INTRODUCTION
Have you ever worked for a company or had a customer whose employees complained it did not communicate effectively? This is typically a complex cultural issue, as these feelings arise from activity in a region of the brain known as the motivational or reward system. The “reward system” uses the neurotransmitter dopamine to communicate. Dopamine-producing neurons in the ventral tegmental area (VTA) communicate with neurons in the nucleus accumbens to evaluate rewards and motivate us to obtain them. This region is located deep within the brain and is responsible for inspiring us to act. There are numerous studies that have confirmed horizontal informal communication has a statistically significant positive correlation to employee motivation. Meaning, how a company communicates within its individual sectors is directly correlated with the overall success of the company. This type of company communication would need to start with the management level and work down.
Most people will give you a pretty good indication of whether they feel bad or good about their workplace when asked. However, when trying to get them to be more specific about what makes them feel bad or good, they tend to grapple with a reason as to why they feel that way, which often relates to organizational communication methods.
PROCESS
If something goes wrong at work, employees may feel that they do not have the necessary information to make an informed decision, which can include the status of projects, the quality of work, or the company’s overall health. Lack of communication is most likely a contributing factor to these issues. Managers often look for new ways to communicate with their employees when issues arise so they can provide the best possible information. This can be done by creating newsletters, weekly check-in meetings, and emails.
Before implementing new strategies, think about the issues that are affecting the employees. For instance, if communication problems are not improving, it might be a sign it is more of a company culture issue (i.e., destructive leadership, lack of autonomy, or the decentralization of a company’s hierarchy).
Try engaging with your staff members and asking them to identify the issues that are causing them to communicate poorly. Instead of blaming the lack of communication for the problem, analyze the situation to find out why people are unable to perform at their best. If you still have any query, feel free to connect with NetSuite experts.
Example Case Scenario
A customer you have been working with recently experienced communication problems. The company was growing rapidly, and several new employees had been hired, but their job descriptions lacked detail. When the organization was small, it was easy to onboard new staff members with vague job descriptions because they could easily observe what was happening within the company. Now that it has become larger, the new employees said they were unable to perform their duties effectively.
The first thing the company thought was the communication problems were caused by the lack of a clear structure regarding the responsibilities of each employee. The resolution was to update the HR process for each department, which provided a clearer and more consistent message.
CONCLUSION
Although poor communication is often the cause of workplace issues, it is not the sole problem. It is important to consider the limitations of how people can report their concerns. Do they feel safe doing so? A safe and comfortable environment can help employees feel less likely to hold back when communicating with their colleagues.
When asking a question, most people want to give an answer. However, how thorough an answer they provide depends on the information they have available. Also, remember that criticism of certain topics, such as communication, is not a diagnosis. It is a symptom of something larger going on and it is crucial to analyze the complaints to determine possible solutions.
About Us
We are a NetSuite Solutions Partner and reseller with 30+ years of combined experience. We specialize in implementation, optimization, integration, rapid project recovery and rescue as well as custom development to meet any business need. If you would like more information on NetSuite or are in need of consultation for your project or implementation, feel free to contact NetSuite support.
To Contact Us Click Here