How Disjointed Communication Impacts Productivity
As companies adapt to new work models, clear communication with proper context is critical
July 11, 2022
As more and more companies adopt hybrid and remote work systems, the ‘office’ landscape is changing. Research has shown that in most cases working from home improves employee well-being and productivity. The pandemic may have been instrumental in creating this change, but many companies are choosing to make a permanent shift.
Now, the old ways don’t work anymore because coworkers aren’t just a cubicle across from each other, and even a 10-minute virtual chat will require time to be carved out of busy schedules. Now more than ever, clear communication with proper context is critical.
If brevity is the soul of wit then clarity is the soul of effective collaboration.
Single-function apps that separate team chat and task management create silos of disjointed communication where much of the context is lost. This means valuable collaboration time is consumed in revisiting old information which is not the most efficient way to get things done.
High-Context Vs. Low-Context Language
Abbott and Costello’s ‘who’s on first’ baseball joke humorously encapsulates the meaning of ‘ineffective communication’. In contrast, effective communication is where the intended message is successfully delivered, received, and understood by all parties.
According to Edward T Hall’s definition, high-context languages and cultures are prone to ineffective communication, as they also rely on verbal cues, and implied interpretations rather than only explicit expression. This leaves room for miscommunication.
High-Context Communication
- Nonverbal elements such as facial expressions, voice tone and inflection, gestures, and eye movement are as important as what is being said.
- Indirect messaging. Talking around the point instead of stating it explicitly. A lot of subtext is implied.
- Conversation is seen as a way of engaging someone and creating a relationship. It doesn’t always have a clear goal.
- Disagreements and conflicts are taken personally and need to be addressed before work can be resumed.
Low-Context Communication
- Words are most important. Only what is explicitly stated carries weight.
- The verbal message is direct without any beating around the bush.
- Conversation has a purpose; it’s an exchange of ideas, opinions, and information.
- Disagreements are depersonalized; work carries on despite a personal conflict
- Focus is on rational solutions, not personal ones.
Low-context communication should be encouraged in a professional situation, especially in a remote or hybrid environment. It’s important to explicitly and clearly state objectives and goals for a task or project. Communication throughout a project should be in written form, wherever possible. Swit offers its users autonomy and complete transparency through the use of emails, task cards, Docs, or Sheets that are shared and referred to whenever needed, making it the ideal Work OS for any company, no matter its size.
Outcomes of Effective Communication
Miscommunication can cause needless frustration if it leads to backtracking on tasks. Clear and explicit instructions ensure that everyone involved in a project knows their responsibilities and is on top of their tasks. It saves time being wasted due to lack of clarity; there is no redundancy or busy work. Employees feel they are being heard and their time is valued.
Taking Ownership
Concrete and clearly-stated goals and objectives, whether on a micro level with individual tasks or a macro level with the overarching mission and vision of the company, create an inclusive environment. Employees are more invested in the work they do when they know what they are working towards. They own their contributions and strive to give their best each time.
Fostering Autonomy
Effectual collaboration creates an environment where employees are willing to take risks and initiative. Employees are proactive and engaged when they know what is required of them.
Saving Time
When goals, both micro and macro, aren’t being communicated effectively, confusion occurs. This lowers overall employee morale and causes frustration and wastage of the most important commodity: time.
Engaging Employees
Transparency and effective communication are among the key factors that keep employees engaged and connected to the organization. Collaboration is not just a two-way street with top-down and bottom-up paths It’s more like an intersection where several streets meet, and lateral and horizontal paths may be forged as well. Anyone should have the right to speak their mind and be heard. Feedback is an important part of evolution and improvement.
Asynchronous Vs. Disjointed Communication
Asynchronous communication is a salient feature of hybrid and remote work environments, especially for companies where employees live in different time zones. Simply put, this is the type of communication where people sending out information are going to receive a response at a later time.
Asynchronous should not be confused with disjointed. While the former may not be in real time, it can be effective collaboration; the latter is by its definition incomplete and ineffectual.
Not only is the Swit Work OS the perfect platform for remote and hybrid work but the company itself works asynchronously. Swit employees are spread out all over the world, with everyone signing in and out according to their schedules. Employees are encouraged to take longer lunches or breaks for appointments, fitness goals, or just because the weather is nice! Several employees have also taken advantage of the asynchronous work model to visit family and friends in other countries!
Tools for Better Asynchronous Communication
This type of collaboration requires a way for data and information to be stored for later reference. Swit offers several tools that facilitate the asynchronous life:
- Recorded videos of seminars, meetings, and presentations are a great resource. They can be added to the archives, or referenced later by an employee unable to attend. Swit offers both Zoom and Google Meet as integrations. The Calendar lets you sync schedules for meetings and send invites.
- Project management tools like task cards can be used for collaboration and discussions. Google Docs, Excel Sheets, or Word docs can be attached to task cards from the integrated OneDrive. This allows the sharing of all relevant information, to be viewed at a glance.
- Communication tools that Swit provides include team chat in channels and in DMs. This creates transparency and facilitates the tracking of progress on projects and tasks.
- Company wikis can be created in documents or spreadsheets for FAQs, employment guidelines, or any other pertinent information to which all employees need access.
Does your company depend on asynchronous communication? Are you thinking of shifting to a remote or hybrid work model? Contact us to see how Swit can make the transition easier for you.
Nyda Ahmad, Copywriting Manager
