At work, at home, at university — and everywhere! We have a world of tools at our disposal to stay connected, something that neither our parents nor grandparents could have ever imagined.
Every day, we face a flood of emails, chats, meetings, newsletters, WhatsApp messages, video calls, and countless other methods that supposedly came to make our lives easier and keep us better connected.
Communication, a recurring challenge
Although companies have various channels to communicate and share information, the reality is that internal communication goes beyond just being an institutional way to share news, internal manuals, or instructions. It requires shared efforts, interaction, and participation to be successful. After all, organizational communication is also about creating meaning, identity, and team cohesion.
When optimal communication is achieved across the organization, it keeps us up to date, ensures everyone knows where we are headed, reinforces trust and a sense of belonging, and helps everyone’s work flow smoothly and coordinated. Moreover, it connects us beyond tasks, with a culture and values we share.
So… why is it so difficult?
Despite constant efforts and the countless tools we use daily, many factors influence how solid our communication can be. Some examples:
- Lack of interaction
- Skipping optional events or meetings
- Procrastinating on tasks that aren’t seen as urgent
- Overloading with too much information at once
- No clear guidelines on which channel to use for what purpose
- And many more (you’re probably already thinking of some that have happened to you)
Good communication transforms the work experience
Effective communication is built collaboratively. It doesn’t depend on just one department or
certain roles; each person has a real impact on how information flows and how we understand
each other.
What can we do to foster solid, effective, and participatory communication from wherever we are in the organization?
Some things don’t take much time but can make a big difference:
If you lead a team
- Lead by example: read the communications you receive, respond, comment, react, share. The more you do this, the more natural it will become in your area.
- Listen actively and open spaces for dialogue.
- Validate ideas, recognize good work, clearly communicate what you need from them.
- Participate in talks, team-building activities, shared lunches, and in-company trainings. Make time in your schedule and your team’s, and encourage them to join these activities too.
As a team member:
- Read what is shared through various channels (email, WhatsApp, Teams, LinkedIn, blogs, platforms like Moodle, etc.)
- Use the available channels to stay informed, ask about what you don’t know, and propose alternative channels if you think of any fun and adaptable to the organization.
- Participate in the scheduled sessions, use them to interact with colleagues you don’t often see.
- React or reply to messages, so others know you’ve read them, and make time to respond as soon as you can.
Small changes, big results
You don’t need to change everything we’ve been doing; rather, be more aware of your environment and adjust small habits that greatly improve daily life.
Good communication is part of success, both personal and professional. The better we communicate, the more agile, human, and prepared for growth our organization becomes.