As one of the leading staffing agencies in Spokane, Washington, Provisional knows that effective communication is critical to business success. But the fact of the matter is that when you’re speaking, your employees may not be retaining what you’re saying.

In fact, according to studies, the average person retains only 10% to 20% of what they hear. As a result, even if your employees are listening earnestly, they may not be remembering all that you’re saying.

So if you ever get the feeling that employees either aren’t listening or retaining what you’re saying, here are some tips to help you solve this major communication problem:

Use Different Mediums.

When people hear, see, and read about something, then they are much more likely to retain it than if they just heard about it. So don’t only talk at your next meeting; also create visuals that highlight important points. In addition, put together handouts of these key points for employees to take with them. You may also want to send a follow up email detailing important topics discussed. The bottom line is that when employees experience the same information in different ways, they are much more likely to retain it.

Repeat, Repeat, Repeat.

Repetition is critical when it comes to communicating important messages. So, for instance, if a key change has been made to an important company policy, then email your staff about it, have a company-wide meeting about it, post signs in common areas, and have managers discuss the changes with their teams. The more important the message, the more times it needs to go out.

Mix Positive and Negative.

If you’re constantly communicating negative news or information, your employees will tune out. There are obviously going to be times when communicating bad news is a must, but even in those times, try to mix your message with something positive as well. Your employees will be more likely to tune in and retain what they hear if it’s not all bad.

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