As social beings, communication is an essential part of our lives. We communicate with others to share our thoughts, feelings, and ideas. However, communication is not just about speaking; it also involves active listening. Active listening is the ability to fully concentrate on what someone is saying, understand their perspective, and respond appropriately. In this article, we will discuss the importance of active listening and how you can become a better active listener.
Employee turnover can have a significant impact on your bottom line. Employment professionals estimate that turnover costs between 1.5 to 2 times an employee’s salary. For every employee that quits who earned $100,000, your company could spend $200,000 in hiring and training costs—not to mention the lost productivity from other employees who need to pick up the slack.
The average American works about 1,750 hours per year. That’s more than six other high-income nations: the U.K., Australia, Sweden, Belgium, France, and Germany. Even with all those hours on the clock, 88 percent of the workforce procrastinates for at least one hour each day. In other words, no matter how many tasks are written down (or crossed off) on their to-do list, people are still wasting valuable time and losing out on productivity. This is why it’s important to balance strategic vision with tactical execution, a work balance, if you will.
Effective communication is crucial in the workplace as it allows us to build relationships, improve cooperation and productivity, resolve conflicts, and make better decisions. As we previously learned, active listening is one way to conduct communication in an efficient way.
Have you heard a 20-something coworker shout “Slay!” to celebrate a job well done? Or would you admit to exclaiming this, or something similar, yourself? If so, you’ve encountered Gen Z slang in the workplace. This style of communication is ubiquitous in today’s social media culture, but is it suitable for a professional setting? Or should we keep following a minimal communication etiquette?
Communicating effectively within a company is critical both for the organization, but also for the individuals involved. The most successful people on the planet are the best communicators. The most successful companies are those able to communicate their message in the most effective ways. At this point, the importance of communication in the workplace is unquestionable. However, it can be classified in several ways, depending on who, and how, is sending, and receiving the message.
The great resignation has forced a shift in workplace dynamics across all industries. In its wake, employees are re-evaluating their work environment and culture to determine if it meets their specific needs. Furthermore, having a sense of belonging is crucial for collaboration and teamwork.
Poor sound quality can be a significant distraction for your conference calls. If participants sound far away, have crackling associated with their line, or cut in and out, it’s hard for attendees to focus on what’s actually being said. With meeting productivity in thin air—you don’t need any other issues.
Organizations require employees to collaborate with more people than ever before, both internally and externally. This ever-increasing demand can be tough to keep up with. It ultimately leads to frustration and sometimes even to collaboration burnout.
In today’s hybrid workplace, any organization needs an efficient, seamless, cohesive strategy that makes it possible to collaborate from anywhere. With team members scattered across various locations—some at home, others in the office, and even some in different time zones—poor virtual collaboration can affect the overall work performance. Strong communication and teamworking have, once again, become mission-critical.
