Communicating at work

Developed, published and distributed by Aspire Training & Consulting

What is communication?
Communication is when two or more people exchange information with each other. There are lots of ways to communicate. You might talk to someone else in person or on the telephone. You might write a letter and post it, or send it as an email. You can even
communicate without saying a word.

Communication at work
In an office, people receive and pass on information all the time. They communicate with people within the office and with customers from outside the organisation. An office could not function without communication. In the workplace, communication can be:
■ verbal (speaking)—talking face to face or on the telephone
■ non-verbal (not speaking)—using ‘body language’ to show how you feel, such as the look on your face or the signs you make with your hands or arms
■ written—writing letters, forms, messages, emails and faxes.

Some of these methods of communication are better for certain tasks. It depends on who you are communicating with and how quickly the information needs to be xchanged. For example, if you need information from someone straight away, it’s quicker to go and ask them for it, than to write them a note.

Verbal (oral or spoken) communication
Verbal communication includes talking face to face and talking over the telephone. When you communicate verbally, the information is exchanged instantly. You are using verbal communication when you:
■ answer the telephone
■ greet visitors
■ pass messages from one person to another
■ speak to your supervisor
■ ask questions to clarify (make clear) what you need to do
■ make telephone calls.

The way your voice sounds is another part of communicating. For example, you might whisper (if you don’t want anyone to hear what you are saying), speak loudly (if you want to catch someone’s attention), or talk fast (if you are excited). Read about the ways Angie communicates verbally at Red Dress Clothing.

Non-verbal communication
Non-verbal communication is the way you use body language to express your feelings. Here are some examples:
■ If a someone smiles at you, you know they are happy to talk
to you.
■ Waving your hand is a way of saying ‘hello’.
■ Shaking your head is a way of saying ‘no’.
■ Nodding your head is a way of saying ‘yes’.

Another way you can communicate without talking is by your appearance. Your personal hygiene, grooming and clothing can tell people a lot about the type of person you are.

Written communication
Written information is a very important way of communicating in the workplace. You will receive all sorts of written information and documents from inside and outside your organisation and you will have to create written messages yourself. Some of the common forms of written communication in an office are:
■ faxes
■ formal letters
■ memos
■ email messages
■ handwritten messages
■ forms, such as leave forms, timesheets, and employee information sheets.

Most workplaces have standard formats or layouts for these types of written communications. They are often called forms or templates. Examples of the forms and templates staff should use are usually found in the organisation’s policies and procedures manual. A policies and procedures manual includes instructions and examples of how to do many of the common tasks around the office. If a workplace doesn’t have a policies and procedures manual, it may still have examples of the way written communications should be set out.

You is given a copy of Red Dress Clothing’s policies and procedures manual in her first week of work. Knowing how to communicate in all these ways is very important.
As an office worker, you need to know how to:
■ pass on verbal messages
■ draft simple business correspondence (letters, memos, email messages)
■ communicate using non-verbal signs.

The most important thing is to know how to choose the best method of communication for a task.

Communicating successfully
It is very important that you communicate well in a workplace.This means speaking clearly, listening carefully and letting other people know that you understand them. This is often called ‘effective communication’. Without effective communication an
office and organisation would not be able to run smoothly.

Passing on messages verbally
Receiving and relaying verbal messages is an important form of communication in the workplace. This can be done either face to face or over the telephone. When you pass on messages to other people verbally, it is important that you relay (pass on) the information correctly and that you give it in a polite way. Speak clearly and slowly. No one will understand you if you mumble or talk too quickly. If there are any words you don’t understand, ask the person giving you the message to explain them to you. It’s a good idea to repeat the message back to the message-giver so you
are sure you have it right.

Make sure that you pass on messages as soon as you can, especially if they are urgent. What might happen if you forget to tell your supervisor that the person they are having a meeting with at 2.00 pm telephoned to say they cannot come?

If the person you have to pass the message to is talking to someone else, stand nearby and look at them. They should notice you are waiting to speak. If the message is urgent, you may have to approach them and say politely, ‘Excuse me, I have an important message for you’.

Sometimes the way you pass on messages may be different for different people in the organisation. Using non-verbal communication Non-verbal communication can be positive (good) or negative (poor). It is therefore important that you are aware of the nonverbal signs you are communicating and try to keep them positive. This is not always easy as non-verbal communication can have different meanings depending on your cultural background. Positive non-verbal communication When you are passing on verbal messages face to face try to use non-verbal communication that is considered polite and friendly.

Positive non-verbal communication can help you to communicate what you mean. It can also help you understand what another person means.

Here is some non-verbal communication that is considered polite
when you are meeting someone:
■ face the person you are speaking to
■ keep eye contact
■ smile
■ have a good posture
■ stay at an acceptable distance from the person you are
speaking to
■ listen carefully to what they are saying.

Negative non-verbal communication
You need to be aware that you can offend others unintentionally. A gesture seen as polite in some cultures may be viewed as rude in others. For example, in some cultures people shake their heads when they mean ‘yes’ and nod when they mean ‘no’, which is exactly the opposite of what Australians do.

Some body language sends signals that we don’t intend. For example, making eye contact when you are talking to someone is generally considered polite in Australia. However, it is difficult for people who come from cultures where it is a sign of respect not to make eye contact. If this is the case, then it might be a skill you have to practise for those situations where you need to make eye contact.

Asking questions
Asking questions is a very important part of communicating. By asking questions you can:
■ find out the information you need
■ check that you have understood what the other person has said
■ check that the other person understands what you have said.

In the workplace it is very important to ask questions if you need to find out more information or you need to clarify a task that has been given to you. For example, if you are asked to do a task, you might need more information by asking:
■ When does it need to be finished?
■ How long is this likely to take me?
■ How would you like me to do the task?

Or, you might need to clarify the instruction by asking questions like:
■ I didn’t understand what you just said. Would you mind repeating it?
■ Can I check that I’ve got that right? First I … , then I … ?
Then what do I do?

Listening skills
Listening is necessary for successful communication. It is just as important as talking. By listening you can find out:
■ what information the other person wants you to know
■ what the other person thinks about something
■ whether the other person has understood what you have said.

You will need to listen carefully to take messages and instructions from other staff members, and to pass messages on. Here are some tips for improving your listening skills.

Tips for listening
■ Look at the speaker and watch their body language.
■ Don’t interrupt. Give the speaker time to tell you what they want to tell you.
■ Ignore distractions and interruptions.
■ Concentrate on what the person is saying to you. Don’t think about what they look like.
■ Listen for the main idea of what you are being told.
■ Ask questions if you are unsure about anything.

CONTINUE.... NEXT PAGE
COMMUNICATING EFFECTIVELY AT WORK