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.
For businesses to thrive and for employees to grow, strong verbal communication abilities are essential in the workplace.
In this article, we’ll discuss both the importance of verbal communication and the areas of business where it’s needed most.
We’ll also look into common challenges you could be facing and how to overcome them quickly and effectively.
What is verbal communication?
According to Oxford Dictionary of Media and Communication verbal communication is “human interaction through the use of words or messages in linguistic form.”
By this definition, any time you use language to communicate, rather than sounds, gestures, or body language, you’re using verbal communication. This includes both spoken and written forms of communication that allow people to exchange thoughts, ideas, and information clearly and effectively. Verbal communication can take place in person, over the phone, or through digital platforms such as email, video calls, and messaging apps. Each medium can influence the tone, pace, and clarity of the message, making effective verbal communication crucial to fostering understanding and collaboration.
In the workplace, there are various types of verbal communication depending on who you’re interacting with and the method of synchronous communication you choose. For example, conversations with colleagues may rely more on informal communication, whereas conversations with clients or superiors often require formal communication for clarity and professionalism. The two main categories are informal and formal communication.
Types of verbal communication:
Informal verbal communication
- Conversing with another employee at your desk
- Talking about a work matter with a colleague on your lunch break
- Discussing light, everyday topics
These casual conversations play a crucial role in building relationships, fostering team spirit and facilitating the exchange of quick ideas or updates. They often lead to organic brainstorming and creative solutions that might not surface in more structured settings.
Formal verbal communication
- Talking to managers, stakeholders, clients, or third-party individuals
- Presenting during a scheduled meeting
In the workplace, the difference between formal and informal communication isn’t just about who you’re talking to. Setting, purpose, and preparation are also important factors.
If you’re in a scheduled meeting, that’s more formal than an impromptu meeting. And likewise, if your purpose is to announce important information that will affect multiple people at the company, that’s more formal than a relaxed discussion with a coworker about potential ways to move forward with a project.
You might assume that the most crucial information is always communicated through traditionally formal methods such as professionally written emails, but in reality, it’s not that simple.
For example, quick updates or last-minute changes are often made through a brief verbal exchange. In a busy working environment, you need to be ready to give or receive essential information in any form, so verbal communication skills are just as important as written communication skills. Being adaptable can save time and avoid misunderstandings, especially when decisions need to be made quickly.
To be a successful communicator, you need to be able to get your point across accurately and respectfully, whether you’re giving a formal presentation or chatting casually with colleagues on a Chanty channel. Verbal communication is about making connections and understanding your audience, regardless of the setting.
Advantages of verbal communication in building professional relationships
Successful verbal communication requires more than just accuracy and clarity; you also have to adjust your tone and word choices to suit your audience. No one can read your mind to understand your intent; they can only guess it based on the way you talk and act. So the main advantages of verbal communication help:
Save time
When you have a chance to talk directly to your teammate, department manager, or client, it significantly saves time. You can resolve any issue within minutes. This method is particularly effective in emergencies or when immediate feedback is required, preventing delays and ensuring everyone is on the same page.
Form connections
Effective verbal communication in the workplace helps employees get to know each other better and learn about each other’s interests and hobbies. Engaging in small talk or friendly exchanges can create a positive atmosphere and make people feel more comfortable and valued. It is a well-known fact that teams work effectively when they have friendly relationships as well as professional ones. A strong sense of camaraderie can lead to higher morale and lower staff turnover.
Clear misunderstandings
When the message is delivered verbally, there is less chance of misunderstanding and the recipient will get it right. In addition, the speaker can use non-verbal cues such as facial expressions and hand gestures to emphasize points, adding an extra layer of clarity that text-based communication may lack.
Boost team productivity
Developing a professional and respectful tone is essential to getting along with your team. Adapting your communication style to different personalities can further enhance collaboration by demonstrating a deeper understanding of your colleagues’ preferences. The way you communicate with your colleagues can evolve and change over time as you get to know each other better. If done right, it will increase teamwork and productivity.
Motivation
Effective verbal communication in the workplace inspires and motivates people to actively participate in speeches, presentations, or business meetings. Well-crafted words can energize teams, spark creativity, and encourage individuals to contribute ideas with confidence. This motivational boost often results in a more dynamic and engaged workforce.
Disadvantages of verbal communication
There are many disadvantages of verbal communication, some more difficult to spot and resolve than others. Here are some common causes:
Different communication styles
This refers to the individual ways in which different people choose and communicate their words. In some cases, people even have different ideas about what certain words and phrases mean, which can lead to significant misunderstandings. Tone, body language and listening skills can also come into play. For example, a person who prefers direct communication may clash with someone who uses more subtle or indirect language, adding to the confusion. Cultural differences can also play a role, as norms and expectations for verbal exchange vary according to region and social background.
Time pressure
Sometimes you or your colleagues don’t have time to sit down and explain something fully, making it difficult to understand each other. Urgent meetings or sudden changes can force teams to cut corners in their conversations, leaving out important details. This can be particularly problematic in high-stakes environments, where rushed communication increases the likelihood of mistakes or oversights.
Lack of effective downward communication
If a project lacks a strong leader, it can result in poor downward communication in the form of conflicting ideas and information or vague instructions. As these get passed down through managers and their teams, the clarity of information can decrease even further. Moreover, hierarchical barriers may discourage people from asking for clarification for fear of negative judgment from higher-ups.
Negative relationships with colleagues
Communicating effectively with people you don’t agree with on a professional or personal level can be a struggle. You may cut corners in your explanations to get the conversation over with, and your audience may assume bad intentions because of personal biases. Mistrust and past conflict can make it difficult for both parties to feel heard, leading to misinterpretation and tension. In extreme cases, unresolved disagreements can lead to a complete breakdown in communication.
Corporate culture
Delivering bad news, making difficult decisions, or implementing unpopular changes are tasks that many people shy away from in the workplace because of the potential impact on their reputation and career. As a result, important information can be communicated ineffectively through indirect or vague language. Fear of damaging workplace relationships often leads to a reluctance to have honest discussions, perpetuating a culture of avoidance.
Use of jargon
While it is fine to use highly specialised language when communicating with people on your team, it can cause problems when used with clients or colleagues who lack knowledge of your particular field. This can create barriers that make the audience feel excluded or confused, undermining collaborative efforts. Adapting language to the audience’s understanding is essential, but often overlooked in fast-paced environments.
Ineffective communication can have a serious impact on both productivity and morale. Studies have shown that when asked about the most significant impact of poor workplace communication in the workplace, 52% of people said it caused additional stress and 44% said it caused delays or failures in their work, resulting in imposter syndrome. These challenges can lead to burnout and reduce overall team effectiveness, highlighting the critical need for continuous improvement in communication practices.
Barriers to effective verbal communication
Communication problems can arise in any area or level of a company, for a whole host of different reasons. Individual employees, leadership, technology, and infrastructure can all become barriers to effective verbal communication, and multiple barriers can exist at the same time.
Here are some communication barriers you might encounter at work:
Language barriers: Because of remote work it’s becoming increasingly common to see employees from different countries working on the same teams. In the vast majority of cases, everyone will have at least one language in common, but that doesn’t mean everyone is fluent to the same degree.
Cultural barriers: People can approach work in very different ways depending on their culture. For example, phrases commonly used in a business setting in one part of the world might be confusing or considered rude in another, causing nuance to be lost and misunderstandings to occur.
Individual skill: Everyone has to communicate as a part of their job, but only a handful of people receive professional communication training or are naturally highly skilled at it. Grammar mistakes, misused words, and run-on sentences are common among native and non-native speakers alike.
Ineffective leadership: If the leader of a project has poor communication skills, this problem will only compound as managers try to pass on confusing information or incomplete ideas to their teams.
Out-of-date technology: Companies with limited methods of communication won’t be able to work to their full potential. With remote work on the rise, teams need modern collaboration and workflow tools to stay in touch and work together effectively.
Inefficient infrastructure: Organizations can often be large and complex, with projects spanning multiple teams and departments. Without good company infrastructure, different teams won’t know who’s doing what or with whom they should be communicating.
Overcoming challenges in verbal communication
It may seem overly simple, but it’s incredibly important to keep your audience in mind when communicating. What do you know about their communication style? Are you covering any topics that they might lack previous knowledge of? Are you beginning the conversation on the same page?
While there are general best practices to follow when it comes to communication, the best course of action is heavily dependent on the situation at hand and the specific people involved.
However, a great way to overcome or prevent misunderstandings is to begin your conversations by confirming the current state of affairs and assessing the extent of your audience’s knowledge on the topic you’re about to address. This may seem like extra work, but it can save you a lot of time in the long run.
Additionally, to keep discussions friendly and inclusive, it’s best to stay away from charged topics and language. This applies even if you believe no one currently present would be offended.
It’s also important to make sure individuals don’t feel like they’re being targeted or ambushed during discussions, so avoid accusatory language.
6 steps to improve verbal communication in the workplace
Want to improve your verbal communication skills immediately? There are a lot of areas you can start working on right away. Below are some quick tips to help you communicate effectively:
Practice your active listening
Active listening is a crucial part of verbal communication. If you notice that you often cut people off while they’re talking or that your voice is usually heard more during a conversation than the voice of the person you’re speaking with, try to step back and give others the chance to get their point across.
When someone takes the time and effort to try and communicate with you, it’s essential for you to give them your full attention and approach their ideas with an open mind. This will contribute to both improved relationships with your colleagues and more effective teamwork.
Be aware of your body language
Bad body language habits like tapping your foot, crossing your arms, checking your watch, or looking around excessively can impede effective verbal communication. It can make the person on the other side of the conversation feel rushed, disrespected, and ignored.
Work on keeping your body language open and neutral so you don’t inadvertently give off any warning signs that make others feel uncomfortable.
Use your other soft skills
Several hard skills, like report writing and Excel play an important role in workplace communication. However, to deliver the information contained in reports and spreadsheets, especially to a lay audience, you need to use your soft skills.
A few examples of soft skills that will take your verbal communication to the next level are:
- Empathy
- Flexibility
- Curiosity
- Questioning
- Cultural sensitivity
- Humor
- Patience
Your company might provide communication training or agree to send you on a course, or you could join Toastmasters to elevate your verbal communication skills.
Choose the right communication method
There are a significant number of different verbal communication methods in the workplace. Here are just a few:
- Collaboration tools (such as Chanty)
- Video conferencing
- Face-to-face meetings
- Presentations
- One-on-one conversations
- Group discussions
- Pre-recorded videos
The most appropriate method for your situation can sometimes be obvious, but at other times it might not be. When you’re struggling to make a decision, there are a number of factors you can consider to help you narrow down your options.
For example, urgent or complex matters are often better-handled face-to-face or over a video call. If you’re training a new hire, however, a pre-recorded video could be a useful complement to in-person conversations because they can view it multiple times.
And finally, a simple question can be sent using a business communication app. This type of software can help you cut down on inefficient meetings and communicate more concisely.
Be clear and concise
When talking to colleagues, customers, or business partners, make sure your main point is clear. If you surround it with too much fluff or irrelevant information, listeners may lose track. This is especially important if the audience isn’t prepared and aware of what the conversation will be about.
Keeping this in mind during face-to-face conversations is also essential because the longer you talk, the more of your audience’s time you use up. It’s almost a guarantee that they have other things they need to do, so they might become impatient and lose focus.
Be mindful of your tone
Your tone should always be respectful and indicate that you’re open-minded and interested in hearing what the other party has to say. Show your audience that you’re listening to what they’re saying and giving it thought rather than making snap judgments or dismissing their ideas.
Key takeaways on verbal communication
Well-developed verbal communication skills are an asset in almost any job or industry, but mastering communication is no easy task. In particular, verbal communication in the workplace requires constant awareness of how messages are delivered and received. To succeed, you need to ensure that you are clear, concise, and accurate in the information you communicate and that you are receptive, aware, and respectful of your audience. This balance helps to create an environment where communication is not only effective but also contributes to a positive workplace culture.
It is also important to be aware of the needs and preferences of people with whom you communicate frequently. For example, if you continue to speak quickly with employees who speak English as a second or third language, be mindful of your speaking speed. If they’ve asked you repeatedly to slow down, they’re likely to feel disrespected and ignored. Simple adjustments like these not only help to avoid misunderstandings but also promote inclusivity and respect. Such small actions contribute to a supportive environment and reinforce that effective verbal communication in the workplace is essential for cohesive team dynamics and employee engagement.
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