Part 2 Workplace Communication AND Consultation Policy PDF

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Summary

This is the policy you are required to create as part 2 of this assessment....

Description

Workplace Communication and Consultation Policy and Procedure

What is the purpose of this policy and procedure? Good communications and consultations within the workplace can result in the benefit of many different aspects of work, such as:

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Increased performance among staff – Many staff will be able to work more efficiently if their tasks and deadlines are communicated well with them, as this will improve their organisational skills, in-turn increasing their workflow. When employees are engaged with their work, they are more in sync with their company’s goals, and they are more likely more motivated to work towards said goals.

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Increased happiness and morale – Staff are more likely to enjoy their job if they have a good grasp on their work and continuously influenced to show their ideas.

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Increases loyalty – When staff has a strong line of communication with management, they will naturally start feeling more loyal to the organisation. Staff will feel comfortable discussing and work-related or personal issues, thus making feel more committed to the company.

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Helps resolve issues – One of the best ways to solve issues is to have a strong line of communication. Effective communication isn’t always about the right or wrong answer, it’s about having an open and honest discussion with each other, which means that it is easier to understand your staff through a clear and concise communication method. You may not see eye-to-eye with your staff, but clear communication can overall make the work environment more enjoyable.

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Reduces conflict – Staff may feel like they are communication well, however if they have different methods of communication, they could potentially be misunderstanding each other. This could create an array of issues within the workplace, which means a strong and clear method of communication can reduce different conflicts among staff.

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Improved team building and relationships – Trustworthy and honest communication can build a strong team. Employees are more efficient while working together, so effective communication is essential in building a successful team. This communication can make each employee feel involved, and by doing this, lack of secrecy can play a big part in boosting team morale.

Scope All staff should adhere by this policy, since clear communication is essential in creating a strong work team.

Communication strategies for effective communication with staff

Use good communication tools: There are many tools online that can make internal communication clear, concise and effective. Some of these tools include -

Monday.com Microsoft Teams Lifesize

Many of these tools are used for organisational purposes within the workplace, and using these can create an effective way of communication with staff.

Meet with Employees regularly A good method of regular communication can improve collaboration amongst employees. All staff should try to attend these meetings, so they can stay up to date about what may be happening around the workplace. Staff must submit a valid explanation to their superior, if they are unable to attend these meetings.

Recognise achievements As a manager, it is of high priority to keep the morale and happiness of your team high. This can be done through the recognition of their achievements, as well as their contributions to the team. Along with this recognition, a small reward should be given to the employee, as a way of appreciating their hard work.

Make feedback welcome among the team Feedback is a great way of spotting out flaws and discrepancies among staff, and staff should have free reign of what they would like to say about their current situation if they feel the need. Receiving feedback from staff and using these to improve upon communication in the workplace can boost your leadership by taking charge in implementing feedback provided by staff.

Using communication to give clear instructions A lot of teams can fail due to the lack of clear instructions given by poor communication. It is of the utmost importance that your instructions are clear, in order to reduce or mitigate any delays or stoppages of a project. Make sure detail is included in every task, so employees can easily read through the instructions without having to go out of their way to clarify something.

Communication protocols Communication protocols are effective ways to communicate with your team. Communications in relation to writing up agendas and deadlines can include: -

File transfer protocols: This should be the main way of writing up agendas and tasks for your employees as file transfer between clients is a fast and efficient way of utilising the internet and its benefits.

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Hypertext Transfer protocols: These can be used to make websites and blogs, in order to keep the employees up to date with what is going on around the workplace.

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Post Office protocol: These can be used by managers or staff to send and receive emails. These are typically used when staff need to communicate only one-on-one with their supervisor, or with another staff member.

Consultation Process What is consultation? Consultation is a discussion with your staff about, health and safety matters, they raise concerns that you must listen to, seek and share views and inspire new ideas.

In what ways can staff contribute effectively?

Staff meetings In staff meetings, it is encouraged for all staff to attend, as this way all staff are able to stay updated and contribute to discussions. The steps that should be taken in staff meetings are listed below: -

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Establish areas for suggestion: Set guidelines prior to each meeting, and make these topics known to the team before, as this will give them time to think about it. Try to avoid minor suggestions such as “there is an issue with the coffee machine” or “leave home early on Fridays,” as these will contribute very little to the overall improvement of the team. Hold the meeting: Ensure that you have made the date of the meeting known to all staff, as this can reduce any problems occurring with timing. Make sure that all employees are able to contribute to the discussion, and ensure that you are also taking notes for future reference. Review the meeting: After the meeting, chase-up any questions or clarifications with employees and implement a “why and how” statement for suggestions (e.g. Why should this change be implemented and how can it be done?) Give feedback and/or implement suggestion: After reviewing what suggestions were raised in the meeting, make it known to employees about why and how this change can be implemented around the work environment.

Quick and concise surveys

A quick survey is generally better and more efficient than typical surveys, and can be done more frequently. Managers should try to conduct surveys weekly 1 to 3 questions or monthly with 4 to 5 questions. This can be a great opportunity to get regular feedback from employees and their current satisfaction on the job. Steps to make an effective quick survey and be seen below: -

Ask them a question based on a rating scale: “Out of 5 stars, how would you rate your current performance at {company}?” “On a scale of 1 – 10, how likely would you recommend working at {company} to friends or family?”

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Now ask them a question referring to their rating on the scale: “Why would you give us this rating?” “Please provide an explanation to your rating above.”

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Utilise this feedback: If there is an outstanding or common concern out of these regular surveys, it is imperative to hold a team meeting to discuss these with the team, as it is an efficient way of communicating with the team.

Hold casual one-on-one meetings While it is important to create an open environment for your workplace, it is just as important to get to know your employees personally, and casual one-on-one meetings can achieve this, without causing stress a professional meeting may cause. One-on-ones are a great way to get personal feedback that may not be discussed in the surveys or meetings, and employees may feel more comfortable talking to you on their own. However, respect and professional conduct should be present in these meetings, as your employee must feel like they can share their thoughts with you, whether it’s something you want to hear or not.

References https://www.lifesize.com/en/video-conferencing-blog/communication-strategies

https://www.careeraddict.com/the-importance-of-effective-communication-in-the-workplace

https://www.saplinghr.com/blog/8-ways-to-collect-employee-feedback

https://employmenthero.com/blog/leadership-management/honest-employee-feedback/...