The benefits of checking in with your staff
Talk may be cheap, but it’s valuable too.
A lack of effective communication is the main cause for 62% of employees disliking their job.
Put simply, if communication isn’t central to your managerial strategy, your employees and bottom line will feel the effects.
Properly informing employees about performance and setting clear objectives for the future are vital tools in the pursuit of exceeding targets and outperforming competitors.
Despite communication being central to managerial roles, 91% of employees think their manager lacks the skill.
Meanwhile, two-thirds of managers find communicating with their staff uncomfortable.
Becoming a better communicator is a decisive step in creating respect, boosting morale and resolving disputes.
Here’s why communicating with employees is important, with tips on how to communicate better as a manager.
What makes a good communicator?
An effective communicator can successfully convey messages via spoken and written mediums. They speak or type clearly, ensuring that information is concise and conveyed with confidence. Good communicators are polite and sincere.
A desired outcome being effectively met acts as evidence that a directive has been communicated well.
A manager equipped with good communication skills must also be able to listen and empathise effectively, adapting their speech based on who they are conversing with.
Reasons why communicating with employees is important
Boosting morale and performance
It may seem that the best way to improve your team's energy level is to increase their pay. While higher wages and additional perks encourage hard work, evidence suggests that morale is better improved by good communication.
Effective communication improves motivation, which drives your employees to perform better, meet targets and implement growth strategies. Energised employees are more present at work, perform at a higher standard and ultimately boost your bottom line.
Gaining respect from employees
Over the millennia, people have used language and tone to inspire those around them. From Plato and the Pharaohs of Ancient Egypt to Martin Luther King Jr. and Steve Jobs, communicating effectively has garnered support and respect.
While you’re not looking for the level of authority the Pharaohs commanded, the principle is useful. By practising good communication, you can inspire your team. You’ll cement their investment in your business goals, ensuring their ongoing commitment to your company.
Recognising high-performing employees
An effective communicator lets their team know when they’ve done a good job. Employees are motivated by acknowledgement of success, both on a collective and individual basis.
As a good communicator, find the time to congratulate and thank staff who are performing well. Communicate clearly how their efforts are supporting their progression, encouraging their colleagues and supporting you in making the company a success.
Resolving issues
On the other side of the managerial coin is the ability to identify issues, and clearly inform employees about how their errors create risks for the business.
Bridging disputes between employees or informing staff when a mistake has been made are two of the hardest aspects of being a manager. Addressing issues in the wrong way can be costly to your authority and damage the relationship you have with employees.
Speaking to employees privately where necessary is important, to avoid causing them embarrassment. Communicate clearly how an employee who has made an error can correct it, and organise a follow-up meeting to discuss their progress.
How to be a better communicator
Communicate with groups
You can become a more effective communicator by practising with larger groups. Communicating to a group is a more difficult skill than one-to-one conversations. Speaking face-to-face can be nerve wracking, but building experience will improve your skills.
Communication happens online too, and there are lots of digital tools to support your communication development. Informing your whole staff, or specific teams within your organisation of something via a notification can quickly inform multiple people.
Quick and easy group notifications are the key to success.
Use automated systems
You can’t be everywhere all of the time and being a good communicator lies in perception as much as anything else. Setting up automatic shift reminders to reduce missed shifts will boost your communication credentials and engage employees–despite being automated.
Know when to communicate your mistakes
It’s not enough to only be able to communicate the positives. An effective manager must also know when to communicate the negatives and own up to their own mistakes.
Let’s face it, like all employees, managers are fallible. Rather than shying away from mistakes made and causing resentment in the team, the best leaders communicate their errors. This transparency creates a sense of trust and respect in the wider organisation.
Reap the rewards of good communication
The key to successfully managing a business is the ability to communicate effectively. Communication is important for conveying messages and energising employees to work hard.
Once you’ve improved your communication skills, you’ll notice changes in how your employees operate and your company performs.
Watch as your new found communication confidence boosts your profits and motivates your team.