22 Ways to Improve Your Communication Skills in the Workplace

Communication skills are essential to positive professional and personal relationships. You use communication skills when you interact with your familypresent at workor address a problem with your boss.

Whilst it’s easy to think of communication simply as talkingthere’s more to it. Everything from your facial expressions and word choice to presentation graphics and tone of voice plays a part in communication. Learn the critical areas for improving your communication skills and 22 helpful tips for becoming a more effective communicator. 

What are essential communication skillsand why are they important? 

We communicate any time we transfer information from one place to another via voicewritten wordsvisualsor non-verbal gestures. We use our communication skills in various ways: conversationsemailswritten documentspresentationsand visuals like graphics or charts.

Communication skills are essentialespecially in the workplacebecause they can:

• Improve your relationships with your manager and co-workers

• Build connections with customers 

• Help you convey your point quickly and clearly

• Enhance your professional image

• Encourage active listening and open-mindedness

• Help advance your career

4 types of communication

Becoming a better communicator often means focusing on improving in each of the four main areas of communication. This means focusing on listening skills and non-verbal communicationpractising emotional awarenessbuilding empathy and professionalismand developing questioning skills. Let's take a closer look at each area. 

1. Listening skills

To communicate wellyou need to listen. Give a person your full attentionhear what they’re saying verbally and non-verballyand consider their thoughts. As an active listeneryou can develop strategies that help you ask follow-up questions and gain clarity on someone’s thoughts. 

2. Non-verbal communication

The message a person communicates isn’t just spoken. It’s non-verbaltoo. To improve communicationyou need to pay attention to your own and the other person's body languagetone of voiceeye contactpostureand facial expressions. Verbal communication and body language must be in sync to convey a message. 

3. Emotional awareness

Improving communication means working towards emotional intelligence or a keen understanding of your emotions and those around you. You need to identify emotional situationsbe aware of your feelingsshow empathyand keep your feelings in check. 

4. Questioning skills 

To create a two-way flow of communicationit’s important to develop questioning skills. When communicating with someoneask brief questions to clarify the conversation’s main points. 

Why communication matters at work: 5 key stats

Research provides a snapshot of employee perspectives on communication in the workplace. Consider these facts [1]:

1. The pandemic increased the number of remote workersand in turn23 percent of employees now find communication more of a struggle.

2. Forty-one percent of businesses rate their business communication as either “average” or “excellent.”

3. As many as 61 percent of workers say they waste time in meetings.

4. Poor communication is cited as the cause of 14 percent of businesses losing customers.

5. Most customers—95 percent—say the businesses they purchase from could improve their communication skills.

22 ways to improve your communication skills in the workplace

Communicating effectively in the workplace is a practised skill. Whilst communication comes naturally to someeveryone can improve their workplace communication skills. To do soyou need to understand the importance of listeningmonitor non-verbal communicationelevate your verbal communicationenhance your written communicationand spend some time on visual communication. These 22 tips provide actionable steps you can take to improve all areas of workplace communication. 

1. Prepare what you’re going to say.

If you’re presenting an idea or having a meaningful talk with your supervisortake some time to prepare what you’ll say. Organising your thoughts should make your conversation more transparent and lead to a more productive interaction. 

2. Simplify and stay on message.

Proofread and eliminate anything that strays from your message as you prepare your thoughts. One of the best ways to improve communication is to create concise and transparent conversationsemailsand presentations. 

3. Record yourself communicating.

Use your smartphone to record yourself giving a presentation or practising a tough conversation you need to have with a teammate about their lack of participation. Review the recording and look for places to improve. 

4. Engage your listeners. 

Keep your listeners engaged in the conversation. Effective communicators ask questions and encourage participation. An interactive discussion is an ideal way to keep everyone’s attention. 

5. Take time to respond.

Take time to create a thoughtful response. Oftenyou feel obligated to respond quicklybut it’s important to take a moment to compose your thoughts so you can have a meaningful conversation. 

6. Make sure you understand.

Before you end the conversationplease take a moment to ask a few follow-up questions and then recap the conversation. You'll be able to finish by explaining the next actionable steps.

7. Work on your body language.

Keep a straight postureavoid slouchingand use natural hand gestures when you speak. Make eye contact with everyone who’s listening to you. Moving around the roomtoocan be helpful when space allows. It can help listeners feel more included. 

8. Maintain eye contact.

During a conversation or presentationtry to hold a person’s gaze in four- to five-second intervals before looking at another person. You can also use natural hand gestures whilst you speakwhich can help you feel more confident and look people in the eye.

9. Be respectful. 

When you finish communicatingyou want your audience to feel you've respected their needsand theyin turnwill more likely form respect for you. To earn that respectthank them for their timekeep your presentation within its set time frameand keep your jokes appropriate and to a minimum. 

10. Make communication a priority.

Elevating your communication skills is something to work on every day. Consider making a communication to-do list with a few things you’d like to work on for the daylike recognising body languageasking follow-up questionsor practising active listening.

Aligning with your core values can help you communicate more effectively. The University of Pennsylvania's Achieving Personal and Professional Success Specialisation is designed to introduce tools and techniques for achieving success at home and work.

11. Learn to manage your emotions.

In a professional settingkeeping your emotions in check is necessary. If you have trouble managing your feelingstake a moment for a few deep breaths before speaking or writing an email. Take a moment alone at your desk or a break outside when possible. 

12. Prioritise workplace skills. 

Workplace skills like problem-solvingcollaborationand time management can also enhance communication. These skills require listeningpatienceand organisationwhich all play a role in sound communication. 

13. Get rid of conversation fillers.

To aid in your conversational improvementwork to eliminate fillers like “um” and “ah.” Start listening for these fillers so you can use them less and convey more confidence when you speak. Oftenthese phrases fill the silencewhich is a natural part of the conversationso try to embrace it rather than fill it. 

14. Have a plan for small talk. 

Small talk is a conversation challenge. To inspirefocus on topics included in the FORD method: familyoccupationrecreationand dreams.

15. Tell a story.

When you caninclude stories in your communication. A story helps keep your audience engaged and makes it easier for people to relate to the topic. 

16. Ask questions and summarise the other person's main points.

Part of being an active listener is asking relevant questions and repeating pieces of the conversation to show that you understand a point. Listening makes communication a two-way street. 

17. Be receptive to feedback.

As you’re working to improve your communication skillsask for feedback and be receptive to it. Asking your colleagues for feedback can help you pinpoint challenges and demonstrate a commitment to your job. Try incorporating the feedback into your next chatbrainstorming sessionor video conference. 

18. Be ready for different answers.

Listen without judgement. That’s the goal of every conversationbut especially if you hear responses that are unexpected or different than you anticipate. Listen to the person openlybe mindful of your body languageand don’t interrupt. 

19. Put away distractions.

Communicating well means being fully present. Put away anything that can distract youlike your phone or tablet. It shows others that you’re respectfully listening and helps you respond thoughtfully to the conversation. 

20. Tailor your message to your audience.

Your communication should change based on your audience. Just as you personalise an emailpersonalise all of your communications. For exampleyour messagetoneand body language should be authentic yet adapted if you’re talking with your manager instead of an intern. 

21. Be brief yet specific.

Use the acronym BRIEF (backgroundreasoninformationendfollow-up) to help guide your conversation. Think of it as a conversation outline meant to keep you on track. 

22. Up your empathy.

Consider the feelings of others as you speak with them. Part of having a meaningful conversation is being empathetic to others. If you try to put yourself in their shoesyou can better understand how to help. 

Discover how to improve communication skills with Coursera

Further enhance your communication skills with Improving Communication Skillswhich is part of the Achieving Personal and Professional Success Specialisation from the University of Pennsylvaniaor the Dynamic Public Speaking Specialisation from the University of Washington.

Frequently asked questions (FAQ)