How to Avoid These Common Communication Blunders in the Workplace

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How to Avoid These Common Communication Blunders in the Workplace

By Cynthia Kay | Entrepreneur Magazine | March 19, 2024

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Organizations have great discipline when it comes to areas such as production or finance, but not when it comes to communication. Some don’t recognize or prioritize the need for communication programs. They assume that it will happen naturally. Unfortunately, that is not the case. Over the years, many organizations have become siloed. Everyone has an initiative, but departments have no tools to collaborate and share information.

As the owner of a media production and communications consulting company, the author sees terrible communication firsthand. Three common communication problems are inconsistency, Poor content and messaging, and communication that fails to excite.  3 steps to improve communication within a company are:

The first step to improving communication is to put a purposeful communication plan in place. One that is clear, consistent and achievable. The plan does not need to be complicated. It does need to consider the entire organization — from those on the plant floor or front lines to those in the field and behind the scenes. What do people need to know? What are the best ways to communicate information so everyone can access it? What is the frequency of communication?

The second step is to build an organization of good communicators. Numerous studies report that 86% of employees and executives cite ineffective communication and collaboration as the main cause of workplace failures. Communication is not simply the job of human resources, the communication, or the marketing department. Everyone needs to be engaged. Some people are naturally good at this, but most need help. There are learning opportunities that can be accessed from various sources, but be sure that the level and content are appropriate for the team.

The third step is to use the right tools to share communication. This can be an internal portal, system of e-blasts, live meetings or live stream events. There are so many tools that it can be overwhelming. A communication consultant can help you navigate them, but the best advice is to use the simplest technology to get the job done. Finally, the results of the communication plan should be monitored. This can be something as simple as a communication survey.

3 key takeaways from the article

1. Organizations have great discipline when it comes to areas such as production or finance, but not when it comes to communication. Some don’t recognize or prioritize the need for communication programs. They assume that it will happen naturally. Unfortunately, that is not the case. Over the years, many organizations have become siloed. Everyone has an initiative, but departments have no tools to collaborate and share information.
2. Three common communication problems are inconsistency; poor content and messaging; and communication that fails to excite.  
3. 3 steps to improve communication within a company are:  put a purposeful communication plan in place, build an organization of good communicators, and use the right tools to share communication.

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Topics:  Communication, Organizational Behavior