Human resource communication is one of the most important aspects of any company. When communication is effective, it can help to create a positive and productive work environment. However, when communication is ineffective, it can lead to tension among employees and other workplace issues. To ensure that your HR communication is effective, it is crucial to understand the various methods of communication and how they can be used appropriately. This guide will provide an overview of human resource communication and offer tips on how to use them effectively.
What Is Human Resource Communication?
Human resource communication is the process of exchanging information between an organization’s management and its employees. This process helps to ensure that everyone is aware of the organization’s goals, strategies, and operations. It also helps to maintain a positive relationship between the organization and its employees.
HR departments use various forms of communication, including letters, newsletters, emails, web pages, video presentations, presentation slides, flyers, product brochures, and more. Because communication is the most valuable asset of human resources, this field of HR must be given more attention both by scholars and practitioners.
In human resource management (HRM), HR communication is composed of two primary aims:
- Builds connection with employees by influencing their understanding of company culture through various mediums such as speeches from management about company values or blogs written by leadership on how to be successful in specific positions.
- Ensure compliance with workplace policy regarding physical breaks for employee well-being as well as raise awareness for security details that are new on campus after a significant event occurs.
Common Types of Communications in Human Resource
Written Communication
This type of HR communication comes in the form of emails, memos, and letters. Many business owners feel that written communication is the most effective way to communicate with employees because it allows them time to reflect upon what was written and re-read information without stress or anxiety if they do not fully understand it the first time.
Non-verbal Communication
Managers and supervisors use this type of communication at their discretion to communicate with employees; often, this comes in the form of facial expressions, body language, and tone of voice. The advantage to using non-verbal communication is that it can be used quickly and easily if a manager or supervisor is suddenly aware of an issue that needs to be investigated or discussed.
Verbal Communication
This is the most common among managers, supervisors, and employees because it allows for immediate feedback about what has occurred within the workplace. The benefits to using verbal communication are that all questions can be asked immediately, so there is no misunderstanding about what was discussed, and all employees can have a chance to share their thoughts and emotions.
Electronic Communication
It is typically used when communicating with a large group of people or a workforce that works in different locations, especially during a pandemic. The advantage of using electronic communication is that it saves time because an employer does not have to gather multiple groups of employees together to discuss what has happened or what needs to occur in the future. However, the disadvantage is that it can be challenging for some individuals to participate because they are not able to hear everyone’s voice effortlessly.
The Importance of Human Resource Communication
Human resource communication is a crucial aspect of any organization. It allows for the exchange of information between employees and management. It helps to ensure that everyone is on the same page and that the organization is running smoothly. HR communication also helps to build relationships between employees and management, ensuring that the labor force is united and able to work more effectively towards its goals. This can be helpful to improve morale and encourage teamwork. Additionally, it can help to increase productivity and reduce conflict within the workplace. Therefore, more companies are leveraging HR tools and talent management systems to better communicate within their organizations.
What Makes for an Effective HR Communication Strategy?
Clear and Concise Language
Using clear language makes it easier for employees to understand what you are saying. It is often beneficial to use words that are not specific to your industry because this allows for individuals who are not familiar with your business or position within the company to understand what you are trying to communicate better.
Respectful Language
It is crucial to use clear but respectful language to show that you care about your employees’ feelings and respond to what you are saying. This type of language is also beneficial because it instills a sense of trust between you and your fellow employees, which can lead to higher morale within the workplace.
Emotional Intelligence
Using emotional intelligence shows that you understand that emotions play a large role in how people communicate and process information. Many managers and supervisors are not aware of how their own emotions affect the messages they are trying to communicate which can cause them to appear insensitive when addressing employees. The more aware you are of how your actions may be perceived by others will allow you to better understand why certain behaviors or language might make employees feel uncomfortable when communicating with each other.
Honesty
Being honest when communicating with your employees allows each person to trust what is being said because they know you are not trying to hide anything from them for the sake of keeping secrets or “nice-talking.” There are plenty of benefits to honesty in communication, including increased morale, positive feelings between managers and employees, and higher levels of productivity. When employees feel they can trust their managers and supervisors, their productivity increases because they know the person they are speaking to has no judgment when it comes to what is being said. Therefore, they are more willing to be open with them when discussing ideas or concerns within the workplace.
Interpersonal Communication
Using interpersonal communication allows you to understand how each individual responds to the way things are communicated. Many people respond better to certain types of communication because it matches their personality, and those who communicate in a different manner may not feel as though that specific manager or supervisor heard them. Therefore, it is essential to consider each employee’s unique style of communicating and then use that information when speaking with them in the workplace.
Body Language
This is a valuable tool for communicating between employees because it allows you to truly understand what they are really thinking and what they are saying. In addition, by incorporating nonverbal cues into your communication strategies, you will be able to build stronger relationships with your fellow employees, which can lead to greater morale within your workplace.
Team Building
Team-building communication allows you to engage with all of your employees by teaching them how they can build more significant relationships with one another. This type of communication is beneficial because it helps create better work environments for everyone involved, reduces stress levels throughout the company, and leads to higher overall productivity within the company as a whole.
Strategic Communication
Using strategic communication helps you to pinpoint how each employee can best communicate with one another and allows you to give them the tools necessary in order to do so successfully. Since this type of communication requires more time invested into getting each individual involved up-to-speed on how things work within the company, it can be beneficial to hold meetings with various employees for the sake of communicating information about the company.
Integrity
The integrity within your communication strategies helps each employee know that what you are saying is true and based on your word alone, not necessarily based on whether it benefits you or not. In addition, this type of behavior creates trust between employees and managers, allows employees to feel valued, and ensures that communication is always happening rather than when communication is lacking.
Openness
This is a crucial thing in communication. Openness within your communication strategies guarantees that each employee feels as though their opinions matter, ultimately leading to greater morale throughout the company. This allows employees to understand that their thoughts and ideas are always valid, creates a more positive environment within the company, and ensures that everyone involved is on the same page when it comes to what is being communicated.
Top 5 Tips to Improve HR Communication Between Employees & Employers
Improving human resource communication in a workplace is essential for all employees to ensure successful work relations. There are five areas of communication that contribute to the success or failure of relationships between employees and their employers. These include: listening, giving feedback, body language, what you say and how you say it. Pay attention to these if you would like to enhance human resource communication in a workplace.
Listening
Listening is critical as it allows you to understand other people’s perspectives and understand the situation. Most of the time, a lack of listening leads to miscommunication because we’re not hearing what others have to say. It can also result in losing business contracts and relationships if you don’t listen well during meetings or negotiations.
Giving Feedback
It is vital to give feedback regarding the behaviors of employees so they can improve their work performance. It’s important not to deliver feedback in a negative tone as this will cause offense; rather, it should be constructive criticism that employees are able to learn from. Furthermore, you should address the issue at hand by using “I” statements to avoid assuming the blame. Lastly, feedback should be given in a timely manner to prevent employees from forgetting what they need to work on.
Body Language
It’s essential to have positive body language when communicating with others so that you can emphasize your message effectively, for example, by making eye contact and maintaining an open posture towards the person so they know you are listening.
What You Say
It’s important to express yourself clearly when communicating with people, make sure you get your message across effectively and be concise about what you want to say. If colleagues have a problem understanding you, then it will be hard for them to communicate back.
How You Say It
How you say it is crucial when having discussions with peers and colleagues. Your tone of voice, speed of talking, and overall mannerisms can all affect how well your message is received. If people feel nervous or uncomfortable in a situation, then their communication will become negative. They may stutter, talk too quickly, and often interrupt others. This will be difficult for them to communicate effectively and can cause frustration in both parties. On the other hand, if people feel relaxed and comfortable, they will communicate more positively and well with others.
Conclusion
Human resource communication is a difficult task. As such, it is essential to make sure you are delivering messages in the appropriate channels and ensuring that those messages resonate with your target audience. We expect this guide has helped provide some insight into what makes for effective HR communication strategies and some clarity on how to improve communication within your organization.
