Communication is the exchange of information or news between two or more individuals or organizations. Without communication, humanity would be in ruins and chaos would dominate. Good communication is necessary for our business and personal lives.
What is Business Communication?
Business communication is the sharing of information between people in and outside a business for the benefit of the organization. Business communication is simply communication in the context of a business.
Types of Business Communication
There are two types of communication. One-way communication and two-way communication.
One-way communication
This is communicating without the need for a response. For example, when a company sends out a newsletter, sometimes the email address that it is from will be something like no-reply@techhelp.ca. One-way communication is great because it allows your company to increase awareness about your products and services without needing to respond to replies.
Two-way communication
This is communicating with the purpose of receiving a reply. For example, sending an email out with the purpose of getting people to attend your webinar or meeting is two-way communication because the customer is required to respond.
How to Improve Internal Communication in Your Business
For many businesses, internal communication is just as important as external communication. However, to function effectively organizations need to have good internal communication. Here are some actionable steps for improving internal communication.
1) Make Your Company Mission Clear
Explain your organization’s mission and vision as much as possible. Include your mission and values in organizational training. Find a way to regularly remind employees about the company’s values and mission.
A good way to do this is to post your company values and mission in every location or offices used by your company.
2) Make Information Easily Accessible
Every organization has internal policies, practices, and overall knowledge that make it possible for everyone in the organization to do their jobs. It is important that you make internal knowledge easily available and accessible in the form of documentation.
Ensuring that your employees can access internal information when they need to, will ensure that everyone is in sync with how your organization operates.
3) Encourage The Sharing of Information
Encouraging your employees to share information is a sure way to stay on top of things. When your employees go home, they are likely learning more about their field and following the news.
If you provide an online platform for knowledge sharing, you can gain valuable insights that can help your business. This is also a great motivator because it helps employees feel more involved with your organization and puts a purpose behind communication.
4) Strengthen Connections Between Employees and Managers
The connection between manager and employee can be easily forgotten in the fast-paced work environments that we have today. However, neglecting to address it is costly. You should address this in your training programs.
Managers that take the time to learn about their employees and listen to them will find it easier to manage them. When employees are happy, they work better, treat customers better, and perform better.
“The single biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place.” – George Bernard Shaw, Irish playwright and critic.
5) Implement The Use Of Project Management Tools
There are numerous options to choose from when selecting an online project management tool. Online management tools can help you keep track of the progress of projects and keep everyone involved with the project on the same wavelength.
Face-to-face communication is still important for certain situations but online project management tools can connect you live by video, phone, and instant messaging. These options are a lot quicker and can be more effective than traditional face-to-face communication.
6) Meet Outside The Office Sometimes
You can host meetings with your team outside the office. This will give your employees an opportunity to meet one another. Meeting outside the office can be a morale booster for your employees. People are generally more engaged when they feel more involved. This will also give your employees something to look forward to.
7) Keep Your People Up-to-date
Keep your employees informed about company changes, plans, and other related updates. You may do this through daily email or monthly video meetings. Support discussions on the updates, encourage questions and allow comments.
8) Welcome Feedback
Collect the feedback of others in your organization. By welcoming feedback, you will increase employee morale and further encourage communication. We cannot be perfect all the time and the same goes for organizations.
So it is important that we give others the opportunity to help us. Your employees will feel more connected with upper-level management if they feel that their opinions matter to your organization.
Final Thoughts
Communication is often what defines the outcomes of our lives. Good communication skills are crucial to business success. This is why entrepreneurs often hire marketers, copywriters, and content writers.
Every business needs to be able to communicate well and effectively. Good internal communication will keep your employees focused on company goals and reduce distractions that may hurt productivity.
How is good communication helping your organization succeed in business? Does your company use any project management tools? Let us know in the comments.
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