Effective business communication includes

The hallmarks of effective business communication include openness and two-way interactions.

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Organizations with effective business communications can weather even tough economic environments. What it takes is a commitment to openness and honesty, opportunities for two-way communication, multiple channels of communication, a focus on the manager/employee relationship and a commitment to face-to-face communication whenever possible. Companies that can follow these hallmarks, will boost their communication effectiveness significantly.

Openness And Honesty

Gone, for the most part, are the days when businesses tried to keep important information close to the chests of the senior business leaders. Today's business leaders understand the need for transparency in communication to establish an environment of trust and loyalty, and to take advantage of the contributions that employees can make when they're kept well informed. As Robert Kent, former dean of Harvard Business School has said, “In business, communication is everything.”

Two-Way Communication

It is not enough for business leaders to convey messages down from the top to the employees at the front lines. Channels for two-way communication can ensure a dialogue between all levels of the organization. Business leaders benefit when they encourage open, two-way communication between employees and their managers, and between each other.

Related Reading: The Role of Effective Communication in Maximizing Business

Multiple Channels

Just because an organization has a website and puts information there, doesn't mean that all employees will access that information. Even in a technology-driven world, it pays to use multiple channels for communication including the intranet, email, telephone, print newsletters, posters, bulletin boards, meetings. Messages should be sent multiple times in multiple ways to ensure that all employees have the opportunity to be exposed, says Lin Grensing-Pophal, author of "Employee Management for Small Business."

Manager/Employee Communications

The most critical communication that occurs in organizations occurs between employees and their direct supervisors or managers. That means that managers need to have the tools, resources and training they need to serve effectively in this key role.

Face-to-Face

Technology makes it common for people to hide behind their computer keyboards and over-rely on email communication, sometimes even when communicating with a person across the hallway. Face-to-face communication, whenever possible and practical, is still the best way to make an effective business communication connection.