Personal Article

Kayleya Stewart

Interpersonal Communications

December 4, 2017

For my topic I wanted to talk about interpersonal Communications in the workplace. Specifically I wanted to talk about medical billing, authorization specialist, and billing specialist in a call center for patient Health Care. I started a new position in a healthcare facility for Medicare and wanted to understand so important communication skills for myself. When entering in to any professional setting it is important to adapt to the environment. What better way to do that than to brush up on your communications skills and proper etiquette. In an office or a cubicle style workplace learning how to communicate can be a bit confusing and can ultimately create an awkward vibe between you and your surroundings. The top three skills for better communication in a cubicle style workplace are proper body language, email etiquette, and respecting the harmony of the workplace.

Most times nonverbal communication speaks louder than words. Believe it or not, that is how 90 percent of people make their first impressions based off of the meaning in the message. Body language comes into picture not only during normal conversations, but also during formal discussions, interviews, group discussions, panel meetings, etc. Proper body language not only conveys the right message to the recipient, but also attracts or repels the recipient.Showing positive body language through the office plays such an important role because facial expressions, body gestures, eye movements, and many other nonverbal actions can show your true emotions. Negative body language can give way to a lot of misinterpretation and misunderstandings. Maintaining a body posture and absurd body movements that is offensive to the other person can ruin a relationship. When positively used, body language can be key to success in creating business relationships and great productivity.

There isn’t much time to run back and forth to relay a message in a busy cubicle, so many businesses use some form of email as communication. This is where email etiquette comes into play. In most cases, how you compose your email will reflect your personality and your professionalism. It is important not to be sloppy with grammar and make sure you are punctual. Remember that when you type in all caps, your email comes across as shouting. Some people think it makes their message easier to read, but that isn’t the case. Use a font that is easy on the eyes when read in standard case letters. Though you may have a friendly bond with many people in the workplace, business emails should always stay formal, specific, and organized. Since and email is another version of nonverbal communication, it is important to watch your tone. Online communications in the workplace can be of great advantage if you are efficient. More relationships are started and maintained online especially in a fast paced cubicle.

Lastly, respecting the overall harmony of the workplace is of great importance. Work is not social hour, and while teamwork is wonderful, there is a line that gets crossed when personal lives spill too much into work and become a distraction. The biggest distraction to avoid is not being a distraction. I know, it sounds crazy, but cubicles are tightly spaced. Without even knowing better, you could be an annoyance to a close by neighbor. Just as noise easily travels between cubicles, so do fragrances and odors. Don’t wear excessive fragrance to work. It can be very irritating to colleagues with allergies. This one is new for myself as well, but smells (even pleasant scents) can send off negative communication. Also avoid unpleasant odors in your lunch choices or save the stinky fish for the lunchroom, not your desk. Be respectful at all time to privacy. Conversations travel, so try keeping volumes at low. To answer a phone call, try stepping into an open conference room or use the provided head gear to avoid placing a call on speaker. People are busy at work and it can become quite difficult to tune out background noise.

Office etiquette exists on a continuum whether it is a face-to-face interview, skype meeting, urgent email, or lunch break. Interpersonal reaction involves verbal and nonverbal exchange. The words you chose to use as well as your bod language send messages.  Though sometimes understanding how to communication in a business setting can get confusing, you can learn how to use this to your advantage to be successful. Proper body language, email etiquette, and respecting the harmony of the workplace are the three top skills to help better communication in the office. Over the past few weeks, I had to but these skills to the test for myself and boy did they make a tremendous difference. Not only did I understand the benefits of the various communication forms, but my ability to effectively communicate was recognized by my director as well as my SVP. Effective communication is learned, so as long as you practice good habits, the better at communicating you will be.