Effective communication tips while home working

The importance of getting it right.

In uncertain times, it is more important than ever for everyone to demonstrate and encourage effective communication.

With more and more people working from home, the way you communicate with your employees and colleagues can pave the road to success – or create a path of increasing uncertainty.

Matt Weston, managing director at Robert Half UK, says: ‘We all know that good communication can boost morale and productivity and engender loyalty. The only change that should happen while working from home is the way we communicate.’

Here are a few tips from Robert Half UK to ensure that you are keeping your communication up while working from home.

Be seen digitally

If you ever need to interact with colleagues, try a video call instead of communicating over the phone or via email. This will help people gain visibility of you (literally) while working remotely.

With the rise of video conferencing systems, such as Skype, Zoom or Microsoft Team, you are now able to remain present and engaged with your colleagues and it will allow you to pick up on non-verbal cues that may otherwise have been missed.

Keep information flowing

Employees might worry when they don’t know what’s going on behind the scenes, creating an environment in which speculation takes root and rumours thrive.

If you don’t give people information, they are going to start guessing. This doesn’t mean employees have to know everything you know, but keeping the team informed about issues that may affect them creates a sense of transparency.

Make time for small talk

Many conversations that take place in a working environment aren’t actually about work, but the day-to-day discussions that go on are valuable as it helps build a rapport between colleagues.

So if you are working remotely don’t be afraid to use messenger programmes to help maintain your relationships with colleagues. This will help ensure you are an active participant in what goes on within your team and organisation as much as anyone else.

Choose the right time for the intended message

Even when the need to communicate a message is apparent, the time and place to deliver it may not be. Which will be more effective: announcing something in a weekly meeting, during a one-on-one conversation, or through an office email?

Consider how the information will affect employees individually and collectively. With most people working remotely, it is not always as easy to understand the impact that communication might have on colleagues or people in your team.

Weston adds: ‘Obstacles are a normal part of business, particularly in an uncertain business climate, but effective communication allows for transparency and for problems to be resolved more efficiently.’

This article was originally posted in Student Accountant which you can see here