We just had a great work/life balance lunch at the office and the topic of discussion was “Communication in the Workplace”.
There are many methods of communication, especially in our digital world, and ensuring that the proper form of communication is used, as well as effective communication, is key to successfully getting work done.
While this blog could be 10 pages, I will keep it short and touch on the proper form of communication and when it is appropriate?
Let’s start with the phone, which you would think is the most appropriate form of communication – but is it the most effective? When it comes to work and communication between co-workers, the phone may not be the best form of communication. Quick check in’s, simple questions or just needing to talk to someone, of course it would be the quickest and acceptable.
However, when it comes to delegating or assigning work, it may not be the most effective type of communication. Email may be the best method of communication in this scenario, that way you can put in writing the task at hand, set out what you are looking for and providing a timeline. This I find the most effective on the receiving end as I can then read and digest the email, start formulating my plan of tackling the task, delegating what needs to be delegated, and then drafting and email back with follow up questions. Most of the time, a quick phone call to discuss the email is then needed and certainly appropriate.
When not to use work emails? A rule of thumb that we have here is if you wouldn’t put it on letterhead, don’t put it in a work email. If you saw a funny gif or a meme, the work email is not the place for that.
What about the use of a chat through a collaboration app such as MS Teams? Right before Covid, our offices started using a chat app, but it wasn’t really a big hit until we all started to work remotely. It was the way we all said good morning, good night, and is the right place for those funny gifs or memes. To this day, even though we are in the office most of the time, this is the way we all say good morning and good night. This form would not the best place for assigning work, unless it was a quick ask like a document or email you were looking for. It is also a great place where we can check in to see how someone is doing if you know they are having a busy day and to check on workflow.
Making sure you use the appropriate form of communication is key, and I know there are areas where I can improve on my communication with co-workers. I would say that this work/life balance lunch was effectively communicated.
Christine Allan, Senior Law Clerk