There are plenty of factors that drive workers to quit their jobs. For some, it's a matter of salary. For others, it's not wanting to deal with a terrible boss. But in a recent report by Dynamic Signal, 33% of workers claim they've wanted to leave their companies because they're frustrated by a glaring lack of communication.
Specifically, those who were dissatisfied on the communication front felt they lacked the information needed to do well at their jobs. And many experience anxiety over not feeling looped in at work.
All told, 66% of employees lose an astonishing 30 minutes to 60 minutes per day due to communication problems or issues at work, which no doubt impacts their performance. And companies are suffering, as well, with 56% admitting that they struggle to keep employees informed about key issues.
IMAGE SOURCE: GETTY IMAGES.
If your company is experiencing communication problems, it's imperative that you address the matter sooner rather than later. Otherwise, you stand to waste time, lose talent, and inflict needless frustration on those folks who just want to come in and do a good job. Here are a few ways to turn things around.
1. Align on key company goals
You can't communicate key company objectives properly if you're not set on what they are. So rather than send mixed messages, have your leadership team sync up on current and future priorities, and figure out a way to communicate those items in a universal fashion.
In other words, when it comes to company goals, the message one team or department gets should mirror that received by another. This will help managers and their direct reports better focus their efforts and waste less time. It'll also help eliminate the frustration that comes with employees feeling like they're out of the loop.
2. Don't bombard employees with emails and memos
These days, there's a host of ways we can communicate with our employees, from physical memos to emails to pop-up messages on their computer screens. That's why it's so important to keep your communications selective.
Your employees can only absorb so much information at a given time, so don't overwhelm them with needless details. Rather, focus on giving them the data they need to excel in their respective roles, and figure out who will be tasked with communicating those details so they're not getting the same message from multiple sources.
3. Establish a consistent communication schedule
Updating employees on key business matters is no doubt important, but if you don't establish a pattern for communicating those details, they might get lost in the shuffle. Remember, some workers get several hundred emails a day, so the last thing you want is for a critical one to go unread because it just wasn't noticed.
A better bet? Create an update schedule and share it with employees so they know what to expect, and encourage managers to do this on a team-by-team basis, as well. Sending out important reminders at the exact same time each week will help ensure that those details get through.
You expect your employees to be good communicators, so it pays to hold your company to the same standard. If communication problems are hurting your business, step in and address them -- before you lose out on talent and output needlessly.
