Individuals communicate in many formats and contexts with others throughout the day in the workplace. The standards for communication skills and proficiency in the workplace continue to rise. Effective communication skills are needed to send messages clearly, act with purpose, and convey knowledge competency during interactions with others. It is important to acknowledge that communication in the workplace involves advanced communication skills.
Ineffective communication skills cause unnecessary problems and miscommunication that wastes time and costs money. Therefore it is vital to learn the basic elements of workplace communication so an individual can build on that foundation and improve their communication skills in the workplace. By getting a good footing, it makes it easier to update skills, increase knowledge, and expand communication background.
Basic Elements of Workplace Communication Process
There are five basic elements of the communication process in the workplace. Each element is important and has a specific purpose. Knowing the purpose for each element will improve and clarify one’s workplace communication interactions, help eliminate miscommunication, and save time.
- sender – creator or source of message
- receiver – person message is directed toward
- message – what is said or done during exchange, both verbally and non-verbally
- feedback – response and reaction about message given to sender
- channel – route message travels from sender to receiver
Two Main Categories of Workplace Communication
All communication in the workplace falls into two broad categories, human communication and electronic communication. Some communication interactions fall into both. Communication in the workplace includes writing, speaking, listening, feedback, and acting. Workplace communication includes many types of communication with many different people including staff, managers, clients, students, vendors, patients, and others.
Human Communication includes the following:
- speeches
- meetings
- evaluations
- sales pitches
- interviews
- briefs
- updates
- daily announcements
- phone calls
- teleconference
- voicemail
- text message
- internet
- intranet
- company web pages
- e-commerce
- video chat
- instant messaging
Five Tips for Improving Workplace Communication Skills
Complete an online communication course every 3 to 6 months. Many courses are free and easy to find. Search improving communication skills, effective communication, or workplace communication course on the internet. Take a different course each time because all courses will benefit you by improving your workplace communication skills and exposing you to various types of communication and communication situations.
Make a list of your workplace communication goals. For each goal, write down ideas and things you can do to reach that goal. If one of your goals is to improve your listening skills in the workplace, research and write down the steps you are going to take to be a better listener and then practice, practice, practice! When you reach that workplace communication goal, move on to the next.
Make a list of your workplace communication skills strengths and weaknesses, then work to improve both. You can always get better. Communication is always changing and growing so making your strengths better is just as important as improving your weaknesses. Weaknesses hinder effective communication professionally and personally. Once you know your workplace communication weaknesses, you can consciously work to improve them.
Ask other professionals questions about specific effective communication skills they possess and excel at. If a co-worker is great at clearly recapping last week’s briefs during weekly meetings, ask for pointers. Most professionals do not mind spending a few minutes explaining. Many find it flattering. The pointers may be simple and help you communicate more effectively and improve your workplace communication skills.
Keep a small memo pad and pen with you. Professionals communicate with many people every day and remembering the information exchanged in each interaction is impossible. During important communication interactions like instructions from the boss regarding a project, take small notes. Then repeat what you heard and make sure it is what the boss wants. This will ensure you correctly interpreted the message. This is a simple way to cut down on mistakes due to misinterpretation or miscommunication and improve your effective workplace communication skills.
References:
Eisenberg, E. M., & Goodall, H. L. Organizational Communication: Balancing Creativity and Constraint. New York: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2001.
Goodall, H.L. & Goodall, S. Communication in Professional Context: Skills Ethics, and Technologies. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth, 2002.
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Amanda-Makenzie Braedyn - Amanda-Makenzie Braedyn has been working in the communications field for 10 years. Amanda-Makenzie holds a Bachelor of Science in ...
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