Why You Need Clear Communication for High Job Satisfaction

This is going to be a cornucopia of good stuff! With a topic as large as Why You Need Clear Communication to Supercharge Job Satisfaction, you know right away that this will be an ongoing series. But let's start with some big, timely topics and we can move on from there.
Don't forget, YOU can help shape this series by commenting below. Let me know what questions you have, or challenges you face, and I'll build what you need so you can get ahead of future headaches.
Clear communication style is related to job satisfaction & engagement
I know. It sounds like a "soft skill," but really, the way you communicate is strategic. Here are two examples:
1. Just the facts, ma'am.
You may have already noticed that this post is a chatty, first-person piece as opposed to my other writing.
Well, I got feedback from an audience member saying, "You write as though you're presenting your thesis. It's dry and lacks your personality. Even though you make excellent points, the delivery isn't engaging."
Ok. Ouch. But it was well said, and the point was taken.
Since I emphasize the importance of engagement and writing for culture types, it sounds like I've been missing the mark for some folks. Now that I know, I'm making an adjustment. (Feel free to LMK in the comments if the pendulum has swung too far in the other direction for your taste)
2. This isn't Wayne's World, buddy.
On the opposite end of the spectrum, some communications try too hard to be entertaining and forget to center the audience.
One group I'm working with talks about an important communication channel that is essentially hijacked by content creators who perform a skit before delivering weekly leadership content. The audience has provided feedback (????????????), and many people fast forward through this opening, but open rates are high, so the content creators refuse to adjust their style. In this instance, open rate metrics don't tell the whole story.
The problem with this scenario is the 'humor' muddies the message and prevents message clarity. When people wish to skip parts of your content, it creates disengagement and implies your messaging is "noise."
The clear communication style bottom line...
Clear communication is a gift. It indicates you respect the recipients' time and their communication preferences. When workers feel 'seen and heard' in that way, they tend to open up, absorb, and act on the information you've shared. Find out HOW your workforce needs to receive communication, from channel use, to message frequency, to style.
Job satisfaction throughout your "Return to Office" initiative? Oh yeah, that's a clear communication challenge
Even though this article is from 2022, it's as relevant today as it was then. I encourage you to read it through an internal comms lens: So You've Decided to Bungle Your Company's Flexible Work Plan. As you will see, each of the four "Bungle Themes" require effective, clear communication to solve the problem.
Additionally, what we at L-12 Services have found to be a critical piece of the puzzle, is to share a compelling message for RTO.
In our experience, the most effective messages and arguments for returning focus on outcomes unrelated to "leadership wants...".
Making the argument for RTO successfully will depend on your workforce; however, some that we've successfully deployed at L-12 Services include:
- RTO has a positive effect on trade and crime in our area.
- RTO allows you (the employee) to have greater control over your career trajectory and professional development.
- RTO makes for a stronger and more effective mentor/mentee relationship or program.
- RTO allows workers to disconnect from video meetings and reduces Zoom fatigue.
- RTO decreases project delivery time and increases collaboration and organizational awareness.
The clear communication RTO bottom line...
Clear communication about why RTO is happening can help you sidestep a lot of ill will. When there's a compelling reason, people who genuinely like their job frequently make the move and stay onboard.
From there, clear communication about how the RTO process will work is critical.
This is a great segue into the effect of clear communication on job satisfaction and retention
I love this article by Maurice Schweitzer and I really wish I could have sat with him when he penned it. We would have had hours of great, nerdly conversation about this topic.
In his article for Knowledge at Wharton A Simple Intervention That Can Reduce Turnover, he discusses reordering tasks.
"In the largest field study of its kind, Schweitzer and his colleagues found that people are far more likely to quit when given too many difficult assignments in a row, compared with a workflow that is balanced out with easier tasks. Breaking up long streaks of challenging assignments may be one of the simplest ways that managers can reduce employee burnout and boost retention."
My contribution to our chat would, of course, be centered around the, "Yes! And how do we communicate this effectively?" aspect. Together, his insights and my comms strategy, we might really change things around! Ok, that might be a bit off topic...
My point being, if you want to retain your people, especially in this environment of uncertainty and chaos, clear communication is key.
The clear communication and retention bottom line...
- Are you changing your workflows? Communicate what is changing and how people can access resources.
- Are you changing leadership/branding/mission, vision, and values? Communicate how these changes impact community, culture, and the direct link to your staff.
- Are you changing workloads and job responsibilities? Communicate in every way you can (text, visual, audio) what the new model looks like and how it impacts collaboration. Aim for increasing organizational awareness.
WHY THIS MATTERS:
If you need to reach and inform your teams
If you need to educate, ask for action, or create a sense of stability
If you need to persuade, increase personal investment, or build a culture of innovation
... craft thoughtful content, on several channels, in a way that meets the communications needs of your audience(s). In other words, craft clear communication.
Make it easy and enjoyable to become (and stay!) informed; like chatting with that friend who is always in the know. Remember, some friends are more huggable than others, so don't conflate being accessible with being cheesy.
FOR MORE INFORMATION...
Contact us today at 202.415.6987 or info@L12Services.com if you want to enhance collaboration and engagement. Together, we can create an environment that drives success through effective communication.