Nonverbal Behavior in the Workplace
Nonverbal behavior can either help emphasize verbal communication or cause a breakdown in the message. This is particularly important in the workplace, where messages must be clear so employees can understand specific tasks to complete assignments. Nonverbal behavior can also strengthen workplace relationships among co-workers or introduce an element of anxiety when managed poorly.
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Conveying a Consistent Message
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Nonverbal behavior in the workplace can either reinforce or confuse a message between you and your co-workers. For example, in a casual conversation, it's important to keep your body language loose to emphasize the informal nature of the communication. Keeping this relaxed posture in the middle of an important meeting with management or a business client could convey that you don't take the process seriously or simply don't care. This could result in a negative reaction from management personnel and may even cause the client to have doubts about a continued working relationship with your company.
Emphasizing Important Points
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Talking with your hands or using gestures during a conversation can provide emphasis to the important points and directives. This allows your co-workers to retain to the most important information from your conversation and helps eliminate confusion. Confining your use of hand movements or gestures to only those important conversation points can maximize the chances of co-workers or management personnel retaining the essential information of your conversation. Using these gestures throughout the conversation can lead to confusion and may cause co-workers or management to miss the important message.
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Maintaining a Professional Atmosphere
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Improper use of nonverbal behavior in the workplace can lead to a breakdown of professionalism in the workplace. For example, failing to respect a co-worker's need for space and standing too close to the person during a conversation can heighten anxiety and may lead to a more aggressive conversation than you may have anticipated. Additionally, behavior that indicates displeasure or boredom, including checking your watch or looking at the door during a meeting, can lower your reputation among co-workers and management personnel because you seem less focused and dedicated to the company.
Telling the Truth
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It's important that co-workers have a shared sense of trust to work as a team. This allows the members of a given department to work more cooperatively and complete tasks faster. Non-verbal behavior, including failure to maintain eye contact while communicating, can hurt this relationship. Looking away from someone while talking, particularly in the United States, is a sign of deception, according to the People Communicating website. Maintaining eye contact can put your co-workers at ease and reduce the likelihood that co-workers will consider your information suspect.
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