Poor workplace communication from employees to customers results in hard feelings, frustration between each other, and even losing customers if they have another place they can go to get the items or service you offer.

You’ve experienced this if you’ve called for technical support to nearly any major company in the past few years.  With so much outsourcing to other countries, it can be a huge struggle for both parties to understand each others’ accents.  In this case, the poor communication is due to language barriers, but that doesn’t negate the consequences.

On the other hand, effective workplace communication from employees to customers makes happy customers.  And happy customers are repeat customers.

Effective communication within the business is crucial as well.  Perhaps you’ve had a boss who was too vague in describing exactly what he wanted you to do on your latest project.  You think you heard “do XYZ” and later he says, “No, I told you to do ABC.”  Time is wasted, you’re both angry and frustrated with each other, and it may even put your job on the line.

Based on your perceptions and your view of the job, you might actually have heard “do XYZ”.  Likewise for your boss, who has another scenario in his head that fits with you doing “ABC.”  But without the communication to explain thoroughly what expectations are, disaster isn’t far away.

Your experience with your emotions and understanding your control is an important element.  There are assessments to find out and some great books to help.  Understanding your role with emotions and how they play into other lives can help you have a better impact on your career and personal life.  It makes for better communication skills in the work place and others.

Business Communication

Business communication in its simplest definition is just what it says: communication in business.  But because people are so different and the business workplace is often so hectic and bustling, effective workplace communication can be difficult to achieve, let alone master.

Consider, too, that workplace communication is no longer only through meetings, phone calls, or memos posted around the water cooler.

When email became the main course of communication in the workplace, misunderstandings and hurt feelings arose.  Why?  Because missing in email (and other written communication, too) is the tone of the writer, the non-verbal cues, the body language.  People tend to read into an email based on their current state of emotions and their relationship with that person.

A message as simple as “Good one” can be misunderstood.  Is it a compliment or a sarcastic retort?  But, “Good one.  The client was really pleased!” makes the message clear and it takes only a few seconds more to clarify.

There is so much emphasis on communication in every aspect of our daily life it’s really important to understand the impact.  A mumbled “thank you” with no eye contact has no meaning.  An enthusiastic “Thank You!” with eye contact and a nod, wink or smile can move mountains.

When you get an email that makes you feel hurt or angry, before you type a long outcry take a moment and talk to the person when you aren’t feeling so hurt or angry.  Maybe wait an hour or maybe a few hours.  Many times people type a long response to something that they perceive is a wrong without thinking it through.  Emotional outbursts even in email form don’t really have a place in the work place.

There are many employees out there working everyday to do well in their jobs and make a difference, they diligently send out department or company emails with instructions or information, often they feel they are sending the information to a void.  Take the 5 seconds and send them a “thank you, I really appreciate you getting this out to everyone” and follow up with your subordinates if you have any.  You have no idea how affirming it is to them, to be acknowledged and feel appreciated, and what did it take from you?

Any communication sent your way is usually a time saver for you.  Decide how to best use it. Don’t assume your people read their emails.  Typically as people move up their reading comprehension becomes more important, it’s important to develop those skills in your people and yourself.

Effective workplace communication

One of the biggest stresses for employees is often they feel “out of the loop” or like they aren’t told anything.  This is a morale killer among a lot of other things.  It is critical for you to develop a way to get information to your people.  Or maybe you can do it for your supervisor.  There is no perfect method, find something easy to maintain and understand.

Communication Skill Builders

Your communication skills, like your leadership management skills, can always benefit from a refresher course, from a session of communication skill builders, or from other communication exercises.

Aside from taking communication building courses, you’ll find a slew of communications management magazines, websites, seminars and courses online.

It’s also maybe a good idea to understand some of the reasons there are problems with communication.  The book “The Emotional Intelligence Quick Book”, by Travis Bradberry and Jean Greaves, gives a great insight to some common errors and misunderstandings.  The book also comes with a free online assessment, that is if you buy it new and no one has used the code yet.  It is a great tool to get started.

And for the serious communication buffs, a degree in organizational communication might be in order.  This would open up career doors in areas such as management, human resources, training, consulting, and more.