Communication
Effective Communication
Benefits of Effective Communication
There are multiple benefits to arthritis-related communication:
Awareness and understanding
Specific communication about arthritis, joint pain, and back pain promotes awareness and understanding about well-being across the organization. This provides support for co-workers with arthritis, joint pain, and back pain, and can help dispel misunderstandings. It also helps all employees recognize signs or symptoms in themselves. Many people dismiss joint or back pain as “just getting older” and may not take steps that could help alleviate the pain.
Cost savings
If an employee with arthritis, joint pain, or back pain can be supported earlier, there is a higher likelihood that an intervention or accommodation could help avoid a costly medical leave. Research has found that early open communication can support employees and employers to find effective solutions that can help manage symptoms of arthritis.
Accessing resources
Sharing knowledge about available resources promotes their use by all employees. Providing resources also encourages open, informed, and trustworthy workplace communication.
Wellness culture
Clear communication from employers fosters open communication from employees and contributes to a culture of wellness.
In the next section, we identify ways to take concrete action on communication.
Where to start with workplace communication
Have you completed the MiW for Employers Workplace Self-Assessment Tool? You can use the questions in this self-assessment to review your existing communication around health and wellness and then use the content in this section help you figure out where you want to be.
Figuring out where you want to be should be based on:
- what you are currently doing
- what is working and not working
- your employees’ needs
For instance, let’s say you completed the Workplace Self-Assessment Tool and considered the ways that you are currently communicating with your employees about health and wellness. You decide to ask your employees about what they know about workplace health and wellness and how they are getting that information. If they aren’t aware of the information you have been sharing or don’t think your communication methods are helpful (e.g., newsletter, information on intranet, posters), then you might want to look at your mechanism for communication and see if it is reaching the intended audience. Talk to your employees about what information is important to them and how they would like to learn about it.