6 Effective Approaches to Improve Team Communication
Open, friendly and professional communication within the workplace will help to produce the best results.
Here are some tips that will help your team to perfect the art of communication:
A team leader needs to lead
More than being the principal member of the group, a team leader must lead to have any impact on the overall success of a company. Not only will a leader set the tone, they will also take charge and execute the team’s vision.
More than being the face of the group, they can help to alleviate some of the stress on individual team members’ shoulders – so they are the person to rely on when a question or problem comes up during an event.
Set an open-door policy
Encourage the team to eliminate the boundaries, as this will help to build trust and create transparency within the group. Besides shutting down secrecy, letting each member know that it’s fine to ask questions, voice concerns and pitch ideas will stimulate interaction between colleagues as well. As the team breaks down barriers figuratively, it’s also advisable to remove physical obstacles as this also sets an open environment and creates a greater sense of freedom.
Promote reciprocal feedback
To make the most of feedback, it has to be clear for both parties. Don’t settle for brief responses like “Fix this” or “Needs improvement” as these vague instructions will leave the team members asking themselves, “How?”
Rather than creating more boundaries brought by these short phrases, give a detailed and constructive comment that will serve as a method to solve the problem and increase the quality of communication. Feedback should guide team members, not make the situation more difficult.
Make use of coffee breaks
By keeping the team building spirit running through coffee breaks, employees can enjoy informal interactions. In fact, having a conversation while drinking coffee encourages healthy communication among co-workers and naturally promotes the exchange of ideas – whether you’re talking about work or not. Not only is coffee an energy booster that helps employees get through the day, it can also promote productivity through more relaxed interactions.
Build a sense of family among team members
After-work activities that can be enjoyed as a group will encourage everyone to mingle and have fun together as a unit. Not only does this give them an escape from all the stress in the office, it also helps them to bond as a team.
A strategy that’s been used by many companies for a long time, hosting team-building activities has been proven to be an effective way of improving communication, as well as relationships between team members. When co-workers are comfortable around each other, they experience a sense of family at work – therefore, they naturally communicate better.
Reset the team through training
Organising communication training sessions takes time, effort and money but it can benefit your team in a lot of different ways. There are lots of different approaches you could take with this.
For training sessions that encourage tighter, stronger teamwork, the right meeting room in London is the answer! Call &Meetings on 0800 073 0499 and get everyone talking!
