Tips on Effective Workplace Communication for a Supervisor
Supervisors are often held to a higher standard than the employees that work underneath them. This is particularly true when it comes to effectively communicating with staff, as supervisors are the conduits for information that runs between employees and upper-level management. Consider a few tips that can help you to communicate with staff in the workplace more efficiently and effectively.
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Be Consistent
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Be consistent in the way and frequency with which you communicate with employees. If they feel like you only communicate every now and then, and are never really sure of when they are going to receive information from you, then your staff may easily become frustrated. This can result in high turnover. When there are changes or something your staff needs to know, they need to be sure that they will hear from you consistently.
Don't Show Favoritism
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Maintain a fair and even attitude and method of communication with your employees. If you tell some more than others, this may be perceived as favoritism, which may build resentment among staff members. Even if you manage some employees that you consider to be friends, keep it professional when you are at work and communicate with everyone on the same level, unless individual communication is necessary to the person's position.
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Be Honest
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Be as honest as you can when communicating with your staff. This builds trust, which is an important tenant of business, and ensures that your staff continues to operate in an effective capacity. If you don't have the answer to something, say you don't have the answer, but ensure staff you will find out. If the staff asks something you can't answer, simply say that you are not able to give that information, but you will as soon as you are able. Staff will respect you more as a manager for telling the truth.
Follow Up With Written Communication
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Any time that you give a verbal accounting of communication to your staff, follow up with a written document that reinforces what you've said. This gives your staff a point of reference that they can use to refer back as needed. This is particularly helpful for supervisors in the midst of initiating a major change in the workplace, as written documentation can clear up any confusion among staff.
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