You could have the best staff in the world and a stellar business model, but if communication in the workplace isn’t up to par, this could be costing you big in terms of efficiency, use of resources, and even lost revenue, name just a few.
Have a read of our handy guide below to help you take your business communication to the next level and see real benefits fast.
Regular Meetings Are A Must
Let’s start with the basics; it’s vital to meet with your staff regularly both as a whole team and for one-to-one sessions to address any issues or concerns that your people may have. Make these meetings as engaging as possible to create a culture of openness, and one in which every member of staff feels that they can freely speak their minds. It’s not just grievances you might get to hear by doing so; who knows what innovative ideas your administrative assistant, account manager, or marketing team might love to share if given the chance.
Make sure that meetings stay relevant and aren’t too frequent; however – there’s a fine line between a regular, productive meeting schedule and a frustrating meeting overload that can have your team switching off as well as taking them away from important tasks.
Optimize Your Email
Email is a basic of business communication, but not all email apps are built equal. Choose an email package that offers the innovative functions you need to boost communication both within your team and with external agencies and partners. Have a look for platforms offering dynamic group chat and meeting functions, as well as, for example, feature-rich calendar and to-do list tools.
With more people working remotely or from home than ever before, identifying the best iPhone email client is important, too, to keep things running smoothly and every one up to speed, no matter where they’re working. Consider an email tool that will allow users to send group messages and schedule sending emails and that can unify multiple inboxes. You may also want to identify a client that can offer video and audio calls as part of its package to upgrade your teams’ communication capacity even further.
Incorporate Project Management Software
Project management software can deliver great benefits to your staff when it comes to communication. Choosing the best package for your needs will help you to integrate the tasks of various teams and clearly identify interdependencies and timelines so that everyone will be on the same page. Each colleague can see, at a glance, where their tasks sit in the overall project and how it connects to all of the other components that need to be undertaken.
Using this type of software can enable you to create a central bank of information pertaining to the project or assignment and track the progress of each team and individual. There’s also the facility for team members to send comments or notes directly to other members of staff, enabling easier collaboration on a piece of work or document.
Make The Most Of The Cloud
With the multitude of cloud-based solutions now available, it’s easy to find one that suits your business needs perfectly. Making good use of the cloud will mean that your colleagues can easily share and work collaboratively on files and documents from wherever they are in the world, as well as being able to easily talk in real-time without the prospect of poor-quality lines or service interruptions.
An increasing number of companies are working on a BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) footing, and the cloud makes for easy working in regards to this mode of operation, too. Being able to work from any device allows staff members to quickly and securely access your businesses’ cloud network and get working fast.
Cloud-enhanced communication helps businesses that are operating or want to take their own steps on the global stage: the cloud enables companies to extend their reach across borders and makes for smoother collaboration even for those teams working on different continents.
Take Into Account The Individual
While tech can be used to improve business communication exponentially, taking a personalized approach when it comes to staff members is equally important and will help you to keep your staff motivated, and feeling appreciated.
Take some time to get to know the mode of communication that best suits the needs of the individual members of your team; this will not only doubtless improve productivity but is likely, too, to promote their feelings of well being and satisfaction within their role. Perhaps some of your team prefer to discuss matters by email, while others are more likely to engage in a face-to-face capacity.
It’s important, too, to make sure that all your staff members feel included and that no colleagues consider themselves to be left out. This can be achieved through effective communication; if there are staff members who are regularly unable to attend meetings, due to their working hours, then it’s vital to make sure they are provided with the minutes of these meetings and asked for their feedback on what was discussed.
