Why clear communication is more important than ever

We don’t often pause to think about communication, but we should. With text, social media, WhatsApp, email, messaging platforms, alongside verbal and non-verbal communication, there are so many ways to communicate that it can sometimes be too much.

When it comes to communication in the workplace it gets even trickier. We need to balance communication preferences with real life situations while being mindful of how we’re coming across. It might sound like too much, but it goes to show that in modern society and in modern workplaces, communication is more important now than ever.

Communication basics

Most CVs / resumes include good communication skills, we consider it a basic ability we all have. However, the truth is that not everyone does communicate well, or what some people class as good communication isn’t what others class as good communication.

Communication is at the heart of being human. It’s how we interact, it’s how we exchange information and ideas and it’s how we connect. Those skills are all vitally important in every aspect of life, including the workplace.

There’s more to communication than the words we use though. In fact, only 7% of meaning is communicated through words, our tone of voice and intonation comprises 38% and body language 55%. For anyone who’s serious about improving their communication skills it’s key to look at every aspect, verbal, non-verbal including body language, written and also visual.

Great communication is the key to a productive and engaged workforce.McKinsey found that well-connected teams were 25% more productive than their less communicative counterparts. In fact, miscommunication cancost businesses around $12,506 per employee per year. Not only that but 20% of businesses have experienced poor communication which ultimately damaged their brand.

Can you afford to ignore your communication skills - or those of your employees?

Hybrid working and communication

The disruptor to many of our common workplace communication skills is the uptake of remote and hybrid working. When everyone was in the same place it was easy to communicate. Huddles, meetings, chit chat in the office, we didn’t have to think about how we made sure everyone was informed.

With employees based in dual locations or working remotely, communication becomes more of a challenge. We have to be intentional, seeking out opportunities to keep in touch. It also means we need to overcommunicate. No longer can we assume that people know things, we have to go out of our way to guarantee the message has been received and understood.

For fully-remote employees, particularly those early in their career, open, frequent communication is essential to their engagement.70% of employers report difficulties communicating with employees while working from home, particularly when it comes to spontaneous communication.

Regular calls, using video rather than chat, informal interactions, virtual co-working are all ways that we can build in more communication opportunities without the feeling that you’re disrupting someone.

Communication challenges don’t just disappear when an employee works in a hybrid way. In fact, there’s sometimes more opportunity for oversight when your team’s days in the office don’t co-ordinate, or an assumption that a message has been passed on.

Overcommunication, while it might feel over the top or forced, is necessary to build those channels with your team and colleagues, both to pass on knowledge and updates but also so they feel comfortable getting in touch when they need something.

The impact of leadership styles

Everyone has different communication styles and preferences. Some are fan of direct, verbal communication, whilst others prefer written communication which allows them time to think and reflect before responding. Part of the challenge of being a leader is being able to identify, and flex your style to suit every individual.

It might seem counter-intuitive but as we’ve already seen, teams with the best communication are the best performers.

The first step can be as simple as asking team members how they prefer to be communicated with, and to put that into practice. There does need to be a balance between their preferences and business needs. For example, if a remote worker only wants to communicate via email and messaging, in the long run that’s going to cause problems.

In these instances, again it comes down to clear communication about preferences and what’s possible, while still showing empathy and a willingness to try.

There are certain leadership styles which better support open communication. Authentic, mindful leadership truly encourages open communication whereas more traditional styles of leadership discourage colleagues from expressing their thoughts and feelings.

Positive and negative communication

Communication plays a major part in how we feel about our work. When something is communicated well, or we have positive communication, it bolsters our mood. The impact of negative communication can be detrimental to engagement levels and productivity.

Think about a restructure, for many employees it’s an unsettling time. The communication strategy around informing employees is just as important as the process itself. Leaders need to ensure the communication is clear, timely, delivered at the right time (Friday afternoon is not that time) and uses the correct method.

In 2022, P&O caused uproar when they made 800 members of staff redundant over a video call. The lack of sensitivity and foresight was damaging to their reputation.

When it comes to negative communication it doesn’t even have to be to that extreme. Crossed arms, yawning, fidgeting, lack of eye contact can all lead to a negative interaction, leaving the other person feeling as though they aren’t being valued.

Something as simple as unclear communication can also cause negative feelings leaving people with unclear expectations or feeling unable to ask questions. It’s this lack of communication, or extremely poor communication which can cause so many issues between employers and employees or between peers.

Unclear communication leads to people making assumptions, and assumptions are never a good thing.

Tips to improve communication

Communication is a skill we should all be striving to improve. With new technologies, communication needs to adapt and we need to keep pace with this change.

The best place to start is by looking at the 7 Cs of communication and ensuring you're applying them as best you can.

Clarity- your main message is clear and easy to understand
Concise
- your delivery is straight to the point and doesn’t get lost in waffle
Concreteness- what you’re saying is (to the best of your knowledge) correct and based on facts and examples
Correctness
- it’s delivered in the most appropriate way and free from errors
Coherence
- you’re making sense to your audience and communicating in a logical manner
Completeness
- you’re communicating everything that person needs in one go
Courtesy
- you’re being friendly and polite and talking to the other person as you’d want to be spoken to

When it comes to communication there are no hard and fast rules. We all have different preferences, and every situation demands a different approach.

That doesn’t mean we should gloss over its importance. In this age of technology and remote working, communication is more important than ever and not just any old communication. Clear, concise, relevant, thoughtful communication.

We shouldn’t take its importance for granted but also its difficulty in getting right. That’s why we need to be striving for continual improvement and being aware of the impact we’re making on others via our communication.