There’s a big disconnect between how much companies should be communicating and how much they actually are.
That’s one of the key findings of a survey on communication in the workplace by Fierce, Inc. The survey confirms what you may already suspect:
• 86% of people blame lack of communication for project and operations failures, and
• 90% believe decision-makers should seek others’ opinions before changing policies or rules.
Sharing ideas not valued enough
Seasoned managers may say, “So what else is new?”
Here’s what’s interesting:
• Almost every one of the 1,400 decision-makers (99%) surveyed say they would prefer working somewhere that communication between co-workers is valued.
• Yet only half say their current employer places strong value on decision-makers and departments exchanging ideas.
Show, don’t tell
Everyone says they want a workplace with back-and-forth communication. But showing it is crucial.
And you can only control how Facilities communicates, not every department in your company. Two ways you can do that:
1) Don’t cut down on the walkthroughs, even when you’re busy. Facility Manager’s Alert readers tell us all the time how walkthroughs:
• boost their crew’s reputation, and
• uncover problems (even though they’re usually minor ones) sooner rather than later.
2) Send email notices/reminders and repeat email a few days later.
You know some folks “miss” emails all the time, or they forget one after deleting it.
Sending follow-up notices cuts down on communication snafus and keeps you a step ahead.
