How can we deal with Miscommunication in the Workplace?
Why is effective communication important in the workplace?
An effective communication is essential to build a relationship with people so that it is productive for people to work in the workplace. Research from (Físic, J. (2022)) said that 25 % of productivity increases when teams or groups talk effectively among themselves. Further, more than 70% of surveyed 2,000 office workers had gone through unclear communication from their co-workers. Professionals have mentioned that workplace foundation is the base of company’s growth, success and overall productivity (Físic, J. (2022)).
What miscommunication looks like in a workplace?
Ineffective communication can occur due to many reasons, such as emotional barriers, perceptual barrier, interpersonal barriers, cultural barriers. Even, technology can also be a factor for miscommunication as remote work is growing rapidly. Miscommunication happens quite often than we realize. The report from the state of miscommunication mentioned that 81% of employees undergo miscommunication way often or even occasionally (Físic, J. (2022))
Even miscommunication adds a price tag in the workplace, which means miscommunication also affects the health of the employees. A study showed that 52% of respondents focused that it is stress and 13% are of low morale in the workplace. Further, miscommunication can also lead employees to delay on their project work or could fail in the given task due to misunderstandings (Físic, J. (2022)).
What can be the causes for miscommunication to happen in the workplace and how can we fix it?
1. Lacking employee engagement - employees who are disengaged will produce many opportunities for miscommunication and will decrease the overall productivity of the company.
Therefore, employees will need emotional care and security so that they will engage and be productive.
2. Uncertain on objectives - This may also lead to problematic issues with money for the business, when clear objectives are not set due to miscommunication.
Conducting open discussions with the team’s task, deadlines and expected outcomes could be a great way to accomplish objectives.
3. Language - This cause itself is a huge case that leads to miscommunication. Sometimes, words or phrases mean different things to certain people and body language which could also lead to misunderstanding.
It is always better to clarify for issues by asking the person to repeat or explain further on the matter so that communication is more effective.
4. Environmental pressure - Even through many distractions, noise, stress, interruptions or lack of sleep, miscommunication is not so far away. This means that the person may not pay attention or listen to another person. This mostly occurs when people multitask other work while communicating.
It would be better to schedule a time or set up a meeting with the other person by making sure that person is available for a conversation and setting up a quiet room if it is really necessary (Samuel, M. (2022)).
5. Missing of context - Sometimes, when circulating the message among the team, employee can miss out certain important details when delivering the message.
It is better for employees to concentrate and focus on their project work and managers need to allocate single platform for each employee so that communication gaps can be avoided (Filipov, S. (2022)).
A study (Team, R.C. (2023)) in the graph below showed that, about 69% of the managers are uncomfortable when communicating to their employees in general. Even when it comes to delivering bad news to the employees. This means that there is a negative impact on the business with lack of effective communication in the workplace.
Source: https://www.ringcentral.com/us/en/blog/the-importance-of-effective-communication-in-the-workplace/
Likewise, there are so many other causes that miscommunication can happen at work. In my point of view, I think that miscommunication should be avoided in a workplace to avoid employee conflicts, increase company's growth and productivity, increase innovation and employee engagement.
For more information on miscommunication in the workplace and how to tackle it, please have a look at the video below,
References
Físic, J. (2022) How to recognize and avoid miscommunication in the Workplace, Pumble Blog. Available at: https://pumble.com/blog/miscommunication-in-the-workplace/ (Accessed: March 27, 2023).
Filipov, S. (2022) Miscommunication in the workplace: Causes, effects, and how to solve it, BROSIX. Available at: https://www.brosix.com/blog/miscommunication-in-the-workplace/ (Accessed: March 27, 2023).
Samuel, M. (2022) Council post: Five sources of miscommunication in the workplace and how to mitigate them, Forbes. Forbes Magazine. Available at: https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbescoachescouncil/2022/02/15/five-sources-of-miscommunication-in-the-workplace-and-how-to-mitigate-them/ (Accessed: March 27, 2023).
Team, R.C. (2023) 5 tips [and 5 tools] for effective communication in the workplace, RingCentral. Available at: https://www.ringcentral.com/us/en/blog/the-importance-of-effective-communication-in-the-workplace/ (Accessed: April 17, 2023).
Communication is an important thing in the institution, depending on how the other understands what we say. Crises are common in institutions when the communication is not done properly. Many things can be added to knowledge through your article.good luck.😊
ReplyDeleteThank you Piumali for your comment.
DeleteEffective communication increases employee morale, engagement, productivity, and satisfaction, in the workplace. For improved teamwork and cooperation, communication is also essential and ultimately helps people, teams, and organisations achieve greater results. you articulated it well!!
ReplyDeleteThank you so much Anushka for leaving a nice comment on my article.
DeleteEffective teamwork begins and ends with communication Mike Krzyzewsky
ReplyDeleteI agree.
DeleteReally good article and has a great elaboration on the subject.
ReplyDeleteThank you George for your comment.
DeleteTrue......Clear communication and active listening are key to preventing miscommunication in the workplace. Good job.
ReplyDeleteHi Iresha, A good article,
ReplyDeleteMiscommunication in the workplace can have serious negative consequences, such as lost productivity, wasted time, misunderstandings, conflict, and even loss of revenue or damage to a company's reputation. To address this, organizations should establish clear communication channels, provide training for effective communication, and encourage open and transparent communication. Individuals can also improve their communication skills by actively listening, asking clarifying questions, and being aware of cultural differences. By improving communication in the workplace, individuals and organizations can create a more productive and positive work environment.