Introduction
The work place is where most people spend most of their working lives. Organisational structure is made up of the management who make the major decisions and workers who implement them. Organisational goals can only be achieved where there is a good working relationship between employees and the management. Poor communication between the management and employees results in de-motivation and reduced productivity. Many companies face this challenge because managements often assumes that they know what is best for the company and so rules should be obeyed without question. In this kind of working environment, there is no room for dialogue. The other scenario is where workers are given an opportunity by management to present their concerns but no action is taken or the bosses simply fail to get the message. When this happens, employees begin to feel that the management does not appreciate them. Effective communication is therefore if an organization is to achieve its goals. Every effort has to be made by management to listen to their workers.
Step 1
How then can employees get management to listen to their issues or problems? This can be done in the following ways:
Staff meetings create a good opportunity for Management to have dialogue with their workers. All areas of concern and lasting solutions can only be established if employees are allowed to speak their mind without fear of victimization. Additionally, everyone in attendance has to be held accountable for their actions.
Step 2
When your issues are genuine and they are clearly articulated, it is most likely for management to pay attention and chart a way forward. This way, there is little room for misunderstandings and everyone is on the same page. This makes it easy for management to appropriately resolve the issues.
Step 3
Off peak periods is a better time to capture the attention of your manager than when there are many deadlines to be met. Off peak periods create a relaxed environment for management to grant you audience to listen to whatever it is you want to put forward.
Step 4
If your company is going through a tough time, this is a good opportunity to get management to pay attention to your ideas and suggestions. They will be willing to give you an ear as they make every effort to find solutions to problems the company may be facing at the time. Examples of such tough times could be when there is unexplained high turnover of staff or when the company experiences negative growth.
Step 5
Proper communication channels have to be used when seeking audience with management. This ideally means that you want to use a medium that will not cause conflict, disrespect or unnecessary tension during your meeting with management. For example, it is more appropriate to meet face to face than to send a text or talk over the phone. Using the right communication medium will indicate that you are serious about your concerns.
Tips
1. Being courteous and complimentary is good for the ego and is one sure way of getting management to be cooperative and attend to your matters. This is also true if you have been respectful and have a good employment record.
2. In some situations, using your workers’ representative to present your areas of concern is a good strategy to get management to take them seriously.
