6 Ways to Improve Your Communication Skills at Work

Whether you want to be in business, human services, healthcare or any other field, good communication skills can help you succeed. How you interact with others matters, whether that interaction occurs in person, on the phone, via email or through other channels.

From traditional communication roles to leadership and service-oriented positions in IT — and everything in between — upskilling your abilities can make a real difference. In fact, Fast Company noted that soft skills like communication can help to "future-proof" your career in an increasingly automated world. 

The good news is that business communication skills are not innate; they can be learned. Whether you need to hone your presentation skills or beef up your written communications, there are steps you can take to immediately strengthen these skills to stand out in the workplace, said Dr. Karen Wilkinson, an associate dean of communication programs at Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU) with over three decades of experience in communication, marketing and training.

 

Learn How to Listen

Most people underestimate the role of nonverbal communication or body language. According to a study by Ubiquity, body language is responsible for 55% of how listeners perceive a speaker. Likewise, active listening plays a huge role in how well we understand and absorb what a person is saying, Wilkinson said.

It’s important not only to listen to the words someone is saying, but to listen for tone as well, and what makes the speaker passionate about the subject.

“So often we listen to respond,” she said. “If we take a more active role, we will be much better listeners.”

Matt E. Stevens, MMC, a communication adjunct at SNHU, agreed. "Successful active listening means to listen for understanding," he said. When you engage in active listening, you're able to paraphrase or summarize the message, develop thoughtful questions to seek clarification and wait before you offer an opinion.

"Active listening requires us to put down our guard of judgment and the need to be correct," Stevens said. "Sometimes we learn more when we offer people the professional environment to truly share their feelings and teach us."

Wilkinson also urged listeners to spend a few minutes absorbing a message before offering suggestions or asking questions. “It’s okay to say, 'Let me think about it for a minute and get back to you.'” she said.

Practice Public Speaking 

In a world of email, texts and instant messages, it’s easy to ignore your speaking skills until you are in front of a podium. However, employees need to know how to speak well person-to-person and in front of small or large groups.

Part of improving that skill is practice, Wilkinson said, knowing what you are going to say, preparing how you’ll say it and eliminating things that distract the listener from the main points. When presenting, Wilkinson said it’s best to tell a story and take the audience on the journey with you.

“People are able to remember a short story much more quickly than bullet points on a slide,” she said. “If you can make them an active participant it helps captivate the audience and draws them in.”

While visuals complement a good presentation, Wilkinson urged presenters not to rely on slides. Practicing in front of a trusted peer is a great way to get feedback, she said. “One person can’t always think of everything, and we need to be more open to receiving suggestions,” said Wilkinson.

To help get you started, Stevens recommended looking toward local organizations and social media. 

"Apps such as Meetup can connect you with local groups to practice public speaking and language skills on a regular basis (think Toastmasters, etc.)," he said. "YouTube is another great resource to get practice tips on writing, presentation and media relations from professionals all over the world."

Read more: 4 Types of Communication Styles and How To Identify Them

Write More Effective Emails

According to Statista, people in the United States send a total of 9.7 billion emails per day. Poorly written, unclear, misleading or ineffective emails reduce productivity and can leave a poor impression on the reader.

Remember:

• Think before you hit send.
• Understand that spellcheck doesn’t always pick up mistakes.
• Learn how to proofread what you write. 

Wilkinson said all these rules are important to think about each time you send an email. Oftentimes, employees are in a hurry to respond and neglect professionalism. According to Stevens, emails should be brief and informative, and shouldn't be written the same way as you speak.

“Share information with clarity but also include a level of diplomacy in all written internal communications,” Wilkinson said.

Equally important is understanding the situations that require you to speak to someone in person rather than relying on email.

“As a culture, we’ve learned to tweak before we send, and we’ve lost the art of face-to-face conversation,” she said.

Make Phone Calls With Confidence

Although a great deal of communication now happens online, being confident while speaking on the phone is still a vital professional skill. 

The person on the other end of the telephone can’t see your expression or read an emoji, which is why it’s so important to pay attention to your tone of voice, Wilkinson said. Whether you are speaking with a customer or a colleague, you should show respect and courtesy in the tone of your voice, she said.

“A lot of (telephone) coaching can come through an organization, but you really need to know how to handle an impromptu call when someone is calling you about a less-than-positive situation,” she said. “You need to know how to remain calm and let the caller know you are listening and that you care.”

Wilkinson said callers especially want to be able to tell their story to those working in customer service or public relations roles, and it is up to listeners on the receiving end to understand their plight and take appropriate action.

“This is where conflict management skills shine through — having a strategy in place to respond when someone is upset is a huge part of communication brand protection in a world in which customers can broadcast unpleasant customer service experiences through social media,” Wilkinson said.

Collaborate Well With Remote Teams 

Chances are, not everyone on your team sits in cubicles adjacent to you. According to Forbes, 58% of the workforce was working remotely as of 2022, with workers spending an average of 20 hours per week using tools for digital communication. That means employees must develop communication skills that can help them bridge the gap between on-site and remote workers. Wilkinson said the ability to work in teams is one skill that can’t be overemphasized, as it is rare for individuals to work in a vacuum.

“When you work with someone remotely, there can be a disconnect. That is where compassion and empathy come in," she said. "If you can engage with people at all levels, that’s a strong asset.”

Stevens said that overcommunicating to an extent may be necessary for working remotely. "Remember that people are not in the same physical space and can make unwarranted assumptions about productivity and intent," he said. "Be upfront with your entire team and management about the expected communications structure and deadlines. Be reasonably accessible, as defined by your leader(s)."

He also recommended keeping a personal note of tasks you have completed to best communicate to your leaders you are dependable and successful at working remotely.

Master the Right Applications 

Most employees are expected to come to work with, at minimum, a proficiency in Microsoft Office programs, Wilkinson said. Understanding how to create presentations, documents and infographics is critical to successfully creating, editing and displaying messages, she said. It’s also important for employees to be able to share and manage files with their teammates.

“In our classes, we prepare students and teach them how to use these tools, so once they hit the job market, they are really able to soar,” she said.

It's not uncommon for employees in today's communication jobs to wear many hats — from writer to social media strategist to designer, for example.

“A communicator has his or her fingers in every pot. You are going to need to know how to create a graphic, respond to a crisis, write a blog, or create a web page,” she said. “Communication is tied to technology, and technology is ever-evolving.”

No matter what field you work in, mastering these critical communication skills and becoming confident with new media of all types will help you stand out in the office.

How Can You Improve Your Communication Skills?

If you are looking for ways to improve your communication skills today, Stevens recommended practicing your individual speech and writing skills. He said that includes talking to yourself and writing repeatedly.

While it might seem weird that no one can see or hear your practice, Stevens said it still has its benefits. "Solo rehearsing allows a person the safe space needed to make mistakes, add inflictions, work on misspellings and fine-tune the messaging," he said. And, according to Stevens, the best public speakers and writers have thousands of hours of practice that no one ever sees.

He also noted the importance of being open to feedback, seeking growth opportunities and trying to find the human element in what you're saying and writing.

"Good communication is not a static thing that you either have or do not have," Stevens said. "It can be learned, improved and modified where needed. Stay in the habit of perfecting your communication skills."

Krysten Godfrey Maddocks ’11G is a writer who covers K-12 and higher education topics, including policy and the role of digital technology in education. She spent almost a decade working in various marketing roles at an educational assessment company before launching a strategic marketing company. Maddocks earned a master's degree in marketing from Southern New Hampshire University and a bachelor's degree in English/ journalism from the University of New Hampshire. Connect with her on LinkedIn.