Communication and collaboration are two of the most important aspects of running any business. But, we are not all natural communicators. Sometimes, we need a bit of help. This post offers a few quick tips on how to better send and receive information throughout your organisation.
accept that not everything is always positive.
Let’s get the most unpleasant part of running a business out of the way first: giving negative feedback. Engage For Success has covered this topic before and recommends opening up these conversations with a positive note, such as telling your employees what you agree about. If possible, be specific and calm when discussing issues that affect the workplace.
create a supportive environment.
In this day and age, many of our businesses are run, at least in part, remotely. But, we still have to provide an engaging and supportive environment for our workers, no matter where in the world they may be. Slack offers several recommendations on this front, including paying attention to the onboarding process, helping your employees assess their workspaces, and checking in regularly.
digitise documents.
If you have not already done so, now’s the time to go to a paperless office. Instead of having records and receipts everywhere, you and your employees should scan and digitise important documents, especially those that you have to share. Turn your scanned documents into a PDF. You can combine the pages to create individual documents of pertinent files. This makes it easier to send and receive. As an added bonus, PDFs are universally recognised by just about all devices.
communicate online, and in writing.
Talking with your employees face to face is great for building relationships. Unfortunately, this isn’t always possible. When you can’t be together, make sure that all communication is written clearly and sent via email, online documents, or private communication channel. Ask your employees to acknowledge important points of all correspondence to ensure that you’re all on the same page.
host brainstorming sessions.
Your employees are not only the backbone of your business, they are the brains as well. Give your team ample opportunities to brainstorm together. You never know when they’ll come up with a new idea that can help you innovate. If you don’t have a physical location where everyone lives within an hour or so of where you are, consider renting a co-working space, which may be less expensive than a dedicated office, and should already have everything you need to conduct a meeting without hindrances.
show your appreciation.
It may seem like a simple thing, but showing your appreciation to your employees can increase engagement by more than 2.7 times. When your employees feel as though they are being heard, they’re more likely to speak up and offer advice that might improve productivity. A small bonus, an afternoon off, extra vacation time, and even a good old-fashioned “thank you” will go a long way toward improving employees’ willingness to communicate with you and their team members.
There are some things in business that you cannot leave up to chance. Your team’s communication is one of these. Whether you are organising PDF documents, hosting brainstorming sessions, or showing your appreciation for a job well done, the above tips can help you better engage and elevate your employees. While you may spend some additional money creating infrastructure and benefits along the way, these investments will be returned to you in happier employees that don’t mind collaborating with you as well as their peers.
Engage For Success wants you to get in on the movement of engaging your employees. Bookmark the site, and visit often for more insight on effective communication, culture, innovation, and more.
Author: Emma Grace Brown
Photo credit: Christina @ wocintechchat.com on Unsplash
