As an employer, you realize that high morale is important in your workplace. When employees are happy, they tend to communicate better. When they are feeling productive, they feel more confident. Keeping the lines of communication open definitely leads to a solid work environment. However, there are many other less obvious advantages to having better employee communication that will make you strongly consider emphasizing it. Here are three lesser-known advantages:
More Employee Engagement
You want your employees to be engaged so they will have higher productivity. If an employee is not engaged, your company will suffer from decreased productivity. Better communication leads to a more positive environment, and thus more employee engagement. Make sure that you invest time in good, quality communication. Get to know your employees as people and express interest in their lives. Then, with work-related things, make sure you are communicating clearly. Doing this will help you to understand what motivates your employees and allow you to discover what their talents are and better utilize them for the good of the company.
Large Scale Improvement
Does your organization have a lot of processes that need to be learned by new employees? If you have an environment that values communication, you are more likely to have experienced employees that will “show the ropes” to the newcomers. Of course, we might also think of better communication simply being defined as a good working relationship from manager to employee, but it is a lot more than that. The entire organization can be changed through better communication simply because it will encourage more productivity and continual improvement. It’s for these reasons that communication is key to lean processes.
Adherence to Regulations
Every business has its regulations. If you work in retail, you will have to comply with OSHA guidelines. If you work in a food establishment, you will have to adhere to health and safety standards. If you work in a business that takes credit cards and debit cards, you will have to learn PCI compliance. With better employee communication, you will be able to handle these regulations and keep your company the well-oiled machine that it needs to be.
Having good employee communication in your organization can be the difference between a company just barely surviving and one that is thriving. Keep these tips in mind often, and you will have employees that are more engaged and a company that is more successful.
