A manager is a person who primarily executes the managerial duties of a company or an institution. This person has the mandate to hire, fire, monitor attendance of assignments, and appraise workers based on their performance. On the other hand, good management can handle and organize people and tasks to benefit all the stakeholders in a company or institution. A good manager is concerned with every aspect of the company’s well-being, including the top management, the employees, and the clients. One quality that stands out in a good manager is that they attempt to discover what is unique in every employee, identify their abilities and talents, and maximize their potential by applying their exceptional skills. When the manager gets to know the employee personally, it becomes easy to improve the productivity in a firm and at the same time improve the employee’s satisfaction. Good managers can identify their employees’ strengths, weaknesses, and eccentricities and amicably integrate them for the company’s overall success. This paper will highlight the various ways to establish effective communication between managers and employees.
Effective Communication in the Workplace
One way a manager can keep all the stakeholders together is through regular communication. Excellent communication ideas include regular meetings when the need arises, one-on-one chats with individual employees, reaching out to staff members through emails and short messaging alerts. Regular communication keeps the entire staff updated on any new development, and as a result, a sense of ownership and engagement is created (Kumar & Pansari, 2015). For example, the manager can convey any breaking news, such as launching a new product for the company, rebranding, or even signing new big clients. Regular communication plays a pivotal role in moving a business forward. A manager who embraces effective and frequent communication helps people understand each other. The employees earn respect from each other because they can share their thoughts and opinions in a free and fair environment.
Asking and getting feedback from the staff members is another great way to foster good relations between managers and employees. A good manager should devise smart ways to solicit feedback from all the stakeholders in the company. This helps the manager read how committed the employees are to the vision and mission of the company and promotes a dynamic rapport amongst individuals in an institution. Additionally, the manager gains insight into the best tactics and processes that could help transform the company’s performance. When employees’ feedbacks are implemented, they feel like their ideas and opinions matter to the institution, creating a sense of ownership. On the other hand, managers should also give their feedback to the staff members. When the manager applauds individual staff members for a job well done, it serves as a source of encouragement and renewed strength for the motivated workers who feel more part of the institution. Constructive feedback from both ends helps improve communication in the workplace.
Opening all lines of communication is another sure way of improving communication between the manager and the employees. Communication is two-way traffic; managers should find a convenient time to answer phone calls, reply SMSs and emails, and side chats with individual members of staff. Managers should be readily available and develop an open-door policy that allows staff members to visit and express themselves whenever they have issues. A good manager establishes direct and reliable communication devoid of deception and encourages the employees to share their issues with the management freely (Katzenbach & Smith, 2015). Managers should articulate the company’s mission and vision candidly and cultivate teamwork as a pivot in achieving the laid down objectives. When miscommunication is eliminated between the staff members and the management, good results would be registered.
Listening attentively is another critical aspect of communication that all managers should embrace. Just like speaking and writing, listening skill is a form of communication. Perhaps a manager should pay attention to staff members when they are talking without interrupting them. If a manager disagrees with employees’ views and ideas, it is essential to finish speaking without interrupting them. Good managers do not answer phone calls or check email notifications in the middle of a conversation. Listening requires full attention and a manager who embraces this skill wins the employees’ confidence, and they become more comfortable sharing their issues and concerns. When listening and communication are not efficient, the manager may not identify a brewing problem until it goes out of hand, thus becoming ugly and expensive to control.
Leading by example is another trait that should be exercised by all managers for efficient and effective communication with their staff members. Employees develop a sense of trust with a manager who speaks and follows through to ensure that action is taken. Additionally, the credibility of a manager is anchored on to keep and deliver what they promised. A manager who appreciates each staff member’s contribution and acknowledges their input to the success of the company earns trust from the staff. The communication style will dictate the level of transparency and openness when discussing pertinent issues of the company with the staff members. Therefore, managers should be cautious of what they say and how they relay it to the employees.
Showing respect through words and action is also essential in improving communication between the manager and the employees. Respect is earned from the way we conduct business in the workplace. A manager should make every employee feel respected and valued as a full member of the company. Respect is one of the core values of effective communication that managers should utilize to exploit their employees’ full potential. When staff members feel respected, they give their best and contribute positively to the company’s success. When staff members do not respect each other, one member may fail to share a brilliant idea that can propel the company forward in the fear that members will raise criticism and ridicule.
Effective and efficient communication requires managers to promote knowledge sharing. Managers should have elaborate details of the various job titles in the company. For example, a manager should create time and get to know the specific roles of a particular job title and its intricacies. When an employee can explain the time required for a specific task to be completed, the manager may gather important leads in managing various dockets. The employees will also feel encouraged, especially when their feedbacks are considered.
Good managers motivate their employees and support them in times of adversity. Without motivation, communication would suffer a big blow, and ultimately production will be influenced negatively. Managers should create open platforms either by meeting individual staff members or by organizing round table meetings where employees get an opportunity to inject their input on specific assignments. A manager must cultivate a positive attitude amongst the employees, even when there are obstacles.
Clear goals and expectations are part of a successful company that all members should endeavor to set. When the employees understand the mission, vision, and dreams of an institution or company, they are less likely to collide due to miscommunication as each is striving to meet them. According to Kremer, et al., (2019), Managers should treat all workers fairly without discrimination, especially when they are in the wrong. For instance, a manager should not condone any form of disrespect amongst the employees. Clear guidelines on the penalties involved should be made available to all employees to avoid double standards. When all the staff members are treated fairly without discrimination, a strong signal in leadership is relayed to the relevant quarters that the management does not tolerate such misdemeanor.
Teamwork is another tool that helps break communication barriers in the workplace, and therefore managers should employ it. With efficient collaboration, staff members pull together because they have the interests of the company at heart. Teamwork helps the employees look beyond their self-interests and integrate their various potentials to enhance their productivity (Harris & Sherblom, 2018). A manager who embraces teamwork knows that the company’s employees are abled differently and can assign them duties and responsibilities accordingly. Consequently, motivation sets in, and more generous yields are realized since every individual is goal-oriented. For example, a manager can improve teamwork by organizing outdoor activities group dinner where all employees are invited or any other after-work activity.
Conflict resolution is another aspect that determines the qualities of a good manager and helps in communication. Conflicts are expected in the workplace; however, a good manager should listen to both sides of the concerned parties before rushing to a conclusion. When disputes are not resolved quickly and effectively, they can lead to communication breakdown and ultimately affect productivity. The company’s policy document should guide the manager in resolving the dispute at hand. The human resource personnel should also be incorporated to help diffuse the conflict as quickly as possible. In a situation where resolution efforts fail, the HR in consultation with the manager should consider hiring a conflict resolution consultant who may train the staff on communication matters.
Managers should create a communication policy that establishes clear communication channels for the company. The policy should explain various communication methods explicitly, such as inner-office communication, use of the internet, text messaging, emails, video-conferencing, and internal memos. A manager must ensure that the company’s communication practices enshrined in the communication policy document are implemented. Managers should also endeavor to teach communication skills to their employees and help them with their communication skills. Through mentorship programs and job training, employees can be helped to hone their communication skills, which will contribute to the company’s overall results. In the case of occasional communication breakdown, managers should review their policies and issue “communication performance checks” that will ensure that the implementation of communication policy document is on track.
Conclusion
Efficient communication practices help managers identify their employees’ unique talents and skills and capitalize on them. When communication is effective and efficient, a trustworthy environment is created, and employees execute their duties with ease. Communication breakdown can lead to irreparable and costly effects in a company, mainly if it is a business that is client-based. This would set a considerable drawback to the company that has strived for several years to establish itself. Therefore, any conflict that hinders efficient communication should be diffused immediately to avoid adverse workplace performance.
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References
Harris, T. E., & Sherblom, J. C. (2018). Small group and team communication. Waveland Press.
Katzenbach, J. R., & Smith, D. K. (2015). The wisdom of teams: Creating the high-performance organization. Harvard Business Review Press.
Kremer, H., Villamor, I., & Aguinis, H. (2019). Innovation leadership: Best-practice recommendations for promoting employee creativity, voice, and knowledge sharing. Business Horizons, 62(1), 65-74.
Kumar, V., & Pansari, A. (2015). Measuring the benefits of employee engagement. MIT Sloan Management Review, 56(4), 67-72.