If you feel as though your team is not communicating well, or if mistakes are being made through lack of communication, then there are a few ways that you can improve this. Take a look below to find out more.
Establish a Foundation
One way for you to improve your team’s communication would be for you to establish a foundation of trust. If your team trust you, they’ll be much more likely to come to you if they have a problem. As a leader, it’s important that you talk with them and that you take an interest in their personal lives. You might also want to break the ice by taking your team out for lunch, or even by spending some time out of the office. This will benefit everyone, and it will also make it easier for them to communicate with one another.
Have One to Ones
Setting up weekly or even monthly one-to-ones will really help your team members to open up. A lot of people don’t like to approach their boss in the middle of the day with a problem because they feel as though they are being a burden and that they are also causing a fuss. You don’t want your team to feel this way, so invite them into your office individually and ask them how they’re doing. Talk about how you could help them to work better and also air out any concerns that you might have. This is the best way for you to get them to open up and it can also alleviate some of the pressure that they are under too.
Invest in Software
Sometimes it helps to invest in a solid communications software. This could include a VOIP system or even a live chat widget. If you’re interested in VOIP then check out www.itsupportboston.us. Of course, when you do invest in a new system, you have to make sure that you train your team so that they understand how and when to use it. If you don’t then you may find that some people rely on it too heavily and that other people don’t use it at all. If you’re not careful then this can be detrimental to your business, so take your time and talk to everyone about it before making the change.
When you Ask an Employee to Do Something- Explain Why
You need to explain to your team why you are asking them to do something. If you don’t then they may feel as though you’re offloading your own responsibilities or that they are being targeted. You may get the “why can’t someone else do it” response too. One way for you to get around this would be for you to explain the importance of each task so that you can frame it in a way that is both positive and informative. If your team have any questions you can then answer them and you can also give them the support they need to complete the job in the fastest and the most efficient way possible.