Staff retention is one of greatest challenges we face in business today. Ineffective communication is a primary cause of employee turnover. Developing clear lines of communication throughout a business will improve employee engagement, leading to an increase in overall productivity, retention, creativity, and more effective client and supplier interactions.  

So, how do we, as leaders, successfully connect with our teams and keep them informed about our business activities through clear and purposeful communication? 

In our post-pandemic world, with so many people still working from home, it is crucial that all businesses understand how to effectively manage employee communication. Although every workplace has its unique challenges, there are important factors to consider that will help you improve communication with your team members. 

 An Informed Employee is an Engaged Employee 

When a team member understands what is going on, what is expected of them, and why, they become more:  

  • Closely involved with business updates 
  • Dedicated 
  • Loyal 
  • Productive 
  • Closely aligned with the overall strategy.  

Informed employees better understand their role within the business and are more able to execute their assigned tasks because they have access to the information they need, no matter where they are. 

Challenges to Workplace Communication 

There are many challenges to the creation and maintenance of effective written and verbal communication.  

These include:  

  • Inconsistency in communication  
  • Reliance on technology (no face-to-face communication) 
  • Assuming the audience understands the jargon 
  • Not listening to your team 
  • Not making communication a leadership function 

Consider your business – how do these five factors play out in your work environment? 

Don’t Assume that Everyone is Skillful in Communication 

Assuming that everyone in your workplace can communicate effectively is a damaging notion.  

Some leaders lack the capability to communicate well and are unable to help others express themselves. On the flipside, employees may feel awkward when they are asked to express opinions, especially in front of more senior staff. Also, some leaders simply may not have the skills to sensitively facilitate staff involvement. 

Communication Channels 

While all communication channels have their merits, there is no one-size-fits-all solution.  

You will need to consider the challenges of your particular business environment and explore what works best. It may take some trial and error – so be open to feedback and review what is, and isn’t, working, then make any necessary adjustments.   

Success in communication comes from knowing how to pass on different types of information to the members of your team. 

  • Reduce the number of communication channels: Making information available in one place (if possible) makes the process more manageable for everyone. The more places your team must look, the more frustrating it can be, and the more likely they are to miss something.  
  • Consider who you are talking to and the outcome you need to achieve: If you are communicating a quick update that is relevant to everyone, a mass email or intranet post may be fine. If you are announcing a major change, you may need to use a more targeted, hands-on approach.

Again, determining what best suits the needs of your business, staff, and relevant timeframes will help you work out the most effective way to share all necessary information with your team. 

Building Connection – Team Meetings 

Every business has its own team rhythm and ways of working. A well-organised plan of daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly, and annual meetings helps to keep everyone aligned and accountable. 

  • Annual Planning Meeting (Owner and Senior Leaders): The purpose of the annual planning meeting is to align the team’s priorities for the year ahead to move the business closer to achieving their 3-5-year plan. 
  • Quarterly Meeting (Leaders): This is to determine how you will accomplish the annual plan and move the business forward. Generally held as a one-day meeting, the goal is to set up a road map for the next quarter that supports, focuses and motivates the team.  
  • Monthly Meeting (Leaders): A well-managed monthly management meeting should focus on learning, sharing and problem-solving. This provides a great opportunity to share the load and develop your upcoming business leaders in line with your succession plan. 
  • Weekly Meeting (Team): The weekly meeting keeps your team focused and accountable in execution of the priorities set out in your quarterly plan. 
  • Daily Huddle (Everyone): The daily huddle is a 5–15 minute catch up! This enables your entire team to be informed and aligned on the work that needs to be done. 

Communication through Difficult Conversations 

Difficult conversations are a normal part of life and need to be addressed in an open and constructive way. 

Many people put off uncomfortable conversations in the hope that the problem either fixes itself or disappears. This approach can have a damaging effect, particularly regarding how employees feel within their workplace. People want to feel heard, especially when they face uncertain circumstances such as created by the recent Covid-19 pandemic. Many employees have felt unsure about the direction of their workplace and worried about whether their roles will continue to exist. 

Preparation is the Key for Leaders and Managers 

Go into the meeting with a very clear understanding of the problem you are trying to solve. Before starting a difficult conversation, ask yourself these questions: 

  • Am I prepared? 
  • What information do I need from the employee? 
  • How do I think the employee will react?  
  • Do I have a clear understanding of the problem and outcome I want to achieve from this conversation?  
  • What solutions can I propose to resolve the matter?  
  • What would I like the employee to feel and do? 

Taking the time to prepare fully for your meeting will help you define any underlying issues and ensure your communication is clear and concise. 

It’s important to have the right communication mechanisms in place to build relationships and impart knowledge of common goals, listen and engage with team members, and to manage any issues and emerging risks. Poorly executed communication can cause employees to endure an unsatisfactory work experience, leading to a whole host of problems with morale, productivity and, in some cases, customer satisfaction. By focusing on providing the best possible communication to employees, you will ensure your team stays well informed with everything they need to perform their jobs at the highest level.  

Do you have the necessary communication strategies in place to drive and maintain team accountability and performance? Grab a copy of the checklist on ‘Team Communication’ in my HR Resources library here.

 

Resilience helps us cope when times are tough. The world events of the last two years have been incredibly difficult; they have taken a significant toll on our safety, security, and overall wellbeing. As such, it’s crucial that workplaces help their teams build a ‘toolkit’ of resilience-related skills that they can draw on for support. Just like any other skill or behaviour, becoming resilient involves training, development of positive daily routines, and on-going maintenance. HR consultants and business leaders are perfectly placed to assist their employees in the practice of resilience.   

Why Build Resilience? 

Humans have a natural capacity for resilience.  

However, we sometimes need direction to help us understand the factors that impede it, particularly when work environments go through periods of change. ‘Doing the work’ to develop positive daily routines does not have to be hard – we are all capable of setting realistic and achievable goals that help us achieve success in our work and personal lives. 

Where to start? 

There are many factors that affect our ability to be resilient.  

From a psychological perspective, we are influenced by our individual thoughts and beliefs and inter-personal relationships, not to mention a plethora of community, societal, cultural, and environmental elements. However, positive change most often begins when we become aware of our individual thought patterns and inner beliefs.  

Negativity, fear, stress, and anxiety are all normal feelings, but they do not have to dictate your behaviour. It is possible to change your outlook. 

Create Good Habits 

Creating good, beneficial habits takes persistence.  

Leaders, Human Resources teams, and employees may already have many tools to help them navigate change, stress, and anxiety. But bringing these into your workplace consciousness allows support to become ingrained at a grass roots level. Helping your staff to develop resilience-building habits, and creating a culture of support and understanding, takes time and effort which are well worth the rewards. 

Build your Resilience Bank Account 

Adding to your resilience account is making an investment in yourself.  

Like your financial bank account, you have the opportunity to make resilience ‘debits and credits’ – but remember that both are cumulative. Being aware of ‘debits’ – the thoughts and behaviours that chip away at your strength and ability to move forward – helps you to combat them. Intentionally building your resilience ‘credits’ give you a strong basis and the courage to make change, keep going, and tackle the tough moments when they arise. 

Encourage your Staff to make Resilience Deposits: 

  • Identify and use their strengths 
  • Do something nice for someone 
  • Volunteer in the community 
  • Include time for ‘fun’ in their day 

Make Friends with your Imposter 

Your inner imposter can damage your resilience.  

Your beliefs drive your behaviours 

Unhelpful thoughts of not being good enough, capable enough, or worthy enough affect your performance, and your health. Self-doubt is a pattern that repeats, time and again, until it becomes automatic. 

Making friends with your imposter combats the negative beliefs that tend to become more vocal when you are under stress. Consciously tell your imposter to quiet down and remind them that you are deserving of your achievements and any recognition you receive. Take the credit for your hard work and efforts. 

Fixed Mindset vs Growth Mindset 

Becoming aware of any limiting thoughts and beliefs, then challenging them, switches your psychology from a ‘fixed mindset’ to one of growth. This is where you can make change and create good habits that will serve you well in the workplace.  

A Growth Mindset increases productivity, creates motivation, and improves relationships 

  • Think about the positive words you can use to change your mindset 
  • Think about your beliefs, and work out how to make them constructive  
  • ‘Yet’ is a powerful word to create the space for change; ‘I haven’t done that’ is different to ‘I’m yet to achieve that.’ 

The Secret to ‘Taking Action’ 

People can talk themselves out of anything. The longer you wait to do something, the greater the odds are that you will never actually achieve it.  

The secret to ‘taking action’ is moving before the convincing voice in your head sabotages your motivation.

Overthinking, overplanning and procrastination are excuses to not take action. To move forwards, go with what you know is the ‘right thing’ to do without overthinking, or giving yourself time to talk yourself out of it.

Build Resilience with Mel Robbins’ 5 Second Rule 

This is a quick and easy tool for staff to implement in their daily routines. 

‘The 5 Second Rule is simple.  If you have an instinct to act on a goal, you must physically move within 5 seconds, or your brain will kill it. The moment you feel an instinct or a desire to act on a goal or a commitment, use the Rule.’  

  • Think about your life in five-second windows.  
  • The moment you began to hesitate about something, count down from ‘5,4,3,2,1’ . This stops the flow of negative thoughts.   
  • Then move! Step into action!  

They key to create the change you desire is to use the five-second window in conjunction with the clarity to tune into your skills and experiences.  

Worry, procrastination, and self-doubt are all habits that damage resilience. But you can use science to break them – it all comes back to those five-second decisions. The next time you criticise yourself, be aware of your imposter-voice, and refuse to repeat the same fixed ideas. 

When you begin to take action every single day, you start to build resilience and see yourself becoming the person you want to be. This gives you the confidence to continue to take action and increase that skill. Even the most successful struggle with self-doubt. But you can learn to change fixed ideas, trust yourself, and make decisions based on a positive mental health psychology that will improve both your workplace performance and personal wellbeing. 

Catie is available for speaking engagements including facilitation of training on HR and leadership related topics. To book, contact Catie on +61 (0) 409 545 634 or catie@catiepaterson.com.au