Overcoming inefficient communication in organizations

What is inefficient/ineffective communication? Ineffective communication can create short- and long-term hostilities, as well as decreased work productivity. We often don’t think about the communication process while doing it, but paying more attention to how you send and receive information can eliminate problems and improve relationships.

Any interruption or failure in the process can create ineffective communication. Language is an obvious example; if you, as the sender, speak in a language that the receiver does not understand, the communication fails. Writing a message to a person who has difficulty reading is also ineffective communication. These are called barriers, and not all of them are so obvious. For example, if you have an idea but lack the confidence to speak up, that’s a barrier. Body language, such as slouching in a chair to appear bored, is also a barrier.

REMOVING BARRIERS

Removing barriers will increase your chances of communicating effectively. Both senders and receivers must pay attention to others in the process, making eye contact, listening carefully, and avoiding distractions. By being an empath, you are imagining what it is like to be in the other person’s situation, which helps the communication process. Stereotypes, generalizations and inaccurate perceptions are also barriers and are more difficult to remove as you need to be aware of them. Seeing and listening to others can help you gauge your stereotypes and perceptions in relation to others and help you improve your communication.

THE EFFECTS OF INEFFECTIVE COMMUNICATIONS ON BUSINESS

Communication is a fact of life, especially in the workplace, where teamwork, technology, and remote work are becoming more common. For a business to thrive, meet deadlines, and exceed goals, strong relationships and communication systems must be in place. When communication breaks down, so does the business. When stress, unmet expectations, relationship breakdown, low morale, dissatisfied customers, family problems, health problems, and a smaller bottom line become chronic problems in the workplace, poor communication could be the root of the problem. The effects of ineffective communications in the workplace are as follows:

1. WORKPLACE STRESS – High levels of stress in the workplace are a big sign of communication problems. Poor communication can create the feeling that everything on your to-do list is urgent, leaving you and others feeling rushed, tense, overworked, and with little to no sense of humor. Good communication creates a sense of stability and predictability, but lack of communication or unhealthy communication introduces a sense of fear that causes tension, which is counterproductive to efficiency.

2. UNMET EXPECTATIONS: Lack of communication leads to unmet expectations. Teams miss deadlines, clients miss appointments, and people on a project don’t seem to know their roles. When employees have trouble determining what their priorities should be, they often make the wrong choice and end up disappointing their superiors. Without clearly communicated expectations and priorities, it’s impossible to know where to start and how to complete a project efficiently.

3. RELATIONSHIP BREAKDOWN: Your previously positive relationship may feel strained, so when you walk past your coworker’s or boss’s cubicle, you probably want to hide, rather than sit down and have a friendly conversation to find a solution. . You may even feel a sense of uncertainty about seeking conflict resolution for fear of how it might affect your job security. It’s also common to feel a sense of insecurity or lack of accomplishment in performing daily tasks, and all of these emotions slow down productivity in the workplace.

4. LOW MORALES: When people are dealing with intense emotions, they spend more time than usual on emotional management. Productivity declines and morale is replaced by a sense of relief at having made it through the day. Survival mode in the workplace can be a real problem. When business relationships break down beyond repair, trust evaporates, making it difficult to work together to meet deadlines. When people miss deadlines, they tend to feel bad about performance. This vicious cycle prevents teams and companies from reaching their true potential.

5. DISSATISFIED CUSTOMERS: Unsatisfied customers can be a sign of poor communication. When teams miss deadlines or appointments, managers tend to get frustrated and stressed, just like customers. If your customer was counting on phone service to start before your grand opening and your installation team missed the deadline, your customer could be out of money. If your legal team is not fully prepared to present a case in court and is throwing it together at the last minute, it may not be in your client’s favor. When nursing staff miss a deadline, it could mean a patient doesn’t get their medication or bath on time.

6. FAMILY STRESS: Employees who are stressed all day come home stressed and exhausted, which impacts their families. Instead of having a spouse or parent who is energetic and grateful to be home, the family is stuck with someone who has so many emotions to vent from the workday that one night is barely enough time to get it all out. Employees may start to feel guilty or even experience conflict at home due to their level of tension and stress. This stress stays with them when they start the next work day and it can be difficult, if not impossible, to get by.

7. HEALTH: Employees who are stressed out all day go home stressed and exhausted, which impacts their families. Instead of having a spouse or parent who is energetic and grateful to be home, the family is stuck with someone who has so many emotions to vent from the workday that one night is barely enough time to get it all out. Employees may start to feel guilty or even experience conflict at home due to their level of tension and stress. This stress stays with them as they start the next work day and it can be difficult, if not impossible, to get along.