How to overcome poor communication in the workplace
Businesses struggle for countless reasons, but one of the most common culprits is poor communication. Successful project planning depends on everyone getting the right message.
Misunderstanding even a simple question could leave a business scrambling. Poor communication at work erodes efficiency and company morale.
This article explains how to spot poor communication habits within your company, identifies potential causes, and offers suggestions for improving your communication culture.
How to identify poor communication
Poor communication occurs when team members transfer information ineffectively. It describes a mismatch between what one person says and what the other hears.
For example, the team lead expects a written report detailing the latest software glitch but only receives a short email. The discrepancy often springs from poor communication.
Identifying flagrant signs of ineffective communication, such as angry or raised voices, is simple. However, the real issues can be more subtle. Here are three ways to identify poor communication in the workplace:
- Observe misunderstandings in team interactions. Pay attention to collaborative communication efforts between different teams. Are their goals clear? Does anyone seem confused or misinformed?
- Look for missed deadlines and frequent errors. If your employees make sloppy errors, such as missing deadlines or ignoring project parameters, they may not fully understand their responsibilities.
- Monitor feedback loops. Limited feedback often leads to imperfect communication skills. For example, a manager who gives incomplete directions may not realize what’s happening if no one complains.
Common causes of poor communication
Failures in internal communication frequently have a handful of common causes, including a lack of clarity in instructions and goals, a lack of feedback, or hierarchy issues. Cultural differences, language barriers, physical and environmental barriers, and ineffective communication channels can also create problems.
Consider how communication occurs in your company. Do employees receive instructions that they understand and can reference later? The team may appear invested when you lay out your five-point plan for progress, but that enthusiasm goes to waste if no one remembers the details in a week. Ensure everyone understands both the requirements and the overall goal of their work.
One way to ensure everyone stays on track is to utilize multiple communication channels. A collaboration platform like Confluence is perfect for lengthy instructions, while chat platforms are better for quick updates. Having multiple ways to connect also helps employees communicate across cultural differences. For example, written messages could help an employee with a language barrier.
Think about other potential barriers to communication. Project collaboration may be challenging because the meeting times are too late for overseas employees. Or maybe an open-concept office makes it hard to concentrate.
Finding the cause of your company’s communication troubles is only helpful if someone has the power to enact changes. Inert or missing leadership is a big problem when you want to improve employees’ poor communication skills.
Strategies to improve poor communication in the workplace
When you flag lapses in workplace communication, it’s critical to act fast. Nearly 50% of 2023 Forbes Advisor poll respondents said poor communication affected their job satisfaction.
Fortunately, the damage is reversible. Here are some strategies to improve communication in corporate settings.
Promote active listening
Sometimes, employees miss details because they’re not actually listening. They focus on what they want to say next, or their thoughts drift to unrelated topics. Promoting active listening makes a significant difference. Encourage employees to avoid interrupting and genuinely focus on the conversation.
However, talking at someone instead of to someone isn’t effective. Periodically ask listeners to summarize what they hear. This helps assess their understanding, ensuring the conversation remains friendly and respectful.
Enhance clarity and precision
Even the best ideas will flounder if employees are unsure of company objectives. Everyone on the project management team or with decision-making powers should know how to convey clear, jargon-free instructions.
For example, instead of saying, “Let’s move the needle on this,” say, “Let’s increase product sales by 5% next quarter.” The two messages sound similar, but one is more likely to get your desired response.
Cultivating an environment where feedback and questions are welcome will keep you informed if fresh misunderstandings arise.
Leverage the right tools
Team collaboration could require members to cycle among emails, online chats, phone calls, project tracking tools, etc. Communication becomes seamless when you choose the right platforms and technologies.
Some teams travel often and need work phones to handle their call volume. Others work remotely and communicate entirely through digital means. Whatever method you use to communicate, let the entire team know and explain how to use any technology.
If your team has an office, balance the ratio between digital chatter and face-to-face interactions.
Sending a quick message online is the fastest option, but many thinkers find inspiration when ideas flow in person. For example, talking lets employees introduce their whiteboard strategy and receive immediate, unedited feedback.
Provide communication training
Do you have employees who find it challenging to speak up because of introversion or limited interpersonal skills? Communication training helps give them a voice.
Employees may not have experience listening to others or may struggle with distraction. They want to perform well, but they need more training.
A brief communication workshop could include lessons on speaking clearly, listening actively, and interpreting nonverbal cues. This training is most effective when customized to fit team-specific issues. For example, if you publish error-ridden social media posts because the content team shares outdated information, create a training class focused on cross-team collaboration to fix this.
Encourage open and honest feedback
People who are comfortable pointing out communication issues make powerful teammates. However, this honesty only exists within work cultures that protect open and direct feedback. If employees fear repercussions, they’ll stay quiet and ignore potential problems.
Managers may need to remember to explain project management phases or convey critical information. Having employees who regularly provide feedback allows you to solve these problems before they worsen.
Organize regular check-ins, one-on-one meetings, and anonymous surveys. If a complaint pops up, solve it as soon as possible. Acting on employee feedback demonstrates its value.
How to foster a positive communication culture
Creating a positive communication culture is essential for any business to thrive. Let's explore key strategies to foster an environment where open communication, trust, and transparency flourish, ultimately benefiting individuals and the team.
Lead by example
Employees get their cues from the top. If managers communicate poorly, employees will, too.
If you want to work in an environment with clear communication, pay close attention to workplace leaders. Focus on how they speak, read their emails and internal memos, and make sure they understand how to accept feedback. If you’re in a leadership position, make it a point to uphold communication standards as consistently as possible.
The goal is for leaders to model behavior for employees. However, consistency matters. Communication standards need to be reliable before they influence behavior.
Build trust and transparency
Mistrust breeds silence among employees. No one wants to highlight problems if they’re scared they’ll get in trouble for doing so. Communication blossoms when companies honor honesty and integrity.
Be ready for complaints you disagree with or involve beloved team members. To maintain transparency, evaluate each concern and report your findings.
When complaints trigger operational shifts, let everyone know. Sharing information should feel normal.
Sometimes, false information spreads. It could be about a specific team member, a new product line, or something else. Misinformation often moves rapidly across teams and gets stuck in employees’ heads. If you hear a rumor, kill it promptly and share the correct or official information.
Recognize good communication
Praising great communicators energizes your team and increases the chances that the behavior will continue. Try different reward structures until you find one that employees respond to.
Teams that communicate well deserve recognition, too. Use public praise to motivate and celebrate team successes in front of the whole company.
Communication wins should also influence performance reviews. If someone’s communication style noticeably improves, remember to highlight the change.
Harness Confluence for effective workplace communication
How your team communicates affects everything from product quality to employee satisfaction. Platforms such as Confluence help coordinate communication efforts, making it easy to monitor improvements.
Confluence gives you a single source of truth. Confluence lets team members share and comment on documents directly, eliminating the need to chase data across platforms. Everyone involved in the project can work on the same document simultaneously, as though they’re in the same room.
If employees work alone, they can review changes 24/7. In-page comments create a feedback loop that drives conversations and clarifies misunderstandings. If you need more expertise, tag the expert in the comments section.
Confluence also lets teams communicate through integrated messaging tools. Share information with the entire company or create collaborative spaces to discuss particular projects. Every document, comment, and revision related to the project will be available for review.
Want to transform your team’s communication? Try Confluence for free today.
