their designated tasks, knowing their leader’s value and support them.
To initiate the establishment of such a culture, consider implementing an open-door policy and encouraging workers to share their thoughts on the company, work culture, and other aspects. Managers should initiate one-on-one meetings with each member weekly, while also designating scheduled open-door sessions to ensure everyone remains focused on their work.
2. Limit distractions
Most of us struggle with active listening. People are easily distracted, and attention spans are shrinking. To limit distractions and focus on others, consider closing your email client, turning off your phone ringer, and shutting the office door. These actions not only reduce distractions but also show the person you’re listening to that you’re fully engaged.
3. Recording conversations
Although there are different communication methods in business, phone calls remain the most popular tool for communicating with colleagues and partners. A useful addition to this type of communication is the Call Recording for iPhone application. We’re talking about the iPhone app to record phone calls. With a phone recorder, you can keep all the important details of the conversation exactly. Record phone calls are also often recommended from the point of view of legal security since you can prove the essence of the conversation and what details were discussed.
4. Use a dedicated internal communication platform
You may consider securing a dedicated workspace for your day-to-day communication in addition to the aforementioned technologies. Several web applications can assist companies in promoting employee-to-employee communication and document sharing.
With Slack, employees can instantly message their colleagues individually, as well as set up channels and group chats for collaborative messaging. Moreover, Slack seamlessly integrates with other applications, making file sharing, document collaboration, note-taking, and other communication processes effortless. Recently, Facebook unveiled its own take on Slack called Workplace.
5. Be open and honest
Transparency and integrity hold great value for individuals as they nurture trust. Knowing what’s happening within the company encourages active engagement rather than passive observation, thus enhancing employee involvement. This can be accomplished by:
⦁ Sharing regular updates on company progress and achievements.
⦁ Communicating both positive and negative news.
⦁ Willingness to acknowledge and address knowledge gaps, and encouraging team members to do the same.
6. Encourage collaboration
Collaboration in the workplace offers numerous benefits, such as effective communication among colleagues and business partners. It enables employees to enhance their communication skills and gain valuable exposure, which are crucial for future success.
7. Don’t rely on meetings
Communication in meetings often falls short as people are reluctant to express their thoughts, hindering the discovery of truth. Participants usually enter meetings with their guard up.
Meetings can be advantageous for briefings or sharing direct information, provided that all attendees have a vested interest and the gathering is well-organized. Unnecessary meetings should be avoided when not everyone is involved or when planning is inadequate.
To foster effective communication, opt for settings that discourage personal barriers. One-on-one conversations or well-planned meetings with relevant participants prove more fruitful as they maintain focus on the pertinent issues at hand.
8. Make important documents and information easily accessible
Each organization operates with its own exclusive set of pertinent information. This may cover:
⦁ Employee protocol and benefits plan
⦁ Operational workflows and processes
⦁ Style guides and branding documents
⦁ Training materials and tutorials
⦁ Marketing collateral and templates
⦁ The organization’s mission statement and vision plan
⦁ Any other information for employees or the company at large
This information plays a crucial role in the interaction between the business and its employees. Therefore, ensuring its communication to new hires and periodic updates to employees is of utmost importance. The accessibility of these documents should also be prioritized, whether through an online Wiki or any other method that allows employees to find and access the information easily.
Conclusion
Leaders of thriving small businesses have the responsibility to teach and guide team members in improving their communication skills. Every organization should establish good communication as the fundamental basis for a more engaged, productive, and successful future.