Good communication is an essential aspect of any workplace environment. Good communication is characterized by: openness, a cooperative and respectful tone, effective listening, and an accessible vocabulary. It provides several benefits in the workplace, such as it assists in improving the morale of workers, increases efficiency in the workplace, and creates healthy working relationships. Good solid organizational communication plays a major role in eliminating barriers and helps promote understanding around issues of diversity and problem solving. In every type of employment situation, good communication skills are vital. It is essential to be able to effectively communicate with colleagues, employers, employees and customers. Poor communication can result in various problems for example, increased employee turnover, poor customer service, reduced productivity, and lack of focus for employees.
Diversity
The workplace is becoming increasingly more diverse bringing together groups of different races, ethnic groups, religions, genders, ages, abilities, and sexual orientations. As demographics continue to change and diversify, so will the workforce. This change in workplace dynamic has given rise to the field of diversity management (Tritten & Schoeneborn, 2015). An important consideration in this field is communication. Tritten and Schoeneborn (2015), argue that the promotion and management of diversity in the workplace should become communication centered. Good communication offers many benefits to a workplace setting, such as increased ability to understand one another despite cultural, gender, or generational differences. This understanding can help reduce workplace conflict. In the workplace, good communication can be of service to diversity.
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Good communication between employers and managers assists diversity because the employers are able to understand the differences in the various cultural backgrounds of their employees. In addition, good communication also offers a “plurality” of voices, or the opportunity for there to be different voices gained from different life experiences (Tritten & Schoeneborn, 2014). Diverse perspectives can help an organization in strategic planning, marketing, and problem-solving. Diversity in an organization is essential since it ensures that each member of the organization is able to efficiently be productive (Mishra et al., 2014). Companies that equip their employees with proper verbal and non-verbal communication skills can easily enter the global market prepared to interact and work effectively beyond difference.
Team Building
Communication plays a key role in the ability of team members to both work together and to complete the tasks and objectives of the team assignment (Pandey & Karve, 2017). Good communication reduces unnecessary departmental competition in the workplace. Therefore, the employees are able to harmoniously work together to achieve the team and organizational objectives (Musah et al., 2017). This enhanced focus on objectives results in high productivity, responsibility and integrity.
Good communication also results in employees expressing increased collaborative and proactive behaviors. Employees are aware of their roles on the team and they know that their contribution is valued. Expressing the value of employees through collaborative communication makes it easier for the employer to correct mistakes without creating a hostile working environment. An environment that is viewed by employees as friendly, rather than hostile encourages further teamwork, the ability to take responsibility for decisions, and focus on organizational goals. It also fosters trust from employees and this trust results in increased employee engagement in their work (Jiang, Li, Li, & Li, 2017). Open communication between a manager and the employees fosters positive relationships, which is beneficial to the organization in general.
Employee Morale
Employee morale is critical to an organization completing objectives. Employees with low morale typically experience higher rates of work related stress and burnout missing more days from work and having decreased performance. Good communication has been shown to improve employee resiliency and ability to cope with stress and difficulties associated with work by improving upon employee morale (Kašpárková, Vaculík, Procházka, & Schaufeli, 2018). Open communication increases employee trust in management and one another and this increased trust improves employee morale (Mishra et al., 2014).
Good communication develops long lasting employee motivation. When the relationship between an employee and the manager is improved, the employee appreciates the good communication that comes from management. This appreciation produces a healthy work environment and customer service is therefore improved. When employees are content with the situation in their workplace, they will perform their duties efficiently with a positive attitude (Riggio & Porter, 2017). This occurs because the business runs smoothly when every member working in the organization is on the same page and understands the objectives and goals of the organization.
Increase in efficiency
When employers are able to provide effective communication, efficiency in turn increases. When employees are well aware of the goals and objectives of the company and they understand the importance of their role to the goals, they will be productive (Dessein, 2002). Having a sense of belonging to a team and ownership ensures that employees are comfortable hence high efficiency. Effective communication by leadership is shown to increase worker productivity because it not only communicates work objectives, but it also increases the probability of problem-solving and teamwork during difficult times. It also promotes a safer and healthier work environment because leaders have clearly informed employees of issues related to safety. This safer and healthier work environment with a focus on problem solving as opposed to conflict results in increased worker efficiency and productivity (Solaja, Idowu, & James, 2016)
Improved working relationships
Good communication at the workplace helps to improve and strengthen the working relationships between managers and employees and from employee to employee. The managers who have good communication with their employees tend to get the best out of their employees because they understand the objectives of the organization (Clements-Croome, 2006). Poor communication can easily lead to employees harboring feelings of resentment towards managers. This resentment occurs because messages received are not understood when poor communication is used and hence the employee is not able to understand what is required of him. Therefore, good communication is needed to have the trust and honesty that leads to a healthy working relationship.
Conclusion
In conclusion, good communication plays a huge role in both the efficient and effective operation of any organization. With good communication, employee efficiency is improved hence the company easily achieves the objectives and goals that are set. Communication also brings diversity to an organization and the various individuals involved are able to offer their best input to the organization. Management of organizations has to avoid poor communication so as to create strong healthy working relationships. Therefore, good communication in an organization is a vital aspect of the success of the organization both locally and globally.
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