Verbal communication plays a vital role in effective workplace management. However, it takes skill and knowledge to engage in successful verbal communication. Because people use and understand words in different ways, the meaning you intend can sometimes fail to reach your audience. Potential consequences of this include delays or failures in work projects, as well as stress and low morale among employees.

Effective communication lies at the heart of a thriving organization. From one-on-one conversations with co-workers to general announcements and company updates, it’s safe to say that communication keeps the workplace going. Over time, the dynamics of workplace communication have evolved. Employees from diverse backgrounds want to be recognized and acknowledged. That’s why there’s presently a due emphasis on inclusion in workplace communication.

Workplace communications can be fraught with difficulties. Office politics, personality clashes, and other factors can mean that communications can sometimes break down. When communication breaks down, it can have negative effects on productivity and efficiency for teams and the business as a whole. What can you do to avoid potential issues? How do you ensure that communications remain as positive as possible and that staff remain on good terms and work towards common goals?

Among the various methods of communication in the workplace, emails play a pivotal role in keeping members of your organization and teams informed on important updates. That’s why the ability to convey messages effectively through emails is a valuable skill. For one, effective workplace communication is the cornerstone for collaboration, clarity, and cohesive team dynamics.

Good communication skills are NOT the same as people’s skills. Sometimes, these two types of skills don’t go hand in hand. An employee might be able to express their ideas and opinions clearly and properly but still fail to form connections with colleagues. No matter how brilliant this employee might be, the lack of interpersonal skills can stunt their growth. Worse, failure to communicate within the workplace can also impact business growth and may cause imposter syndrome among employees.

Communication is a powerful lever for building understanding, trust, and collaboration among individuals from different backgrounds.

This article was originally published on Jan. 19, 2021, and was updated on Nov. 21, 2023. As an internal communicator, you know the value internal comms brings to the table. But can you prove that value to decision makers in your organization — the folks who hold the budget for IC software, tools and services like a modern intranet?

There was a time when transportation technology focussed almost solely on speed. Bullet trains and Concorde airplanes were the high standards of travel innovation, and the notion that faster was better reigned supreme. Nowadays, new goals are taking precedence in the transportation sector. Accessibility, sustainability, and efficiency are hot topics, while journey planning, tracking, safety, and security sit high on the priority list for both operators and consumers.

Change management is a scary topic — especially when it involves transforming culture. But, you shouldn’t shy away from opportunities to champion change within your organization. We recently had the opportunity to discuss transforming culture with Brian Brockman, VP of Communications for US and Canada at Nissan. In the interview, we unpack several interesting topics and lessons Brian learned while working on the Nissan Next initiative.

It’s no secret that the cornerstone of good business practices and processes lies in effective interdisciplinary communication. You want employees from different departments and with varied levels of expertise and experience to be able to engage with one another on a level playing field, rather than there being an imbalance in every interaction.