Technology and Communication: 4 Obstacles to Navigate in the Workplace

According to new research by Quantum Workplace, almost half of survey respondents (46 percent) thought technology assisted communication (email, texting, phone, etc.) was more susceptible to miscommunication than in-person communication. However, this kind of communication is unavoidable in the workplace – and becoming more and more that way.

Survey respondents listed the following as problems with technology assisted communication – and well, we got solutions for you.

Problem: Lack of detail.

Solution: It can be tedious to put a lot of information in an email, and we don’t often trust that people will read our entire email anyway. Because of this, we tend to skimp on important details. Try to include these four elements when writing emails:

• Who are you communicating with? Why?
• What is the message you are trying to communicate?
• When does any action need to be taken?
• Why is this message important to the organization or the individual?

Problem: Inability to follow-up instantly.

Solution: This complaint calls for a new communication technology: an instant messaging software, something similar to Slack or Voxer. Instant messaging is good for avoiding and correcting miscommunication because it feels more similar to an in-person conversation: The quick response times create a flow that encourages questions and “just a thought” moments, and the texting-like interface makes people feel more casual.

Problem: Unclear language.

Solution: As our businesses become more global and diverse, our traditional means of communication can become more difficult to understand. Regional differences in the same language are highlighted, English as a second language is a more common reality – not to mention, the handful of people in the office who have really bad grammar.

Encourage employees to default to the old standby: phone calls. A real conversation with the opportunity ask in-the-moment clarifying questions will alleviate much of this communication.

Problem: Missing tone and facial expressions.

Solution: 93% of our communication is nonverbal, so this is a huge communication element to lose. Companies are turning more frequently to video messaging to correct for this problem. Products like ooVoo and AnyMeeting are perfect for one-on-one and multi-person conversations. These products are also easy to jump into; you don’t need to set up a meeting prior to a call.

Miscommunication causes lost time, money, and resources for every business – think of where your organization could be without it. Download the State of Miscommunication for research on and help for the most deadly communication problems.