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Effective communication is vital to the efficient and productive operation of a business, and yet, it is also one of the most difficult feature of a business relationship to maintain. Everyone knows how to communicate, but not everyone communicates effectively. Effective communication is defined as communication that enhances the relationship between the parties, while at the same time, furthering their common goal.

There are several ways in which employers and employees can foster effective communication in the workplace.

(1) Listen. Contrary to popular belief, listening is an active activity, and not a passive one. This is often difficult to do, as most people listen passively. In doing so, they don't absorb the necessary information that the party speaking to them is trying to convey, and thus, miscommunication can occur. To actively listen, a party must seek clarification whenever s/he is not certain about what has been conveyed. For instance, if a supervisor says, 'Make sure you contact Ms. Blue about the shipment.' That seems like a simple enough directive, but if the employee is actively listening, the employee may realize that there is more than one 'Ms. Blue' or that there are different shipments. Immediately, the employee should ask for clarification. In turn, the supervisor should provide the clarification and have the conversation proceed from there. By actively listening, both parties can assure they are 'on the same page' and minimize any miscommunication that can result in delays and mistakes in the company's business operations.

Further, a failure to listen does not encourage genuine and effective dialogue because only one party is truly engaged in the activity. Communication, it must be noted, is a give-and-take situation. It is not merely one person talking at another person, but the mutual exchange and sharing of information. To do this well, all parties involved must be responding appropriately to what is being said by others, and the only way to do this, is to listen. Finally, no one wants to communicate, nor do they feel encouraged to communicate in an environment where no one is really listening to them.

(2) Create a workplace environment that rewards open and on-going communication. Encourage continuing dialogue and exchanges on issues that are current and relevant. This may be as easy as saying to a colleague, 'if you ever have any questions, feel free to let me know.' Reinforce this by encouraging the open exchange of ideas in the workplace

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