Long time, no talk! Improving communication with your colleagues

In today's work environment we are seeing and speaking with our workmates less and less, preferring to send an email than stop by and ask our question in person.

In fact, a recent survey by OfficeTeam showed that working professionals are speaking face to face and via the telephone less often than they were five years ago.

While email is efficient and convenient, it is not always the most appropriate method of communication and could be hurting your relationship with colleagues.

Face to face

The way you communicate with your colleagues depends on what it is you want to say.

If your message doesn't require a long-winded explanation, then email is an efficient way to communicate. However, if your message can be misunderstood in any way, a telephone or in-person conversation would definitely be best.

Though it may seem more convenient to email your colleague, drafting an email will more than likely take more time than it would to call or stop by and get an immediate response!

Work it!

Never discount the importance of face-to-face and telephone communication when it comes to building and maintaining working relationships.

These discussions allow for a higher level of communication than email. They allow you and your colleagues to not only receive information, but also to share ideas and feedback, interacting with each other.

Speaking face to face or over the telephone allows you to discuss issues or directives in person. Face to face, each party can ask questions for clarity, hear vocal inflections and observe colleagues' body language and other non-verbal clues.

Meetings are also the ideal forum to relay sensitive or confidential information, explain complicated or controversial matters that require a longer discussion or debate, and reduce the potential for miscommunication on those more important issues.

Email - still an important part of workplace communication

As a quick and efficient mode of communication, email has become an indispensable tool in the business world.

Its main benefit is to serve as documentation of decisions and provide a paper trail should there be a need to refer back later down the track.

So if it feels like you've forgotten what your workmates look or sound like, ditch the email, pop round and speak with them in person!

OfficeTeam's Working Girl's Guide to the Office
Visit OfficeTeam today: www.officeteam.com.au