Even when a business is small, communication is of the utmost importance. Today’s technology allows us to talk without ever having to vocally utter a word. However, the type of communication device used, i.e. phone, email, in-person meeting, should depend on the situation.
“The overall goal of a varied use of [communication technology] is to ensure that all staff have all the information that they need, at all times, to do their jobs well,” says Billie Blair, president and CEO of the management consulting firm, Change Strategists, Inc., based in Los Angeles. “Managers and bosses sometimes select a mode that is their favorite and ignore the others, to the detriment of the organization.”
Here are some strengths and weaknesses of popular communication modes:
Email
Strength: It’s a quick, easy way to put something in writing.
Lori Vest, managing director of Communicore Visual Communications, ?a television production studio in Birmingham, Mich., says email is great for reiterating information that might have been stated in a meeting but is still needed in writing, i.e., a change in policy. She also recommends email for reminders such as turning in one’s tax forms or for quick announcements, such as the office letting out early.
Weakness: It’s impersonal and public.
Blair highly advises covering more sensitive matters, such as a layoff, in a staff meeting. Also, someone outside the company can easily obtain an email, so nothing should be included in an email if it could embarrass the company, such as a serious mistake in procedure.
Phone Call
Strength: It can easily connect people who are physically apart.
“Phone calls should be used when there’s a need for information to be conveyed and reacted to by the person called,” Blair says. Blair also recommends using the phone for discussing confidential information, such as firing an employee.
Weakness: Because the communication is verbal, some information can be forgotten later.
If someone doesn’t have a critical detail in writing, it can be easily looked over later. “A way to avoid this is to talk from bullet points and to reiterate the information at the close of the conversation,” says Blair. “Or, if confidential information is not involved, follow up with an email covering the salient points.”
Staff Meeting
Strength: It can serve as a morale boost and be a great way to think as a team.
Vest says her staff enjoys their “morning huddles” because they usually chat casually. They tell funny stories, work- and non-work-related, which gives them a chance to just blow off steam. Blair says a staff meeting is also a good opportunity to brainstorm and have the whole group serve as a sounding board.
Weakness: They can become rote exercises, reducing their productivity.
Blair cautions that staff meetings can become boring if not conducted well, and the staff will be increasingly uninterested if they’re scheduled too frequently. She suggests asking the staff how often they’d like to meet and making sure to save any trivial information, such as the holiday schedule, for email.
Text message
Strength: It’s a quick way to get one or two simple points across.
Texting isn’t just for social communication anymore. A small business owner can use texting as a quick message device, especially if an employee is working offsite. However, Blair says you must tell your employees to expect occasional texts, so that a text that says, “I need to see you,” doesn’t come off as intimidating.
Weakness: Not ideal for a message to multiple people.
Blair says texting should be reserved for only one-on-one, immediate business matters that aren’t confidential.