How can you use Communication skills to succeed in HR?

Effective communication in HR involves active listening, empathy, and clear articulation. Build rapport, resolve conflicts, and convey policies with clarity. Strong communication fosters trust, collaboration, and success in HR roles.

In order to communicate well, the first step is to know with whom we are conversing. The topics for discussion, the language and words used, the style of talking, the length of conversations, the medium of communication and the amount of information delivery depends on the audience we are involved with. So, we need to make these choices as an HR before we can strike a meaningful conversation with anybody.

In order to communicate effectively, choosing a right channel is very essential. The channel depends on the urgency of the situation or the purpose of the communication. Depending on the situations, one can choose phone call, MS Teams/Google meet, text messages, emails or offline/face-to-face communication. The HR needs to clearly understand the purpose behind the interaction/communication needed and the people with whom they need to interact. Once, this is clearly defined, they can decode the communication channel easily.

Adaptability is a crucial skill when one is working in a fast paced dynamic work environment. The situations are always changing and the HR needs to adjust as per the needs of the organization and its employees. Being adamant or having a limited mindset will not help in the times of crisis. One needs to keep evolving and updating themselves to handle the diverse workforce. While adapting to different people and situations, the choice of words, communication channel and audience involved are very important to consider. Be mindful and open to every aspect shown/presented.

Establishing a feedback mechanism in the organization is a healthy way to promote learning and development among the employees. Feedback sessions can be implemented for the benefit of employees as well as the HR professional. It could be done on a regular basis or quarterly/bi-annually as per the feasibility of both the parties. This also helps to keep the stakeholders, users, customers and employees aligned with the company's goals and vision. Feedbacks can be executed both informally and formally as per the situation demands. The main agenda is to keep the workplace growing and maintain a healthy work environment for the employees and the HR.

Stakeholders Management is one of the key skills HR professional must prioritise its improvement to achieve business goals and career growth within and beyond the organisation. Business leaders have shown substantial appreciation for data analytics towards making evidence-based decisions for people management. Communication with stakeholders is crucial when gathering data and insights for strategic planning. These strategies are further implemented seamlessly when you understand and possess the ability to manage the expectations of the stakeholders. In my experience, significant milestones were achieved through consistent communication with managers and employees within the organisation.