Communication is one of the most important soft skills in and outside of the workplace. And although it is key, many struggle to get the message across loud and clear. With our 14 tips to effectively communicate with your colleagues, you’ll be able to communicate like a pro.
14 Tips to Effectively Communicate With Your Colleagues
There are plenty of benefits to communicating in the workplace. It ensures that there is an understanding among employees and management. It also contributes to productivity in the workplace. So are you ready to up your game? Then brush up on your skills with these 14 tips to effectively communicate with your colleagues:
- Communicate face-to-face
- Find out what type of communication works best
- Be clear
- Listen up
- Make use of communication software
- Work on your email game
- Communicate with respect
- Ease up
- Don’t get too personal
- Always communicate back
- Don’t go MIA
- Communicate without saying a word
- Be open to others’ point of view
- Build professional relationships
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Communicate Face-to-Face
Unless you’re working from home, try to communicate face-to-face as much as possible. It allows you to communicate better and ask questions in an open and easy way. Make eye contact and engage in the conversation.
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Find out What Type of Communication Works Best
Everyone has their own way of communicating. Some prefer verbal communication while others choose to write it out. Find out what type of communication works best for each employee. Allow them to feel comfortable expressing themselves in their own way.
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Be Clear
If you expect people to read between the lines, you lack communication skills. You need to be clear and concise. Whether it’s a concern, your opinion or some advice, do not beat around the bush. Stick to the point and focus on what is important.
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Listen up
Communication is a give and take. If you want people to listen to you, you need to listen to them too. This creates an open channel to communicate. Your coworkers will know that their advice and concerns are valued. This gives you an opportunity to learn from them as well.
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Make use of Communication Applications
Now this is perfect for employees who work from home. Make use of communication and interactive applications like Google Workspace. You’ll be able to set up video calls and message each other easily. It’ll feel like your coworker is right next to you.
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Work on Your Email Game
Emails are important in every workplace. It’s a great way to inform employees of important information and updates. So get up to speed on the do’s and don’ts of professional emails. A great way is to keep your emails and responses short and focus on the topic at hand.
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Communicate With Respect
It’s never a good feeling when someone talks down to you. So make sure that you communicate in a positive and respectful way. If you’re upset, don’t communicate until you have cooled down. You might say something you’ll regret. If it’s a serious topic, speak face-to-face instead to avoid harsh tones and misunderstandings.
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Ease up
Okay, we know that not everyone is comfortable speaking up or writing emails. But you need to ease up and gain some confidence. Don’t be afraid to communicate. Remember, you are an important part of the team and your colleagues rely on you too.
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Don’t get too Personal
Now hold on a bit. We mentioned that you should ease up a bit, but not to the point where you make your personal life known. Casual chats are fine. It helps you get to know your coworkers a bit better. Being open and communicating is good. But keep your personal life on the down low.
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Always Communicate Back
When your employee sends you a message or asks a question, you need to respond. This will ensure that they know you understand what to do. ‘Noted’ works fine in some cases (although it does come across as dismissive). A simple ‘thank you’ works great as confirmation.
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Don’t go MIA
It’s one thing to not communicate back immediately. But if you go missing for hours, it could land you in trouble. If you aren’t able to speak to your colleagues right away, let them know instead of letting them wait. If you work from home, it’s better to communicate any issues than to just stay silent.
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Communicate Without Saying a Word
Employers need to keep track of what their team is doing. But instead of them asking you what you’re up to, keep your work up-to-date. Fill in your management sheet so that they can know which task you’ve done. Or you can share spreadsheets with them to keep them posted.
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Be Open to Others’ Point of View
Communication might be great, but it’s not always easy. We don’t always agree with what the next person is saying. But instead of turning away, be open to their point of view. Don’t be biased and block off all forms of communication. Talk it out and find some common ground.
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Build Professional Relationships
Remember your parents warning you about talking to strangers? So instead of shying away from your colleagues, build healthy relationships with them. Teamwork and communication go hand-in-hand. You’ll feel more open to connecting with each other.
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Study our Business English Course
Still need to polish up your communications skills? Then our Business English Course is the perfect choice for you. And the best part, you can learn these top skills without matric. This is a great way to improve your workplace skills. You’ll learn how to communicate:
- Verbally
- Non-verbally
- In meetings
- During presentations
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Not only can you study our Business English programme, we have plenty of courses available to you. Take your pick and learn top skills to boost your career. Ready to get started? Contact our course experts today. You can:
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