The cost of poor communication is skyrocketing. A new study identifies the barriers to collaboration and productivity in the era of hybrid work—and what marketers need to succeed.
Today’s marketers face significant pressure to adapt and scale their operations. Hybrid work shifts and the looming metaverse have solidified the digital reality, while workforce and customer demands continue to rise, posing new challenges. As a result, CMOs’ ability to effectively manage and grow their organizations has never been more perplexing.
Yet many are unaware of one crucial cost to their organizations—that, if addressed, could significantly improve their bottom line: poor communication.
According to the “State of Business Communication” survey of business leaders and knowledge workers, poor workplace communication is a pervasive issue that affects both businesses and employees.
The findings are particularly pertinent for teams that rely heavily on communication, such as marketing, as they engage with one another, buyers, and customers via new digital touchpoints and channels. While the cost is staggering in and of itself, the findings go much more profound, illuminating the far-reaching consequences of ineffective communication today and the critical need to rethink workplace productivity and engagement fundamentally.
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Here are the implications for marketers seeking to thrive in the next era:
Effective communication can help increase productivity and profitability
Effective communication between teams, customers, and prospects is critical as workplace demands evolve. Almost all business leaders recognize that effective communication is vital to their success. Simultaneously, poor communication is pervasive in the workplace, directly impacting business results. Over the last year, teams have struggled to communicate effectively.
The consequences of failing to address the issue are severe: Poor communication has a detrimental effect on productivity, morale, and growth, with costs increasing, deadlines being missed or extended, and reputation being eroded.
As CMOs seek to scale, overcoming the negative impact of ineffective communication is critical to growth and profitability.
Improving communication can provide an exceptional employee experience.
Apart from the direct cost savings, the indirect benefits of improved communication are equally important to business success. Leaders, in particular, feel an increased sense of urgency to enhance the employee experience as record numbers of workers continue to leave their jobs. This year, most business leaders ranked employee satisfaction and retention as the top priority, even ahead of team productivity and customer satisfaction.
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There are also correlations between ineffective communication and low employee morale and turnover. Individuals who encounter miscommunications daily are more likely to feel stressed. Leaders who report higher employee retention rates also have a higher probability of having better communication.
Any breakdowns in the communication process slow down and frustrate employees, with domino effects on productivity, engagement, and the customer experience. As workforce needs continue to evolve, it is critical to enhance communication with greater clarity and empathy and foster employee confidence.
Utilize new tools to help support the digital workplace
After nearly two years of remote and hybrid work, teams still lack the tools necessary to succeed in a digital environment. Despite the amount of time they spend communicating, there is a need for more effective communication tools.
Written communication, in particular, consumes a large portion of employees’ working hours. Email continues to be the most widely used and preferred method of communication, ahead of virtual video meetings and text-based chat.
A more dispersed workforce increases the likelihood of miscommunication, and CMOs must rethink their technology investments to equip teams to stay connected and productive. Artificial intelligence and automated technologies are available to assist couples in augmenting and optimizing their communication in all locations where they already work. Platform-independent solutions integrate with existing systems and channels to improve communication’s overall quality and efficiency.
CMOs can reclaim time lost to ineffective communication while delivering more impactful engagement with customers and employees by revisiting lagging technology.
Effective communication, more than ever, is the linchpin of organizations, determining their performance. CMOs can no longer ignore the cost of ineffective communication—those who invest in developing better practices, bridging communication gaps at all levels, and equipping teams with the necessary tools, will see their businesses soar to new heights.
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