Effective communication in the workplace - By: Jenny Thaw

Hi, my names Alex and I work for Danbro - Contractor Accoutants as part of the marketing team. In this article I will be discussing the types of communication barriers you might encounter in the workplace and how you might overcome these to improve business efficiency.

Poor workplace communication remains a barrier for many businesses. In order to grow businesses must succeed in all its aspects of communication, to both correspond to the newest market trends, and satisfy customer demands. There are two types of communication in the workplace;

• External Communication - Between staff and people outside the business e.g. customers or suppliers.

• Internal Communication - Between mangers and staff within the business.

1. Effect of poor workplace communication-

• Misunderstandings.
• Lack of information.
• Decrease in employees’ performance.
• Decrease in company’s turnover, as a result.

2. Barriers to communication

Physical- Large work places may make communication difficult and also a bad environment such as background noise may have an effect on the quality of the communication. Closed office doors, barrier screens, etc.

Lack of subject knowledge- The person sending the message must be aware of what’s needed to be communicated in order to convey the message clearly.

Language & cultural- Different languages and customers from different cultures may speak differently making it harder for businesses to provide their customer service. This could lead to misunderstanding between the sender and the receiver.

3. Benefits of effective communication in the workplace-

Good Working Relations - This will ensure a friendly and conflict free working environment.

Problem Solving- Communication will help with problem solving and also stop problems from getting aggravated.

Employee productivity and business growth- Good communication will ensure efficient working practices and accuracy in the way employees work resulting greater turnover for the business overall.

4. How to achieve efficient and precise communication

Choose the correct type of communication- Choosing the correct & appropriate medium for communication, such as email, fax, telephone etc, can be important in order to deliver the type of message successfully. For example communication with a customer would be more successful taking place over the phone in order to achieve a clear immediate response.

Know what you want to say- Be clear in your mind of what you want to say. If it helps write it down before hand.

Communicate clearly- Put messages across with a minimum of fuss to allow others to understand the meaning of the words.

Get clarification that understood- Clarify any points that may need refining as soon as possible. Always match your communication medium to your message carefully. For instance, an urgent message may benefit from clear, spoken telephone communication, instead of email.

Ask questions- Open questions will encourage discussion and allow communication to flow. Asking for feedback will also ensure communication is received and understood.

Active listening- As well as asking questions, listening is a vital aspect to communication. How you listen conveys meaning to the other person allows them to get an idea of whether you understand and if the communication exchange has been successful. Listening intently will make the speaker feel more confident and which in turn could help you receive the result you are looking for.

As an umbrella company Danbro recognize the importance of good quality communication with staff and customers. As the Danbro – Umbrella Service has grown, new methods of communication have been introduced and staff trained in order to provide a better service to our customers.

For more information contact Danbro on:
Head Office: 01253 600140
London Office: 0207 836 84000
Manchester Office: 0161 238 4918 or visit

Umbrella Company Services

About the Author

Danbro is a firm of award winning Chartered Management Accountants, providing specialist accountancy and payroll services to contractors and freelancers throughout the UK.

Article Directory Source: http://www.articlerich.com/profile/Jenny-Thaw/56143

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