Picture this: Sarah, a project manager, sends an email about deadline changes. Half her team thinks it's a suggestion. The other half panics about an impossible timeline. Sound familiar?
You're not alone. Poor communication skills at work lead to chaos, kill productivity, and frustrate everyone involved. But here's the thing – it doesn't have to be this way.
According to Towers Watson research, organizations with effective internal communication strategies are 3.5 times more likely to outperform their peers. Yet most workplaces struggle with basic communication fundamentals.
Whether you're leading a team or contributing as an individual, developing communication skills isn't just nice to have – it's essential for career success and organizational effectiveness.
It's also a powerful lever for engagement: employees who feel informed and heard are 4.5 times more likely to be engaged at work – a key factor that drives 23% higher profitability and significantly better retention, according to Gallup.
Ready to close the gap between what you meant to say and what actually lands? Here's how to improve communication skills in the workplace.
Start With Core Workplace Communication Skills
Building strong communication skills starts with self-awareness. You need to understand your current habits before you can improve them.
Master Active Listening First
Be honest: How often do you think of your response as you listen to someone talking? It's a common habit. But it doesn't encourage active listening.
Gallup's research shows that 70% of team engagement is attributable to the manager. When leaders listen actively, they create stronger connections and more engaged teams.
Active listening involves fully concentrating on what's being said rather than passively hearing words. This isn't about staying quiet while someone talks. It's about genuinely engaging with their message. And it cultivates a positive work environment.
Here's how to practice it:
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Focus entirely on the speaker without planning your response
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Ask clarifying questions to ensure understanding
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Provide feedback through nodding or summarizing what you've heard
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Avoid interrupting, even when you disagree
Expand Your Emotional Intelligence
Emotional intelligence enhances your ability to communicate effectively and build stronger relationships. It involves understanding and managing your own emotions while recognizing others' feelings.
Start by observing emotional cues during conversations. Notice when someone's tone shifts or their body language changes. These signals often reveal more than spoken words.
Practice empathy by considering others' perspectives before responding. Ask yourself: "What might they be feeling right now?" This simple shift transforms how you approach difficult conversations.
Engage in Storytelling
Facts inform, but stories stick. Whether you're leading a meeting, pitching an idea, or giving feedback, storytelling helps your message land in a more human, relatable way.
We’re wired to respond to narratives – it’s how we make sense of information and connect emotionally. A well-placed story can bring abstract ideas to life, build empathy, and drive action.
You don’t need to be a natural storyteller to use this skill at work. Start simple: share real examples, talk about lessons learned, and don’t shy away from personal experiences when they help make a point.
When you ground your message in something real, people remember it – and they’re far more likely to engage with it.
Master Both Verbal and Non-Verbal Communication Cues
Your words matter, but they're only part of the story. In fact, studies show that nonverbal cues account for about 60% of the meaning we derive in face-to-face conversations.
Understand Body Language
Leaders must be especially adept at reading nonverbal cues. For example, an employee may show discomfort by crossing their arms or avoiding eye contact in a meeting.
Meanwhile, your own nonverbal signals must support your message to avoid confusion. Don't talk about your optimistic vision for the future with a concerned look on your face, for instance .
As a leader, using positive body language helps make your team feel comfortable. It conveys confidence and openness.
Positive body language includes:
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Maintaining appropriate eye contact
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Using open gestures instead of crossed arms
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Matching your facial expressions to your message
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Standing or sitting with a confident posture
Align Your Tone with Your Message
Tone includes volume, projection, and intonation as well as word choice. Misaligned tone can undermine your message completely.
Imagine saying "Great job on the project" with a flat, disinterested voice. The words are positive, but the tone suggests otherwise. Your team will believe the tone over the words every time.
Practice varying your tone to match your content. Enthusiasm should sound enthusiastic. Serious topics deserve serious delivery. This alignment builds trust and clarity.
Level Up Your Written Communication Skills
In digital communication, clarity matters more than ever. Without tone of voice or body language, it’s up to our words to carry the full message.
And we’re relying on them a lot: According to a McKinsey Global Institute report, employees spend nearly 28% of the workweek just managing email. That’s plenty of opportunities to misunderstand each other.
Writing well at work doesn’t mean sounding polished or academic – but it does mean being intentional.
Organize Your Thoughts Before Writing
Clear and concise communication helps prevent confusion and ensures your message is understood. Before hitting send, ask yourself:
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What's my main point?
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What action do I want the reader to take?
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Have I provided enough context?
Tailor Your Communication Style
Adapting your communication style to fit the context makes your messages more effective and relevant. A quick Slack message differs from a formal project proposal. Match your tone and structure to the situation.
For urgent matters, lead with the key information. For complex topics, provide background first. Always consider your audience's knowledge level and time constraints.
Create a Positive Organizational Culture Through Communication
Effective workplace communication creates psychological safety where team members feel comfortable speaking up, asking questions, and sharing ideas.
Build Safe Spaces for Dialogue
Creating safe spaces for communication leads to more honest and productive discussions. When people trust they won't be criticized for speaking up, they share valuable insights and concerns.
According to HR Brew research, organizations that prioritize internal communication see improved employee satisfaction and retention. Teams perform better when everyone feels heard.
Start team meetings by explicitly welcoming questions and different perspectives. Respond to challenges with curiosity rather than defensiveness. This approach encourages ongoing dialogue.
Foster Open Communication Channels
Good communication keeps everyone working toward company goals and prevents misunderstandings that create frustration among employees. Establish multiple ways for information to flow – both up and down the organizational hierarchy.
Regular team meetings enhance communication and collaboration. But don't limit communication to formal settings. Encourage informal check-ins and create opportunities for cross-team interaction.
Focus On Giving and Seeking Regular Feedback
Regular feedback transforms workplace relationships and drives performance improvement. Harvard Business Review reveals that leaders who are in the top 10% when it comes to giving candid feedback foster teams in the top 23% in terms of engagement. Yet many organizations still rely on annual reviews that arrive too late to be useful.
Make Feedback Frequent and Specific
According to Gallup, workers are 3.6 times more likely to be motivated to do outstanding work when they receive daily feedback from their manager versus annual feedback. This isn't about micromanaging – it's about providing timely guidance and recognition.
Effective feedback is:
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Specific about behaviors and outcomes
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Timely, given soon after the observed behavior
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Focused on actions rather than personality
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Balanced between recognition and improvement areas
Seek Feedback on Your Own Communication
Invite constructive feedback from colleagues on your communication to understand areas for improvement. Ask specific questions like "Was my explanation clear?" or "Did I provide enough context for that decision?"
This creates a two-way feedback culture where everyone commits to better communication. Plus, modelling feedback-seeking behavior encourages others to do the same.
Adapt Communication Skills to Remote and Hybrid Work
Remote and hybrid work arrangements require intentional communication strategies. Without casual hallway conversations, teams must be more deliberate about staying connected.
Adapt to Virtual Communication Tools
Video calls demand different skills than in-person meetings. Make eye contact with the camera, not the screen. Use clear audio and minimize distractions. Share your screen thoughtfully to keep participants engaged.
Written communication becomes even more important in remote settings. Follow up verbal discussions with written summaries to ensure everyone has the same understanding.
Agree on Communication Expectations
Teams need clear agreements about response times, preferred channels for different types of communication, and meeting etiquette. These expectations reduce misunderstandings and improve efficiency.
Create Space for Informal Connection
Remote work often strips away the small, casual moments that naturally build trust. But those interactions still matter. Carve out space for them on purpose. A few minutes of informal chat at the start of a meeting, a Slack channel for non-work topics, or a quick check-in that’s not tied to a task.
These light-touch connections help people feel seen, supported, and part of something bigger – even from a distance.
Create Better Collaboration Through Communication
Good communication skills build the foundation for effective teamwork. When people understand each other clearly, they can focus on solving problems rather than decoding messages.
Address Workplace Challenges Proactively
Many workplace challenges stem from communication breakdowns. Someone feels unheard, misunderstood, or excluded from important decisions. Proactive communication prevents these issues.
Regular team check-ins create opportunities to address small problems before they become major conflicts. Ask open-ended questions about workload, priorities, and team dynamics.
Recognize Good Communication
When team members communicate well, acknowledge it publicly. This reinforces positive behaviors and shows others what effective communication looks like in practice.
Consider how communication skills factor into performance reviews and employee lifecycle discussions. Making communication a visible priority encourages everyone to improve.
Your Workplace Communication Strategy In Six Steps
Ready to transform your non-verbal and verbal communication skills? Start with these concrete steps:
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Practice active listening in your next three conversations – Focus completely on understanding rather than responding
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Ask for specific feedback on your communication style from a trusted colleague
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Record yourself speaking (phone meetings work) and listen for filler words, tone, and clarity
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Write clearer emails by stating your main point in the first sentence
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Schedule regular check-ins with your team to maintain open communication channels
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Regularly reflect on your communication experiences to gain insights about things that are going well and areas of improvement.
Remember, communication improvement takes time and practice. Don't expect overnight changes, but do commit to consistent effort.
Make Communication Your Competitive Edge at Work
Effective communication isn't just a nice-to-have skill – it's the foundation of leadership, teamwork, and career advancement. Whether you're giving feedback, leading meetings, or collaborating on projects, your communication skills determine your success.
The strategies we've covered – active listening, emotional intelligence, clear writing, and regular feedback – work together to create better relationships and stronger results. But knowledge without action won't change anything.
Your next step: Choose one communication skill from this article and practice it this week. Start small, be consistent, and watch how better communication transforms your workplace relationships.
After all, in today's connected workplace, your ability to communicate effectively and connect authentically with others isn't just about getting work done – it's about creating the kind of workplace where everyone can thrive. Your words and cues create a more positive work environment, one moment at a time.
If you’re looking for a simple way to improve communication and engagement across your team, Applauz can help.
