Identifying Communication Needs in Your Workplace

Communication Check list	Vocal Stress
Business Language	Voice ergonomics®  Indicators
Links of Interest

Performance Behaviors Indicating 
Voice Ergonomics® Needs 

“Business takes place in the conversation.”

In business, these and other performance behaviors indicate voice ergonomics® issues. 

1. Employee-customer communication frustration and stress. 

2. Employees have to repeat themselves with customers, colleagues and the general public.

3. Absenteeism with laryngitis and voice problems from upper respiratory illnesses.

4. Frequent irate customer complaints, repeat calls and loss of business.

5. Difficult to understand—”sounds like they are mumbling
   and grunting”.

6. Talk too loudly or too softly.

7. Monotone voice / unpleasant or unfriendly tone of voice.

8. Employee/professional speaks in a monotone.

9. Talks fast– machine-gun speech (The average rate is 150 wpm)

10. Employee sounds older or younger than they are.

11. Sounds indifferent, rude and lacking interest (monotone) when 
    communicating with customers, colleagues and the general public.

12. Habitual throat clearing.

13. Marginal professional performance reviews.

 

Some Symptoms of Vocal Stress

Breathy voice Dry throat and mouth Chronic throat clearing Strained voice Monotone Harshness

Hoarseness Laryngitis Loud/soft volume Shortness of breath Neck/throat pain High pitch

 Business Communication Checklist 

Do your employees/co-workers:

1. Sound unclear, unfriendly or monotone in greeting your clients and customers?

2. Have mild hearing loss? Are they using equipment to enhance communication skills, build their self-confidence
and productivity? 

3. Use slang speech and incorrect grammar when talking to customers, clients and co-workers? 

4. Have normal hearing but work in a noisy
industrial environment? 

5. Speak English as a second language and have a strong accent, or have strong regional accents that hinder their
job performance? 

6. Lisp, slur their speech, stumble in pronouncing words, or struggle pronouncing long words?

7. Have chronically hoarse or otherwise unpleasant
sounding voices? 

8. Are voice-dependent for doing their job? 

9. Stutter or have a halting to their speech that hinders
their effectiveness?

10. Have difficulty reading aloud and/or weaknesses in
written skills?