Communication Channels Are Paramount For Organizational Cultures

Workplaces thrive when communication is prioritized at all levels of the company. Companies must ensure that communication channels are always open for feedback, requests or any other issue that emerges during daily operations.

At an organization level, clear communication channels become possible when transparency and empathy are preserved among colleagues. It is also paramount that supervisors make their staff feel comfortable enough to bring up issues to them. When decision-making is perceived as the result of group efforts, employees are more likely to feel included and therefore, be more proactive in raising concerns and solving problems.

Even though communication may seem like it happens in any organization, research has shown that many companies fail to deliver this dialogue-oriented environment. According to Seth Weiss, Development Leader, BetterManager, 86 percent of the employees it surveyed cite the lack of effective collaboration and communication as the main cause of problems and failures. Furthermore, at large companies with over 100,000 employees, the cost of ineffective communication represents an average loss of US$62.4 million a year in the US. In Mexico, academics have identified similar issues regarding workplace communication, much like elsewhere in the world

Most of the attempted solutions rely on technology, by utilizing platforms such as Teams or Slack. However, this communication culture needs more effort to properly function. Experts argue that communication must be promoted by fostering confidence between colleagues, managers and employees. Feeling free to share information and criticism without facing repercussion indicates an inclusive and safe climate, which is reinforced through regular and meaningful dialogue. Technology platforms can facilitate conversations, but only if people are willing to engage in them. Without a psychologically safe culture that encourages conversation, people will not take advantage of such technology.

Creating a culture based on conversation may contribute to the wellbeing of employees by making them feel valued and acknowledged. Companies that build an open community will most likely benefit from higher employee retention rates, trust and productivity. Businesses are made up of people, therefore human-centered enterprises are much more likely to thrive, agree Human Resources experts. Research by McKinsey reveals that employees are much more concerned with their relationship with the company than their renumeration.