Communication Tools for Your Team

As your business grows, you will most likely increase the number of sites from which your various employees conduct their work.  Whether it’s an additional location or a telecommuter, or even a field nomad, the right communication tools make all the difference to your success.

Why?  What is in it for the company?

• Reduce the barriers by acknowledging the various types of communicators that make up your complete team.  Some are great face to face, while others prefer an instant chat approach.
• Team Building around the subjects at hand. Some team members deeply resent attending meetings, while others loathe the chore of answering yet another email string when a half hour face to face would do the trick.  Provide a multi-stream path of communication for your team so they can be cohesive problem solvers.
• Get excited because everyone is participating in building a better business.  You can’t get ownership and accountability from a team by ignoring their input.  Reach out and ask and make sure they can answer with an appropriate method.  Provide opportunities for your crew to make suggestions and then implement some of those suggestions.

Areas for Improvement

• Feedback – surveys, suggestion requests, all-hands-in meetings, small group meetings with managers or, one on ones – get the employees feedback on everything worth doing in your office
• Encourage – reinforce the idea that employees could ask each other for the information they need and finish that task themselves; demonstrate how this is done by leading by example
• Be Open – tell everyone about the goals of the company, the roles and activities that will help you get there and avoid the verbal orders.  Discourage top down communication and encourage collaboration to create an achievement-oriented environment.
• Create Channels – email, instant messenger, phone, meetings, ticket system, print, online, as well as orientation and training sessions, one of these is the preferred method of learning and interacting for each employee

Tools to Have on Hand

• Server with secure web access and online file sharing
• Secure Instant Messenger
• VoIP telephones with call forwarding feature
• Email and calendar functions
• Templates for News Letters, Press Releases, and Meeting Invites
• Centralized Employee Telephone and Extension Sheet
• Blog or Online Bulletin board
• Physical Bulletin board and White Boards

Good Communicating with you all!!

Kathleen Royall