It can be amazing how businesses and organizations can thrive better with ethics in business communication. Ethical communication is a type of communication that observes values and morals, such as honesty, responsibility, and respect.
How do organizations benefit from it?
Communication ethics is a positive thing. There can be a lot to gain from observing it. This includes organizations, businesses, and workplaces. Here are the positive effects of ethics in business communication for organizations:
Peaceful workplace
Workplace conflict is inevitable, which is why human resource personnel have special training in conflict management and resolution. With the help of honest communication, organizations can avoid conflict altogether.
This does not mean that the workplace will not experience any conflict of any kind at all. Disagreements and differences will still exist. However, with ethical communication, people will have a healthier and more positive way of conveying their needs and expressing their differences.
It can be hard to convey a difference in opinion without sounding harsh or judgemental. Observing ethics in communication will allow a person to objectively express his opinion without hurting others.
Motivated employees
Employees who do not feel afraid of being berated or judged are more likely to feel more motivated to work. That’s because they feel more at ease in the workplace. And because ethics in business communication involves genuinely listening to someone without judgment, employees will also feel more comfortable contributing opinions or ideas that can significantly benefit the team or the entire organization.
Workplace safety
Personal attacks, slander, and offensive slurs are big no-nos in ethical communication. In that essence, harassing someone is out of the question for organizations that observe communication ethics.
Such workplaces promote safety for each of its members. It creates a safe space where everyone can express themselves without being discriminated against.
Seamless communication
Since unnecessary negative things do not take place with communication ethics, the organization can remain objective and proactive in meeting its goals and handling its problems.
People within the organization can focus more on managing their roles and responsibilities instead of trying to manage unnecessary conflict brought about by poor ethics. It also means that communication within the organization is smooth and seamless, with little to no distraction from personal issues and internal conflicts.
Efficient operations
And because communication is polite and seamless throughout the organization, you can also expect operations to follow suit. You can enjoy increased efficiency with your operations, so your business can also run smoothly.
This means that you can grow your business much faster, earn more, and accomplish more with your operations’ efficiency.
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How can you observe ethical communication in the workplace?
Knowing all the benefits your organization can gain from ethics in business communication; you may want to give it a try. But how exactly do you go about it?
There are a couple of basics or ground rules that you need to observe when ensuring communication ethics within an organization. These basic rules are there to keep everyone in line with the concept of ethical communication. No one in the organization is exempt from following them.
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Listen when others speak.
During meetings, or even just talking in the office hallways, you should dedicate your full attention to someone when they are talking to you (or to the group). Listening when someone is speaking is a simple but essential act of respect.
Listening does not just mean staying silent when someone is speaking. It means actually paying attention to what they are saying and providing feedback when appropriate. It is one of the basics of effective communication.
Speak without judgment
It can be easy to get carried away with feelings when you are so passionate about your opinions and thoughts. Sometimes, this can lead us to say things that may be offensive to people who may not share the same principles and beliefs.
To speak without judgment, it is best to remain objective with the things that you are about to say. Also, before speaking, try to review or think about whether your thoughts touch on sensitive topics like other people’s personal lives, religion, political beliefs, or race.
Do not speak for others.
Never assume that you know how other people feel or think. Also, do not assume that your own thoughts and opinions are universal. Assuming that everyone believes the same things as you invalidates those who feel otherwise.
Share your personal experiences, thoughts, and feelings.
As a continuation of the rule above, you have to stick to your personal experiences, thoughts, and feelings. Stress that these are your very own thoughts and in no way reflect the ideas of others. When you speak, focus only on what you know based on what you have experienced.
Focus on understanding others rather than being right
This rule may be hard to follow, especially if you are thoroughly convinced that you are right. Even if you already know that you are right, you should still make an effort to understand where the other person is coming from when it comes to their thoughts and feelings.
Ask yourself, why do they have a different opinion from you? What experiences led them to feel differently? Are they coming from a position of fear or anger, or do they simply have a different perspective of things?
Focus on why they may have different feelings on a matter than you, instead of trying to shut them down and prove your point even before they have had a chance to say their piece. Listen attentively and thoughtfully.
Observe your own and other people’s boundaries
When speaking, it can be easy to get carried away and overshare. Try to be conscious of what you say and only share as much as you are comfortable sharing. Limit sharing overly personal things that you may later feel uncomfortable elaborating.
Just as you observe your own boundaries, you should also do the same for others. Never share personal things about other people, especially without their consent. Similarly, avoid asking overly personal questions that may make someone uncomfortable or violated.
Give everyone time to speak.
To make sure that the organization observes ethics in business communication, everyone should have the chance to speak up. Give everyone a fair amount of time to speak and express their opinions freely and without interruption.
Ethical communication values not only truth and morals but also fairness and equity. With ethical communication, everyone gets a fair chance to express themselves without fear of judgment or being interrupted.
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