Proper, effective communication is the key to growing a successful business. Yet, day-to-day communication with a large team is much easier said than done, which many managers and HR professionals can attest to. Sending out a team or individual communication memo every few weeks could be effective, but staying up to date with your managers and your employees on a daily basis can seem like a daunting and impossible task.
Members of your team each have different personalities, including preferences for how they communicate and receive instruction. Creating a common system for how messages are sent, received and implemented is vital to your business’s growth. If you struggle with communication within your team, consider these three tips:ƒ
1. Establish Clear Roles
For many businesses, the phrase “Too many captains, not enough sailors” has become the status quo. When too many people are in decision-making roles, it can cause chaos for your company. After all, why would one manager take instructions from another manager on his same level? Moreover, when too many people are in charge, employees become unsure of which manager to go to with their questions or who is owning what project. Just as detrimental as too much leadership, however, is not enough of it. If there are not established roles for leaders of departments, locations, etc., employees may have no choice but to go to the business owner with their questions.
When leadership and clear roles are established, having the right employees on the right jobs becomes much easier. Creating more thorough job descriptions for each employee in their department (that’s reviewed and updated often) will give employees a better understanding of their responsibilities, and enable them to know exactly what their managers expect of them.
2. Build Quality Relationships
We’ve all had that boss who simply barked orders and then retreated back into their office, or had a manager who leaves you in the dark on the goals and direction of the business leaving you uncertain about your own role and contributions. These criteria play into poor communication between individuals and teams. Those managers may have been the ones who approved vacation time, but you may not have been able to pick their face out of a lineup!
An employee’s perception of their managers and colleagues has a direct effect on how effectively they communicate. By building a closer, more human relationship with your employees, they know they can come to you with any issues they are having on the job. One way to get to know your employees better and humanize your relationship is to have offsite coffee meetings or lunches with your employees as getting outside the business encourages the sharing of the more personal sides of the manager and employee. During this time, you can also share and discuss constructive feedback on their performance with an easy performance management app like Deputy’s Journaling feature so you can discuss specific notes and examples for areas of improvement or commend the employee for exemplary service.
3. Set Specific Goals and Objectives
Ensuring that all teams are moving toward one goal is critical for effective communication. On a more individual level, when employees know they are actually working toward SMART goals, they are far more likely to take ownership and accountability for their role. Having quantifiable goals gives employees a greater sense of purpose in their job, whether they are a salesperson or a barista.
With an understanding of their responsibilities and goals, employees better understand how their role interacts with those of other employees and to see more clearly how their individual goals complement the goals of your business as a whole. These goals can be set up in the Deputy app’s News Feed and tasking feature with settings to notify you when the goal has been achieved so your employees will be able to clearly track how their contributions are impacting the business.
Communicate Efficiently with Deputy
Perhaps the most important factor in effective communication is speed. If your messages are delayed by hours or even days, communication can break down completely. With Deputy, you can build valuable relationships with your team members, establish clear roles and set individual goals for each employee. Deputy’s News Feed communication feature allows you to communicate instantly with your entire team or a single employee.
To learn more or get a free 30-day trial, visit www.deputy.com to position your business’s communication strategy for success.
