In a small business atmosphere, it seems that everyone wears many hats, which can keep boredom at bay but also cause stress to your employees.

Depending on the size of your physical business will determine the different means of communication that can be used.

Email is a really good form of communication between employees. It's quiet and it gives the recipient an opportunity to research or think about their answer with little or no pressure. Emails between employees should be kept in a strictly business mode. Employees that email jokes on a continuous basis are not concentrating on their goals or their job duties.

Emails are also an excellent way to communicate with your clients or customers. This gives your client/customer an opportunity to respond in their time, without disturbing their workday. Of course, this only works when your clients/customers actually read their emails on a regular basis.

Instant messaging is another form of communication in the workplace. If your employee is getting up out of their chair continually to go to another employees' desk for a question, it is wasting your dollar. Most questions can be answered through instant messaging. Any question that requires detailed explanations should be asked through email.

Cellphones in the workplace should be discouraged. Personal calls are on the up-rise with so many people owning cellphones. Additionally, it is really hard to monitor employees that may be abusing privileges of allowing cellphones to be on at work.

In my particular business I try and operate the honor system. I assume if the work is getting done in a timely manner, then my employees are not abusing their privileges. Unfortunately, this is not always the case. Even the best employees sometimes abuse their privileges.