Essential Workplace Communication Skills and Tools for Teams

Communication problems can happen in the smoothest-running and tightest-knit teams. Because everyone has a unique personality, history of experiences, and set of subconscious beliefs that shape their understandings and interpretations.

The right communication skills and tools can help teams communicate more clearly and accurately. Learning these skills is important because effective communication can improve how well teams collaborate, innovate, resolve conflict, and trust one another.

Your team can begin improving their workplace communication skills by understanding:

• The fundamentals of effective workplace communication
• Types of workplace communication
• Essential communication tools for thriving teams
• How you can improve workplace communication
• Conflict resolution and problem-solving through effective communication

The fundamentals of effective workplace communication

Workplace communication occurs whenever you’re exchanging information at work. This includes 1:1 video calls, messages on Slack, and face-to-face brainstorming meetings. Although the skills used to talk to colleagues face-to-face may differ slightly from when they’re on a computer screen, these fundamental skills can foster effective workplace communication in person and virtually.

Active listening

Active listening is essential for effective workplace communication. The skill requires giving someone your full attention when they’re speaking. The goal of active listening is to understand the other person’s perspective. Standard practices like not interrupting, putting away your phone, and repeating what they say to show you’re listening are good habits, but they’re not active listening.

In active listening, you’re not a passive sponge absorbing the other person’s words. You must be a “trampoline” listener, according to leadership consultants Jack Zenger and Joseph Folkman. They found the most effective listening style is an active, noncompetitive, two-way interaction giving the speaker’s thoughts height, acceleration, energy, and amplification.

In this video, Amy Gallo, author of “Getting Along: How to Work with Anyone (Even Difficult People),” offers tips on how to be an active listener, trampoline style.

Empathy and understanding

Empathy builds understanding, trust, and rapport between team members. When you communicate with empathy, you’re trying to understand a situation from the other person’s perspective, so that they feel heard and seen.

Confusing empathy with sympathy is easy to do, but they’re different. “Empathy fuels connection. Sympathy drives disconnection,” says vulnerability and leadership expert Professor Brené Brown. When someone shares something difficult, sympathizers try to make things better.

For example, if someone is nervous about giving a presentation, a sympathizer says, “You’ll be fine,” or “Presenting is a big honor, you should be glad you get to do it.” An empathizer says, “I can imagine how nerve-wracking it must be. What are you most worried about?”

Related: Empathy in Leadership: Key Traits of Effective Leaders

Clarity and conciseness

A critical skill for effective workplace communication is being concise. Whether you’re sending an email, crafting slides for a presentation, or giving feedback, being concise reduces miscommunication, saves team members’ time, and may increase their motivation. Mastering brevity and clarity also creates a more pleasant work environment because team members aren’t wasting time asking follow-up questions, taking the wrong action, or waiting for more clarification.

Jane Rosenzweig, Director of the Harvard Writing Center, offers these tips on how to write concisely:

• Delete words that don’t add anything to your sentence
• Cut the overlap
• Don’t tell us what you’re going to do in a sentence; just do it

Asking effective questions

In most situations, you’ll have to ask a combination of closed- and open-ended questions to understand an issue fully. Closed-ended questions can be answered with single-word answers, such as "yes" or "no." They’re helpful when you need a very specific answer, like in surveys where you’re gathering data using multiple-choice questions.

Open-ended questions invite longer conversations to gather more information. This type of question starts with "why," "how," and "what if?" They’re ideal when one-word answers aren’t enough, like in customer meetings, 1:1 meetings, and when getting to the root cause of a problem.

Ask open-ended questions to get someone’s true feelings and thoughts. But if you fire off a bunch of questions, you could make the person so uncomfortable that they can’t answer you fully. According to leadership coach Kara Ronin, there are three stages to asking really good questions. This video explains what they are and how to use them.

Providing and receiving feedback

You’re always giving and receiving feedback, even when you’re not trying to. “In fact, feedback is around us all the time,” wrote Bob Dignen in a Cambridge University article. “Every time we speak or listen to another person, in our tone of voice, in the words we use, in the silences which we allow, we communicate feedback.”

Many people feel defensive when receiving feedback as it’s often associated with, “Let me tell you what you did wrong.” But knowing how to receive feedback—so that you gain what benefits you and discard what doesn’t—can help you build fulfilling professional and personal lives. Cameron Conaway, Head of Growth Marketing at Cisco, follows these 6 P’s for processing feedback better:

• Poise: Receive feedback with neutrality to avoid reacting emotionally
• Process: Take time to metabolize the feedback
• Positionality: Understand the motives and intent of the feedback provider
• Percolate: Run the feedback through a decision tree
• Proceed: Implement feedback gradually, using the "drip" approach
• Perspective: Seek input from respected colleagues

As important, learning how to give constructive feedback can help you motivate team members and help them grow. Murali Nethi, CEO of SnapBlooms, offers these tips:

• Specificity:  Call out concrete examples of what the person did well or poorly
• Timeliness: Avoid misunderstandings by giving feedback within a day or two of an event or interaction
• Relevance: Don’t get personal; stick to professional issues that can be improved through feedback
• Empathy: Show genuine care and concern for the other person

Types of workplace communication

In addition to phone calls and meeting face-to-face, tech advances and remote work have brought about new forms of workplace communication. Here’s a quick glance of popular ways to communicate by category.

Interpersonal communication

One-on-one conversations

1:1 meetings can happen anytime two people meet, such as when discussing a project or troubleshooting an issue. When a 1:1 involves an employee and manager, keep the meeting professional but flexible. Have an agenda to talk about critical issues, and give employees time to discuss what they feel is important.

Small group discussions

Small group work or breakout sessions can be more engaging and educational than large meetings. Be sure to create an inclusive environment by using balanced language, making time for feedback and collaboration, and ensuring virtual team members feel heard.

Technological communication

Email and instant messaging

Email and instant messaging provide a near immediate way to reach out to colleagues and customers to ask a question or share information. They usually use more casual language and are much shorter than a written letter or report, but you can reduce the risk of misunderstanding by giving context when discussing a specific topic. Other good communication habits include using bullets to break up copy and refraining from abbreviations and emoticons that aren’t in the company’s standard practice or could be misconstrued by the receiver.

Video conferences and online meetings

With the popularity of remote work, many computer-bound people have had plenty of calls through video platforms like Zoom. However, there are a few common habits people engage in that could communicate the wrong message. For example, if you have your camera on and you’re using multiple screens, looking at the monitor without the camera looks like you’re not engaged, whether you’re speaking or listening. Check out this video for more tips:

Organizational communication

Departmental updates

Departmental meetings are used to discuss things like new initiatives, project updates, and news like employee anniversaries. Respect people’s time, and potentially increase engagement, by talking about topics that are of interest to everyone if possible.

Company-wide announcements

Company-wide communications can be done in various ways including through an email, newsletter, or All-Hands meeting. Consider using a template to keep announcements clear and concise. It’s helpful to use an upside-down triangle method where the most important information appears in the first sentence or two, followed by details.

External communication

Client and customer interaction

Customer communication is when a business shares information with its customers, such as special offers, service changes, and billing notices. Most companies offer several ways to communicate so that it’s convenient for the customer. These include email, phone, live chat, online portals, and social media. When communicating online using pre-written templates, try to send them out at the pace a human talks, so you don’t slam the customer with too much at once.

Dive deeper: AI in Customer Service: How It’s Used, With Examples

Public relations and media communication

Public relations communication strategically manages information shared between the business and its target audience to achieve a specific goal. The goal may be to shape opinions, promote the business’s values, or improve its brand image. Maintain control of the narrative by being prepared for potential questions or challenges from journalists and have carefully planned responses.

Nonverbal communication

Body language

Body language is the way you use movement to communicate your thoughts and emotions without words. This includes your facial expressions, tone of voice, eye movements, and even where you sit at a conference table. Minding your body language is important because more than half (55%) of the information you convey in a face-to-face conversation is nonverbal. So how someone understands what you’re saying is heavily influenced by how you’re saying it.

If you work in a diverse team, you may want to familiarize yourself with the body language of different cultures. Doing so can help avoid misunderstandings as this video shows.

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Visual aids and graphics

Sometimes, you can convey a lot more information in less time and with greater clarity by showing a graphic. Graphic and visual aids are images that can take several forms including a photograph, video, chart, or 3D model. There’s a saying that a picture is worth a thousand words, but make sure your graphic says the right words. Consider trying out a graphic for clarity and comprehension with a test audience before using it.

If graphics aren’t your strong point, you can contract an independent design creative for help making impactful visual aids.

Related: 19 Best Data Visualization Tools for Storytelling in 2023

Essential communication tools for thriving teams

Efficient communication tools streamline content creation, project management, and resource sharing for onsite and remote teams. As in most collaboration tools, communication tools are often web-based apps that enable team members to work together efficiently whether they’re in the same room or across the country.

Task management tools

Task management tools help teams keep all of the tasks within a project organized, set deadlines, track progress, and reset priorities. There’s a huge variety of tools to choose from. A Forbes article summarizes popular task management tools this way:

• monday.com: Best overall
• Airtable: Best for visual representation of tasks
• ClickUp: Best for budget-conscious businesses
• Todoist: Best for simple task management
• Teamwork: Best for managing remote teams
• Asana: Best for managing large teams
• Basecamp: Best for flat-fee pricing
• Wrike: Best for customizing an app for specific teams
• Trello: Best for beginners and new businesses
• Smartsheet: Best for spreadsheet users

Communication platforms

Communication platforms are digital tools that enable team members to efficiently share information and discuss ideas between groups and individuals. A few of the most common communication platforms for teams are:

• Email: Send and receive files and messages
• Slack: Instant messaging platform for real-time communication and file sharing
• Microsoft Teams: This communication and collaboration hub includes instant messaging, video conferencing, document sharing, and integration with other Microsoft Office tools
• Zoom: Video conferencing platform that enables high-quality audio and video meetings
• Google Workspace: This hub includes all of Google’s productivity, communication, and collaboration tools including document sharing, calendars, and video conferencing

File sharing and document collaboration tools

File sharing and documentation tools provide teams a way to securely upload, collaborate on files in real time, and access documents from anywhere. A few of the most popular file sharing and document collaboration tools include:

• Google Drive: Generous free storage plan that lets you invite anyone to your shared drive
• Dropbox: One of the oldest file sharing platforms
• Microsoft OneDrive: Easy to use, but most of the advanced features requires the Windows operating system
• iCloud Drive: Ideal for people who use a lot of Apple products
• WeTransfer: Easy to use and doesn’t require registration

How you can improve workplace communication

Stepping up your communication skills can help teams form stronger relationships that encourage them to work out differences, step up for one another, and be more open-minded when working together.

Emphasize open and clear communication

When people don’t have enough information about a situation, their fears and assumptions often fill in the blanks. In time, they begin to distrust the business and people around them as they question whether they’re hearing the truth, suspect a colleague’s motives, and wonder what important information is being held back from them. This makes for a negative workplace. But you can prevent this from happening by being open and transparent in your communication.

Here are a few ways you can encourage more open and clear communication between team members:

• Involve teams in decision-making through anonymous polls and brainstorming meetings
• Always follow up with employees who expressed a concern and tell them what you’re doing to resolve the issue, or why progress may be stalled
• Face difficult situations honestly and be willing to be vulnerable, so team members feel safe being vulnerable and honest too
• Always explain the “why” behind your decisions and offer opportunities for open discussion
• Provide regular and timely updates of projects, company news, and initiatives that may impact your team

Foster active listening

Active listening is when you are fully present listening to what a speaker is saying. You’re listening to understand the other person’s perspective, not passively hearing what you think they’re “trying to say” or waiting for a chance to interrupt.

Standard advice to demonstrate you’re a good listener is to repeat what a speaker said, but as author Simon Sinek says, that just shows your ears work. Watch this video to understand the art of listening versus the act of listening.

Encourage regular feedback

Most people shy away from difficult conversations, but creating a culture of sharing honest, critical feedback can strengthen teams rather than degrade them.  When done regularly and respectfully, constructive feedback can create stronger team bonds and more collaborative workers.

In building a healthy and productive feedback culture, you must have a process that encourages participation, is respectful, and creates psychological safety. If the business doesn’t have the internal resources to design a process and train your team to use it, consider contracting an independent training and development specialists for help.

Enhance digital communication skills

Using the right communication tools involves knowing which tool to use for what type of communication and situation—whether you’re working remotely or onsite. For instance, should you Slack or email? Should you Zoom or talk over the phone? According to remote work expert Tsedal Neeley, the right tool is a blend of lean vs rich media and synchronous vs asynchronous communication channels. Synchronous communication takes place in real time, like a video call. Asynchronous doesn’t require immediate response, like email.

Invest in communication training

Communication training teaches team members skills like public speaking, email etiquette, and writing concise and clear reports. Communication training also covers valuable skills such as how to actively listen, resolve conflict, and negotiate. These skills not only improve how well teams work together, but can also improve the business’s productivity and customer satisfaction.

Recognize the role of nonverbal communication

When you want to quickly make an impact, sometimes nonverbal communication—like visual aids and graphics—is more effective than words. To illustrate, you could read a 4,000 word article discussing new workforce trends and how businesses must embrace them to remain competitive. Or you could watch this entertaining two-minute video by Upwork.

Body language is another form of nonverbal communication that expresses people’s thoughts, moods, and feelings without words. If you’re talking to someone who has their arms folded across their chest, you may think they’re not open to what you’re saying, but they may be listening and feeling defensive because of the words you’re using.

Making team members aware of their body language and how to interpret other people’s nonverbal cues can prevent misunderstandings. If you have a diverse team, consider training team members on common body language habits in different cultures and what they mean.

Conflict resolution and problem-solving through effective communication

Most people can recall an instance when poor communication led to misunderstandings that ballooned into conflicts. Just as effective communication can help you avoid conflicts between team members, good communication can also help teams resolve problems.

‍Related: How To Deal with Difficult People

Identifying the root cause

Communicating effectively enough to uncover the cause of a conflict requires skills such as listening without judgment and knowing how to ask open-ended questions. But progress may be cut short when people take things personally or expect the other person to admit fault.

When a situation may seem too difficult to handle alone, you could bring in a conflict resolution facilitator. These professionals are successful because they have multiple ways to approach a problem. They can also help you document everything.

Using constructive feedback

Delivering feedback that results in positive change is a skill. If your feedback is too direct or indirect, it can make the receiver defensive and closed off to hearing what you’re saying. Cognitive psychologist LeeAnn Renniger suggests a four-part formula for giving feedback effectively:

• Begin with a micro-yes question to prepare the recipient and create buy-in
• Provide specific data points, avoiding blur words, to communicate objective observations
• Include an impact statement to explain how the data point affected the giver
• Conclude with a question to foster joint problem-solving and commitment

See Renniger’s four-part feedback formula in this video.

Promoting open dialogue and collaboration

Great feedback givers realize they usually have something to learn and improve upon themselves too. So they regularly ask for feedback themselves, according to research by cognitive psychologist LeeAnn Renniger. Creating a team culture that welcomes constructive feedback helps team members feel safe being more vocal and honest with one another.

You can also keep communication lines open by being comfortable with showing emotions yourself. You may feel uncomfortable with being vulnerable at first, but doing so can help you be a more empathetic leader and create a safe space for team members to express themselves honestly too.

In the article “6 Conflict Resolution Tips to Resolve Issues Within Your Team,” the author cautions that conflicts are seldom resolved after a single discussion. So, follow up with those involved to determine if the solution is working. Of course, the best way to handle conflict is to prevent one. Keep communication open between your entire team. Schedule regular 1:1 meetings, take anonymous pulse surveys, and demonstrate you care.

Enhance your team's communication skills

Communication happens even when you aren’t saying anything. A furrowed brow can convey more to a speaker than a few spoken words. A well-designed graphic can create more clarity during a presentation than the 10 minutes of explanation that preceded it. Learning to listen for better understanding can also avoid misunderstandings.

Investing time and training into becoming more effective communicators may save teams time and prevent conflict, which fosters a positive work culture. Start by visiting Upwork to find an independent communication training and development professional to consult with, or contract for a project.

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Upwork is not affiliated with and does not sponsor or endorse any of the tools or services discussed in this article. These tools and services are provided only as potential options, and each reader and company should take the time needed to adequately analyse and determine the tools or services that would best fit their specific needs and situation.