How to Communicate Clearly Within the Workplace

Co-authored by Meredith Walters, MBA

Last Updated: March 18, 2021 References Approved

Clear and effective communication is the key to success in the workplace. It’s at the basis of every email, presentation, and meeting. Struggling to interact with your boss, co-workers, or colleagues can cause anxiety, and it may adversely affect your work. But if you use your words well, employ proper body language, and develop your self-confidence, you’ll enjoy great communication skills for the rest of your career.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Using Your Words

1
Speak clearly and assertively. When engaging in direct conversation with your co-workers, use active verbs and simple language to make sure everyone’s on the same page.^{[1]
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- Avoid filler words such as “uh” or “um,” and don’t mumble.
- Be concise. While it may be tempting to say things in a complex way to make yourself sound more competent, being too wordy can obscure your meaning. Don’t make things more complicated than they need to be.
2
Listen to your co-workers. Good communication is a two-way street. Ask open-ended (instead of yes-or-no) questions of the people with whom you work, and take note of their answers. Follow up with them and remain engaged in ongoing conversations.^{[2]
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Expert Source

Meredith Walters, MBA
Certified Career Coach
Expert Interview. 22 November 2019.}
- Follow up open-ended questions with more direct questions. This can help ensure that you and your co-workers are understanding each other clearly.
- When a co-worker or supervisor communicates something complex to you, try repeating or summarizing the major points back to them. This will help you both be sure that you have understood what they are trying to tell you.
- Personal conversations can provide a good foundation for more comfortable interactions about work. Your boss might tell you that their daughter is participating in a soccer tournament. A few days later, take the time to check in on how the tournament went.
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3
Avoid gossip. Whenever you’re part of a group of people who know things about one another, it can be tempting to talk about others behind their backs. This can only create negative feelings in the workplace, and it will almost certainly make it more difficult to communicate with your co-workers in a positive fashion. If you gain a reputation for being a gossip, people will stop trusting you, and may opt to avoid communicating with you altogether. Communication should be about building bridges between people, rather than breaking them down.
4
Ensure accuracy to build trust. Take the time to proofread your writing and double check your information. Spelling and grammatical errors can be a sign of laziness or lack of care, while mistakenly misrepresenting facts can lead to embarrassing results for you and your co-workers. If you develop a reputation for inaccuracy, your fellow workers may stop trusting your work.
- This is especially important for written communications and visual presentations. When mistakes are written down, they’re easier for your audience to catch and harder for them to forget.
- If you’re writing a really important message or document, ask one or more people to proofread your writing and check it for accuracy.
5
Share information that’s specific and detail-oriented. Whether you’re writing an email to your supervisor or updating your boss on the status of your latest assignment, your co-workers want access to the most up-to-date and clear knowledge possible. If your colleagues know they can rely on you to provide specifics, they’ll come to you first with questions.^{[3]
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- It can be difficult to know how specific is specific enough. Take a critical look at your interactions, and ask yourself whether you’re leaving your fellow workers with more questions than answers. Don’t just say that a project is going well. Instead, inform your manager that you’ve reached or exceeded your selling goals, and provide them with exact numbers.
6
Keep your communications brief. The old adage that time is money applies to all profit-driven organizations. Make sure your spoken and written communications impart information as quickly as possible. While you should be sharing relevant details, do so without making your peers sift through unnecessary or redundant information.
- Think about your audience and who needs what information. Your boss may only be interested in the bottom-line results of your work, while co-workers at your own level may need to know the challenges you met along the way.
7
Respond to emails quickly. In today’s workplace, a large amount of communication occurs via email. Respond to emails within one to two business days, and don’t let your inbox get backed up. If your co-workers know they can rely on you for a quick response, they’ll be more likely to reach out with questions or comments.^{[4]
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- You should also find an efficient system for responding to calls and voicemails. You don’t have to be available at all times or return calls right away. However, you should designate a regular time for dealing with phone communications and be consistent about it.
8
Follow up important conversations in writing. If you have an important work-related conversation over the phone or in person, send a follow-up email or memo. That way, you will have a written record of whatever was decided or discussed during the verbal conversation.
9
Ask questions. If you don’t understand something, particularly if it’s something that pertains to doing your job, don’t hesitate to ask for clarification.^{[5]
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Expert Source

Meredith Walters, MBA
Certified Career Coach
Expert Interview. 22 November 2019.}
- For example, if your boss has just given you a complicated assignment and you are not sure you understand your instructions, ask about the specific parts of the process you need help with. E.g., “Could you please tell me a little bit more about what I need to do after filing the report?”

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Using Your Body

1
Maintain eye contact. When you’re having a face-to-face conversation with a colleague, focusing on their eyes and face is the best way to let them know you’re listening. If you extend your officemates this courtesy, they’ll do the same for you.^{[6]
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- Some people may find it difficult or uncomfortable to look directly into others’ eyes. Try practicing on friends and family, or focus on a spot on your co-worker’s face that’s very near their eyes.
2
Maintain good posture. Slouching not only closes off your body, but it’s also associated with laziness and unprofessionalism. Try rolling your shoulders back a few times and opening your chest when you’re sitting and standing. You’ll look more approachable, and your back won’t hurt as much at the end of the workday.]
- If you’re unsure of what to do with your hands while speaking to another person, try resting them comfortably on your lap or on the table or desk in front of you. If you’re standing, try clasping them in front of you.
- Always square your shoulders and face directly toward the person you are communicating with.
3
Ditch the electronics before and during in-person meetings. If you’re waiting for a meeting to start, consider jotting down some notes rather than burying your nose in your phone. This will make it easy for you to immediately engage others in a conversation when they enter the room. Always keep your attention on the people with whom you’re communicating.
- Do not, under any circumstances, check your electronics while others are speaking. This is the fastest and easiest way to shut down mutual respect, and it will surely affect your future interactions with your co-workers.
4
Smile to encourage open interaction. Smiling will make your colleagues feel more comfortable around you, and psychologists suggest that it makes you happier on a day-to-day basis. While you shouldn’t paste a fake smile on your face every time you walk into the office, you can smile when you greet and thank people, or when they ask you how you’re doing. This will inject positivity and openness into your workplace.^{[7]
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5
Use active body language when listening. Nod and tilt your head when others are speaking so as to provide them with constant visual cues that you’re following along and engaged with the material. You can also take notes, making sure to periodically look up from your notebook.^{[8]
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6
Dress for success. While everyone is entitled to their own personal style, wearing formal attire at work can lead to better communication between co-workers. Your superiors, in particular, may be more likely to take you seriously and interact with you as an equal if you’re dressing with care while on the job.^{[9]
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Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Developing Confidence at Work

1
Look around at others’ work habits. One of the hardest aspects of being confident at work is feeling like you’re not measuring up. Observe co-workers at your level, and take note of what they’re doing. Ask yourself if you’re putting similar care and effort into your own tasks.^{[10]
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Expert Source

Meredith Walters, MBA
Certified Career Coach
Expert Interview. 22 November 2019.}
- If you are, reassure yourself that you’re doing what you need to do to contribute to the success of your organization.
- If you fear that you are not putting in enough effort, select a role model or mentor among your colleagues, and model your work performance after theirs. Ask them for advice, if they are open to it.
2
Believe the compliments you receive. Most supervisors don’t give praise freely. If they’re giving you accolades for your work, don’t doubt that they feel you deserve it. Be sure not to diminish what you’ve accomplished by giving credit to someone else or saying that the task “wasn’t that difficult.”
3
Make a list of your strengths and successes. Writing down the things at which you excel will remind you why you were offered your job in the first place. This will also help you remember what you have to offer your colleagues. Being armed with this knowledge will make it easier for you to interact with them as co-contributors to the mission of your company.]
- Make a point of celebrating your successes. It doesn’t have to be anything elaborate. You could treat yourself to a drink with friends or a nice dessert after work, or just mark the occasion with a positive note in your journal or calendar.
4
Make a different list of your weaknesses. It’s just as important to be humble about how you can improve as it is to recognize your capabilities. If you’re aware of the tasks and skills that you find challenging, you can address them with a sense of calm preparedness. If your co-workers see that you’re self-aware about your faults, they’ll be more likely to share constructive feedback with you -- and to elicit it so they can improve themselves as well!
- Talk to your coworkers about the goals you are setting for yourself. You might even ask them for feedback about your progress.
5
Learn from your mistakes. Over the course of your career, it’s almost inevitable that you’ll make a mistake or have a bad day. Rather than dwelling on these mistakes, add them to your list of future spots for improvement, and view them as learning opportunities.

Expert Q&A
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Question

How do you communicate with a coworker that doesn't like you?

Meredith Walters, MBA
Certified Career Coach
Meredith Walters is a Certified Career Coach who helps people develop the skills they need to find meaningful, fulfilling work. Meredith has over eight years of career and life coaching experience, including conducting training at Emory University's Goizueta School of Business and the US Peace Corps. She is a former Member of the Board of Directors of ICF-Georgia. She earned her coaching credentials from New Ventures West and a Master of Business Administration from the University of San Francisco.

Meredith Walters, MBA

Certified Career Coach

Expert Answer

Support wikiHow by unlocking this expert answer.

It's important to try and be compassionate, even if you don't feel like someone is showing you compassion. In many situations, a coworker's negative reaction may have nothing to do with you. See if you can talk to your coworker to get an idea of what it is that they're responding to and why. If you can do that, you can start to see that it's not actually about you, and it becomes less personal and less hurtful. If there's something you're doing to offend them, now you know and you can seek to change the behavior. If it doesn't have anything to do with you, you can stop taking it personally. This turns the issue into more of a problem solving exercise than anything else, which can be a lot easier to deal with.
Question

How can I feel confident when communicating with people in the workplace?

Community Answer

Make sure you have the right information and then just speak clearly and calmly.