BUSINESS

How to Make Communication Between Team Members Better

WORDS: PHOTOGRAPHY

Do missed deadlines, conflicts within the team, misplaced documents, delayed response to emails and messages seem familiar? These are just some of the signs that communication between team members is rather poor. When the team communicates so badly with each other, you can’t expect them to provide top-notch customer service. Under such conditions, the business can’t reach its full potential. Even if your team communicates effectively, there’s always room for improvement. There are many ways you can improve communication on a team level. We’re bringing you some of the most effective ones.

Devote Attention to the Speaker

How many times have you been speaking to someone and they kept looking at their smartphones the entire conversation? Probably way too many. It’s one of the signs of poor communication. In the workplace, such situations can cause misunderstandings. That’s why you should encourage team members to devote their full attention to the speaker during the conversation. This means maintaining eye contact, asking follow-up questions, and relying on body language for more efficient communication. Also, it’s important to listen attentively to the other person because it’s the best way to receive the message the right way and respond adequately. 

Express Gratitude 

When it comes to employee communication, there’s one thing most people forget to mention. That’s gratitude and it’s not expressed enough in the workplace. Employees work in teams and they all contribute to reaching common business goals. They have to cooperate every single day and that’s why it’s necessary for them and the management to express gratitude. Saying ‘Thank you’ to a coworker for helping or acknowledging an employee’s efforts goes a long way in business communication. As a manager, set an example and let team members follow. This way you’ll also make the atmosphere in the work environment friendlier. 

Celebrate Achievements

There’s no better way to boost communication between team members than by celebrating achievements together. The best part about the corporate celebrations is that you can organize them remotely and on site depending on your current work mode. Team wins, birthdays, engagements, weddings, career milestones all deserve to be marked appropriately. During these celebrations, the team connects on a personal level which makes them closer and aware of each other’s flaws and virtues. This helps them become better communicators and deliver their message as intended.

Organize Fun Activities 

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One of the most common ways to strengthen team spirit are team building activities. However, not everyone likes to participate in the usual board games and role-playing. Instead of forcing employees to engage, you can ask for suggestions. Or, even better, let them decide what kind of team building activity they’d like to participate in. Some team members might suggest volunteering for a good cause together. This kind of activity is great because the members of your team have the opportunity to connect outside work in informal surroundings. Simultaneously, their volunteerism shows you’re a socially conscious business

Encourage Transparency 

To function and communicate as a team, your employees have to trust each other. If they’re withholding information from each other, it damages their team spirit. The same goes for providing misleading information on purpose for personal gains. The key to building a strong team is transparency. Being open is the strongest foundation for any relationship, be it personal or professional. Therefore, encourage team members to build mutual trust by being open and honest in every conversation or activity. This will reduce potential conflicts. In case they happen, as good communicators, they’ll resolve it amicably. 

Give and Receive Feedback 

When you tell employees ‘Fix this’ or ‘This isn’t good’, it doesn’t help them in any way. You can employ constructive criticism and make sure the focus is on constructive and not criticism. Also, it’s important to remember feedback goes both ways. Simply giving or receiving feedback isn’t enough. To make communication better, both sides have to commit to both actions. At the same time, they should be ready to act on it. Otherwise, all the effort is in vain. Feedback not only makes your team better communicators but also better at their jobs as well. It strengthens their work ethics and helps them develop professionally.

Conclusion 

Bad communication among team members can cause problems for the management and the organization. Depending on their severity, it might cost you clients and resources. No matter how successful your business is, it’s not something you could afford. If you encourage being open and grateful, giving and receiving feedback, and participating in group activities, your team will master the art of communication in no time.