The smooth functioning of the Joint Health and Safety Committee (JHSC) depends on effective communication. The JHSC committee aims to improve workplace health and safety through cooperative efforts between employer and employee representatives. Effective communication is essential to this partnership.
To promote cooperation, information sharing, and decision-making, JHSC should use various communication channels and tools. These technologies include email, intranet platforms, specialized communication software, bulletin boards, lunchbox chatter and safety bulletins.
Effective communication skills are essential in the workplace, particularly in remote and hybrid work contexts. Improving these abilities by adhering to fundamental ideas that promote cooperation and coordination is simple.
Methods to communicate health and safety at workplace
You may have been working remotely with your teammates for a while. Whether you work in an office setting regularly, remotely from home, or in a hybrid workplace, you have probably used various communication methods.
Delivering your health and safety messages successfully requires the development of all-around communication abilities.
These are the five most typical forms of communication that need attention:
- Oral communication: Thoughts are shared through speech. Imagine speaking to someone. We advise using this form of verbal communication when direct engagement is necessary or the communication issue is transient. Building rapport and trust requires face-to-face contact typically utilized during conferences, seminars, meetings, interviews, one-on-one meetings and virtual calls.
- Written communication: Thoughts and ideas are shared via the written word. This can be with emails, hand-written notes, or signage. Written communication is form of communication in which two or more people exchange written messages. Written communication is typically more formal, but less efficient than oral communication.
- Non-verbal communication: Information is shared without written or spoken words. Examples include facial expressions, tone of voice, body language, and gestures. However, nonverbal cues can have different meanings in different cultures. Thus, the JHSC should also be aware of its audience in order to communicate effectively.
- Active listening: Unlike the examples above, active listening is about receiving information. When someone is listening actively, they might ask questions to understand the information better or to rephrase the information received to confirm understanding.
- Contextual communication: Information is shared with mutual, potentially unspoken, understandings of various factors such as interpersonal relationships and the environment. As we know, communication involves people attempting to understand one another. But sometimes people don’t always understand or receive that message similarly. Contextual communication explains this. It takes place at a specific time and location.
For instance, pretend that you wish to leave your relationship with your partner. Texting someone to express a wish is not the same as doing it in a private flat or coffee shop. Therefore, the correct time and location should be selected based on the information.
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