How communication in business affects stress levels
10/03/2008

Article by Annie Lawler - http://www.breathingspaceforbusiness.com/   

One of the key causes of stress in the workplace is poor communication.   Not only in terms of communication between management and employees, but also between colleagues.   The culture of a company can help enormously in this, if there is an open approach, where everyone feels ‘heard’ and is also prepared to listen.

The HSE’s guidelines on stress management in the workplace, which are being used in tribunals as best practice, highlight, amongst other things, that positive working should be encouraged in order to avoid conflict and to deal with unacceptable behaviour and also include the following relating to communication:  

• employees should be able to have a say in their working methods
• procedures should be in place for employees to report any unacceptable behaviour
• employees receive adequate information and support from their colleagues and managers
• the organisation promotes positive behaviours at work to avoid bullying or conflict and ensure fairness
• the organisation ensures adequate employee consultation on changes and provides opportunities for employees to influence proposals

Generally speaking, this sounds like common sense, but quite often companies unwittingly fall foul of these guidelines and often do not pay enough attention to communications within their organisations, which can cause all kinds of trouble.   It makes sense then, to devote a little extra time on what is said, how it is said, what communication styles are deemed ‘acceptable’ and what channels of communication are used to best effect.

HR Zone recently published an article regarding a CIPD funded research project on stress within organizations, where a comparison was made between poor communication in companies and in a ‘bad marriage’.   Lack of communication, feeling taken for granted, little trust and feeling dissatisfied were all cited as reasons for employees feeling under stress and being likely to leave their jobs.   The survey showed that, of the 2,000 people interviews :

• 30 per cent say they rarely or never get feedback on their performance
• 42 per cent do not feel they are kept informed about what is going on in their organisation
• 25 per cent say they are rarely or never made to feel their work counts
• 43 per cent are dissatisfied with the relationship with their manager

It’s also fair to say that, in my experience in working on stress management within organisations, there is a lot of attention given by employees to the ‘lack of communication’ from management, but they rarely consider their own role within this sometimes dysfunctional relationship.

On more than one occasion, due to discussion about the effects of clear communication in my seminars,  clients have been able to retain key members of staff, because the member of staff has subsequently voiced concerns and issues about which the employer was previously unaware.  

Employees sometimes have the perception that management has a crystal ball and is immediately able to be all-seeing and all-knowing.   Going back to that ‘bad marriage’ again, it can appear a bit like the ‘if you don’t know why I’m not talking to you, I’m not going to tell you’ syndrome.   What both sides need to recognise is that communication is a two-way street as much within a company as within the home.

So how can companies ensure they have clear, two-way communication channels?   Well, there are a few theories on the subject – some of which make very interesting reading.   For example, statistics quoted in Dr Albert Mehrabian’s spoken communications model have become some of the most widely quoted.   You may recognise them :

• 7% of meaning is in the words that are spoken
• 38% of meaning is in the way in which the words are said or tone of voice used
• 55% is in facial expression

So an awful lot of spoken communication is judged not so much by what is said, but the manner in which it is delivered.   The same words can be voiced and yet meant in a completely different way.   Add to that what happens when somebody misinterprets the intention of the words and you can start to understand why clear communication is so vital to the wellbeing and performance of an organisation.

Based on these statistics, telephone communication is more tricky than face to face communication because we lose 55% of the ‘clues’ as to the intention and no wonder e-mail communications can be the cause of so much stress in the workplace when we also lose the clues in the tone of voice!

Having said that, all these methods of communication have their place and the use of multi-media to convey important messages has been shown to increase the effectiveness of any communication.   As the old adage goes, ‘a picture paints a thousand words’, so adding visual elements, movement, repetition and communicating by a variety of channels is likely to be most effective in conveying messages.   You only have to look at advertising and marketing campaigns to see the effectiveness of multimedia usage.   But few things replace the physical presence and interactive conversation and discussion.

For example, ‘clinics’ and regular reviews where open discussion between management and members of staff is invited are a great way to build effective communications and for all parties to put forward concerns and ideas.

Brainstorming is a great technique for generating new ideas and solving issues and I’ll come back to this shortly.

Internal newsletters – both printed and via e-mail can be a very effective method of recognizing efforts and achievements, can ‘advertise’ social events, job vacancies, and can act as a training vehicle and a reminder of key objectives.

Suggestion boxes can be a helpful way of inviting constructive ideas from those who may not be comfortable voicing their opinions in a public environment.   Schemes which recognise the benefit of suggestions which are then put into practice can be extremely motivating and help employees feel they make a real contribution.

Social events where more informal communication can take place between members of staff can be extremely effective in team building and in promoting good morale.

Mentoring schemes where younger or less experienced members of staff can learn from those who have been through similar situations before and where they can get support, can help people improve their ability to do their job effectively and can help build rapport and make people feel valued.

So tip number one on reducing stress by improved communications is:

a)      use different methods of communication to get key message across and repeat important key messages in all communications and

b)      adapt the language, imagery etc according to the medium you are using

In other words, what may come across well on a video cam recording, may require adaptation for written or purely verbal communication.

As mentioned earlier in this article, brainstorming can be an extremely effective method of communication and a great way of developing the business.  Some of the best ideas come out when people start thrashing ideas about and ‘thinking outside the box’.   It is also enormously helpful in aiding employees to feel that they have ‘a voice’ and that they make a valuable contribution to their workplace.   In order to feel valued and to be motivated, most of us have to feel that we make a difference and brainstorming sessions can be a really effective method of encouraging open communication.  

Provided it is planned and facilitated well and that the conversation includes everyone and that open recognition is given to good ideas, brainstorming can be a great team builder and motivator.  

Follow up to meetings and brainstorming sessions is incredibly important in terms of communication.   Once the meeting has ended, people need to see that action is being taken and, where possible and relevant, need to be part of the action.   When people ‘take ownership’ they are more likely to feel motivated and to produce the desired results.  

This leads me onto a vital piece of communication which is so often overlooked and yet so critical.   This is also one of the elements covered in HSE’s guidelines on good working practice to relieve undue stress.   And that is that people have to understand their role, what is expected of them and when.

So many managers fail to communicate this information and simply give employees a title and a desk, leaving them to flounder around and pick up what information they might need from whatever sources they choose to look.  

Clear communication of roles and objectives relating to specific projects helps businesses achieve their aims more easily and gives clear guidance to members of the team of what they have to do and when.   Getting ‘buy-in’ to these tasks and deadlines by verbal communication and following up with written job descriptions and clear instructions may take time initially, but is much more likely to result in a positive outcome.

So, hint number two on communication is that

a)      clear communication of what is expected of each individual , why and when is vital to a healthy and successful organization and

b)      meetings should be followed up with written minutes which describe what has been agreed and why, who is responsible for the various stages and when it is going to happen.   They should be distributed to all concerned in writing as soon as possible after the meeting.  

In any interaction between human beings, it is important not only to be able to express your views, but to be able to listen and empathise with others involved.   Stephen Covey, author of ‘Seven Habits of Highly Effective People’ gives the following guidelines as described on the businessballs.com website, so here comes tip number three:

a) Think win-win®

Covey calls this the habit of interpersonal leadership, necessary because achievements are largely dependent on co-operative efforts with others. He says that win-win is based on the assumption that there is plenty for everyone, and that success follows a co-operative approach more naturally than the confrontation of win-or-lose.  

The ‘win-win’ theory is especially helpful in trying to resolve conflicts.   Finding solutions that work for both sides make life a whole lot easier for all concerned.   Covey also advises us –

b) Seek first to understand and then to be understood®

This is Covey's habit of communication, and it's extremely powerful. Covey helps to explain this in his simple analogy 'diagnose before you prescribe'. Simple and effective, and essential for developing and maintaining positive relationships in all aspects of life.

Again, in conflict situations, the ability to empathise is invaluable.

c) Synergize®

Covey says this is the habit of creative co-operation - the principle that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts, which implicitly lays down the challenge to see the good and potential in the other person's contribution.

I mentioned conflict a couple of times above and, though most of us dislike conflict, we all come across it at some point in relationships.  Handled well, the conflict can repair and strengthen a relationship.   Handled poorly, the conflict can escalate and grow and can be extremely damaging to all concerned.

Tip number 4

a)      In conflict resolution, stick to the point and avoid bringing up disagreements or mistakes from the past.   Deal exclusively with the current issue.

b)      As Stephen Covey says, seek to understand the other’s point of view and empathise.  Invite the other party to describe how they feel and what causes their issue and repeat it back to them to make sure you have understood.   “So, what I think you’re saying is ”.  This can help clarify the point and can calm the situation because the other party can see they are being listened to and that you want to help.   Also, concentrate on what is being said to you.   Often in heated situations, we are so focused on what we’re going to say next that we forget to listen.

c)       Try and voice your arguments in terms of what you feel about the situation that has occurred rather than take on an accusatory tone.   For example, ‘When you are late with this crucial information it makes me feel like ”.   This is less aggressive and more likely to be responded to constructively.

d)      Avoid defensive behaviour and ‘tit for tat’ situations.   If you have to accept responsibility, admit a fault or error and do so calmly.  If you feel your actions have been misinterpreted, keep calm and explain what your actual intention was and seek a ‘win-win’ solution so that a similar occurrence is unlikely.

e)      If things get too heated for logical and constructive discussion, agree to take a break but also set a time when you’re going to come back to it and stick to it.   In this situation, it’s sometimes helpful to invite a truly objective third-party to sit with you and facilitate your discussion.

These techniques may not work in every situation, but they are a very good guideline.

Finally, one of the simplest and most effective methods of communication I found when I was managing a team, is to wander round the office at frequent intervals and speak to people.   I know it may sound like an ‘unnecessary’ interruption to the list of things which are awaiting you at your desk, but you can find out a lot of information, understand some of the issues that are going on and help motivate people, just by being interested.   We are, after all, human beings and everyone likes to feel they are important in some way.   It’s amazing what massive effects small actions like this can have on your business.

In addition, taking a break from your desk is another good stress-relieving tip and has been proved to improve your performance!

In my work at Breathing Space for Business, I find issues such as poor communication extremely common in many organisations and the cause of much stress in the workplace. It is worth taking at look at these findings in relation to your own team and current practices.   Good practice in stress management can help reduce absenteeism, improve performance and help protect against potential litigation, which makes it a sound business investment. 

Stress is a major issue for UK businesses at the moment, with the cost of stress-related absenteeism in the UK being estimated at between GBP3.2 billion to GBP4.5 billion per annum.   There are many proven and effective methods for addressing these issues, which I share with my clients, some of which are very simple and which produce extraordinary results.

I am committed to supporting employers to improve staff retention and performance through consultation, seminars and one-to-one coaching and counselling.   If you are interested in exploring ways to help your company work more happily and effectively through effective stress management, whilst also protecting yourself against potential litigation, please contact Annie Lawler (without obligation) on 0772 581 8884 or

www.breathingspaceforbusiness.com   

http://www.breathingspacetherapies.co.uk

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