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WORK LIFE

Leaders, this will help you actually communicate with your team

In an age of over-communication, every company needs a clear plan.

Leaders, this will help you actually communicate with your team

[Photo:
cottonbro studio
/Unsplash]

BY Stephanie Vozza3 minute read

Remote and hybrid working arrangements have amped up the importance of communication tools, but using just one method won’t do. Most companies use email, videoconferencing, instant messaging, texts, project management platforms, social media, and phones. This plethora of incoming messages is why many people have two monitors, says Maura Thomas, author of Attention Management: How to Create Success and Gain Productivity Every Day.

“They have their work on one monitor and their communication channels on the other monitor so that they can monitor every communication as it arrives,” she says. “That means you are constantly switching all day long because most of us get a communication every minute and your attention is being diverted.”

The problem with having so many forms of communication is that companies haven’t provided instructions on how and when to use each one. When guidelines are lacking, the selection process becomes personal preference. For example, one coworker may never check email but live on Slack, while another may send text messages.

“To compensate, some people send the same message in all the ways to communicate to cover their bases,” says Thomas. “You end up with the volume of communication because you aren’t sure which way to send a message.”

To fix this over-communication problem, Thomas suggests putting a company communication plan in place, reserving each form of communication for a specific type of messaging.

Email

Email is best for routine requests and information sharing. It’s designed to be asynchronous communication with a delay. “I send it, you read it whenever you read it and respond whenever you can,” says Thomas.

Unfortunately, that’s not how email works in most companies. Because most employees keep their email open, they’re constantly checking it. As a result, email becomes a synchronous tool, with people expecting an immediate response.

Instead, companies should define a timeline for email responses. For example, Thomas suggests that email should be responded to within a day or two. “The more wiggle room, the better,” she says. “Leave some discretion in there to reduce the burden on people.”

Team Communication Tools Like Slack

Instant messaging methods, like Slack, should be reserved for project related communication and socializing. It’s important to have specific channels, otherwise the risk is that urgent messages could get buried in generic threads.

“It can become an almost unusable stream of noise,” says Thomas. “It’s never going to be perfect, but you can designate a Slack channel for urgent stuff.”

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Phone and video

Synchronous communication methods, like phone calls and Zoom meetings, are best for relationship building or covering sensitive or complex topics. They’re also helpful when you need to get instant feedback, but use them sparingly for this purpose, says Thomas.

“People keep saying, ‘I am drowning in meetings,’” she says. “Consider if you could upload a video to a Slack channel and get feedback on the project or report. It’s possible to take that synchronous meeting where everybody had to be at their computer at 9 a.m. and create a four-minute video that can be viewed anytime. You’ve given everybody who was going to be in that meeting a chance to better prioritize their day.”

Text

Text messages should be reserved for time-sensitive or urgent information. Employees will understand that texts should be responded to right away. Overuse of texting will diminish its importance and employees won’t be able to prioritize anything.

Set Communication Hours

Communication policies also need communication hours, so employees can get the breaks they need to be their most productive selves when they’re on the clock. Establish norms, such as Slack channels being put on Do Not Disturb and no emails sent outside of communication hours.

“The goal is to prevent a 24-7 ‘always on’ work culture that can quickly lead employees to burnout,” says Thomas.

By intentionally teaching teams how to use communication, you can move from almost exclusively synchronous to asynchronous communication, says Thomas.

“If I could put my head down work, I could become super-efficient,” she says. “But most companies don’t operate that way. To become more effective at communication, teach people how to use the tools you’re introducing. The mechanics of the tool is one important lesson, but so is when to use each one. By providing guidelines, you create more effective companies.”

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Stephanie Vozza is a freelance writer who covers productivity, careers, and leadership. She's written for Fast Company since 2014 and has penned nearly 1,000 articles for the site’s Work Life vertical More