Managers have forgotten how to communicate effectively as a result of their preference for emailing staff rather than talking to them face to face, according to a recent article in The Age.
Research has found 71 per cent of managers use email as their main form of workplace communication; only 14 per cent said they preferred face-to-face interaction.
It's a development that may be damaging relationships with staff and affecting productivity. A recent study has found 97 per cent of workers would like their bosses to communicate more clearly and directly.
"The tool that has made communication easier and faster must also claim responsibility for the hushing of our workplaces, the misinterpretation of tones, and the rise and rise of email wars," the story suggests.
There's a new book called Email Less - Talk More (saw on Amazon) that really explores this subject.
http://www.amazon.com/Email-Less-Improving-Productivity-Satisfaction/dp/1598587021/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1232079780&sr=8-1
Posted by: Walter | 16 January 2009 at 02:33 PM