We all know that communication is extremely crucial whether it is in your personal life or professional. Effective and clear communication will allow you to create a happy environment at the workplace as well as at home, help you promote wellness in the workplace and your personal life, and enable you to better deal with stress as it can avoid a great deal of conflict that more often than not arises from ambiguous, unclear communication.
Communication is most effective when there is shared understanding. Many times we take this for granted. We assume the opposite person would understand an instruction/directive while actually they may require further clarity to deliver as per requirement.
I recall an instance of unclear communication that happened with me, and a common one at that. I asked a colleague to keep a certain report ready however, the following day, the report was not complete and work was still in progress. I questioned the co-worker and he said he took to another assignment presuming this report could wait. It was then that I realized I was not clear and concise in my instruction. I should have been specific with the deadline and stressed on the urgency of the task. This would have also allowed him to either negotiate the deadline or confirm it.
How to create a happy workplace with effective communication?
- Provide constructive feedback regularly
Without regular feedback, your team can be left feeling confused, demotivated and unsure about where they’re headed. - Create and discuss future plans for every team member
Career advancement is important for every professional so if you want your team to be happy and productive, regularly communicate what prospects they have if they stay with your company. - Express gratitude, faith and confidence
Remember to always thank and appreciate your employees when they achieve certain targets and goals. And when they are unable to do so, tell them you have faith in them and the confidence that they can accomplish their goals with a little more uphill struggle.
How to deal with stress and How to promote wellness in the workplace using effective communication?
Stress is a contributing cause of depression, anxiety and many other mental health problems. While that may be fairly obvious, stress is also linked with physical health troubles issues like digestive conditions, insomnia, immune system disorders and even heart disease. Given the negative impact stress can have on your physical health, it’s worth paying close attention to any way you can reduce it.
Using the following tips will help you and others around you in dealing with stress and enable you to promote wellness in the workplace and eventually help you remain happy and healthy.
- Good Communication Reduces and Prevents Stress Inducing Mistakes
In a business environment, poor communication can cause a lot of stress. Whether it’s you receiving directions or giving directions to someone else, if work related expectations are not communicated effectively, it can lead to mistakes. This will lead to a delay in work and eventually unhappy clients and customers. All of which leads to stress.
When mistakes at work need immediate attention and rectification, it has the team functioning on shorter deadlines with greater pressure. Often a lot of this kind of stress is avoidable if directions and requests were communicated effectively in the first place. With good communication, everyone knows what they are supposed to do and when.
When the information flows from the boss to the team leader to the team to the minions, the last person doesn’t even know why they are doing what they are told to do. When every member is enrolled in the importance and purpose of the work to be done, and once the work is done, to report back with a check to close the communication loop works wonders in effective communication and efficient work-flow.
- Explore and express feelings
Get in touch with your feelings. Being aware of how you feel – whether it’s anxious, depressed or angry – is the first step to dealing with a stressful problem. This means taking time out from work and family to be alone. It’s not always possible to avoid stress, but you can learn to cope with it better. Expressing your feelings can dramatically reduce stress levels and enhance your own sense of well-being
- Stick to the facts
When under stress it is easy to distort problems, exaggerate the significance of an event or make sweeping generalizations. When explaining an issue to someone, always be as specific and objective as you can.
- Become an engaged listener
People often focus on what they should say, but effective communication is less about talking and more about listening. Listening well means not just understanding the words or the information being communicated, but also understanding the emotions the speaker is trying to communicate.
If dealing with stress through the pandemic and work style evolution has been tough for you, then visit my website to learn about the 5 techniques to reduce stress as well as other informative articles on health & wellness that help you look after your well-being despite being part of a challenging business environment.