Nothing can lower morale more in your organization than poor communication. Poor communication can spread hard feelings and frustration, starting from the top. If leadership in an organization fails to articulate a clear vision and clear objectives for staff, according to Inc.com, morale can suffer. Other than creating a sour mood in the workplace, poor morale can harm productivity and external relations as well, and poor communications can play a large factor in fostering a negative cycle.
Internal Miscommunication
Another effect of poor communication in an organization is internal miscommunication. Miscommunication, according to bizmanualz.com, causes a varieties of negative issues in a workplace, from causing delays in planning or moving along on a project to creating redundancies in work flow or redoing work. Internal communications are vital to business planning, project management, and strategic planning, and when communications break down, the overall business function suffers.
Dissatisfied Costumers
Poor communications can also trickle down to external relations with customers and business partners, from derailing a major business deal to irritating a customer who has received a duplicate or incorrect order. When dealing with customers and external relations, communications, really listening to the needs of business partners, plays an important role in establishing trust and cooperation among your organization and those partners you rely on. Customer service and relations, on all levels of an organization, can affect how business is done, and communication plays a huge role in making sure business transactions and business relations run smoothly.
Poor Performance
Overall work suffers when communications breakdown. Performance can be measured in productivity, and poor communications can result in time wasted waiting for clear instructions or time wasted when work needs to be redone due to lack of understanding. Most communications break down through vague language between co-workers or unclear instructions between managers and staff. Especially in an era of email and texting, the message can get lost in a sea of digital communication, some of it misunderstood due to poor writing or unclear messaging. Clear communications, on the other hand, can improve productivity, leading to a more efficient and effective workplace.
