Written by Mairead Simons

Effective communication in the workplace is arguably one of the most important factors in retaining the best employees. In a time of remote working and a lack of face-to-face interaction, it can be easier to let good standards go when it comes to communicating with employees and colleagues. In order to both entice and keep the best talent in the market, good communication from start to finish can make a huge difference.

In the candidate led market that we are currently recruiting in, good communication throughout the hiring process offers the first insight into what working for a company will be like. A candidate who is kept in the loop from interview to offer to onboard is much more likely to feel valued in their new position from day one. Keeping a candidate engaged throughout this process is now harder than ever, especially given the number of offers a candidate will likely be considering. Daily calls or even texts with a candidate or new starter can make the world of difference.

With remote and hybrid working prevalent at the moment, keeping a solid line of communication with employees is vital in making sure the standard of work is high enough, as well as keeping employees feeling valued and happy within their position. While leaving employees to their own devices can help with an increased sense of responsibility and initiative, it can also be highly demotivating and leave employees feeling like they don’t have support on hand. Teams meetings and phone call check-ins are a great way to keep the communication open within the workplace, and will make sure employees don’t feel like they are ‘out of sight, out of mind’.

Here are some ways you can encourage a clear line of communication throughout the hiring process and employment:

• Giving clear, concise updates to candidates, even when the update is that there is no news, can help keep candidates engaged. These calls can also be a good way to keep a check on whether a candidate is showing the desired behaviours.
• Outlining a smooth onboarding process can also create a more open line of communication and acts as the first indicator to a new starter of how they will be treated within the company.
• Teams meetings and virtual get-togethers are a great way to check in on employees while remote working. Whether it’s a brief morning meeting or a Friday afternoon game, making employees feel like part of a team is most important.

On the flip side, we can also use candidates communication skills during the hiring and interview process to gauge how effectively they will work in the role we are looking to recruit them for. If we have communication coming in dribs and drabs, then we can safely assume that the candidate will not be as reliable as we would hope for. Communication and behaviours through the interview stage are very often the best indicators as to how a candidate will act in a role. Therefore if we see these red flags then it is often best to withdraw a candidate from the process, to avoid a situation of ‘ghosting’.