What can I do to maintain fluid communication when my team is remote?
Success in a business largely depend on good communication. Overcommunicating is the glue that holds a high-performing team together and keeps them focused in the same direction. Simply put, overcommunicating is the process of communicating more, with the same message repeating over and over.
Without good, consistent communication, you don’t have clarity.
Lee Ellis, leadership, consultant, author, presenter
In a study done by Harvard Business School professor Tsedal B. Neeley and Northwestern University’s professors, Elizabeth Gerber and Paul M. Leonardi, they have started that managers who make it a point to overcommunicate move their projects along more quickly and successfully than those who don’t. This is done usually by trying different media in order to convey their message. For example, after communicating a message in a meeting, said managers may send out an email to remind everyone of the vital information form that meeting. The benefits of “redundancy” are numerous and her are some of them:
Avoid confusion: Reiterating a message in a written form will help clear up any misunderstandings from the initial time the message was conveyed.
Provide purpose: It is crucial for management to overcommunicate their goals clearly to their subordinates. This way, they can motivate employees because the purpose of the workers’ effort becomes clearer.
Build a positive company culture: To achieve a relaxed workplace atmosphere, it is equally important to balance work communication and casual chatting with colleagues.
Create accountability: when managers give clear directions, employees better understand their roles and responsibilities and have higher morale.
Here are a few helpful tips, you too can improve overcommunication in a remote workplace:
- Keep it simple
- Hold short frequent meetings
- Make one-on-ones more informal
- Mix up codes of communication
- Set up guidelines for modes of communication
- Don’t wait on news (whether good or bad)
- Be open to feedback
- Don’t micromanage
The benefits of overcommunication are numerous, and includes greater work clarity, creates a more purposeful workplaces, develops a positive company culture, and enhances accountability. By using the tips provided, a company is ensured an overall healthier remote workplace and more streamlined workflow. Just remember: “Overcommunicating is the flue that holds a high-performing team together.”
