Oftentimes, miscommunication in the workplace can be like a game of broken telephone, leading to errors and potentially causing tense work environments and relationships. In the 21st century, quick and informal methods of communication like texting and instant messaging are commonplace, creating the problem of having a message be too ineffective or informal. In the same vein, correcting or smoothing over these miscommunications can be time consuming to correct, particularly if you were oblivious to the misunderstanding in the first place.

To help mitigate any chances for confusion or misunderstandings, here are some effective tips to keep in mind when communicating with coworkers or clients in the workplace.

Be as direct as possible

When emailing a colleague or a client, don’t beat around the bush or bury the main conversation point within a lengthy email. Start with the subject you wish to discuss and then elaborate. For example, “I want to discuss an upcoming story with you about market trends,” followed by a little bit of context: “Here is the link to the article covering two new up-and-coming trends in marketing.” If necessary, end with a call to action: “Can we schedule time early next week to discuss your take on this article?” rather than something vague like “I was thinking about this idea I had, and maybe you could help.”

Helpful hint: The subject line of the email is almost as important as the content! Be as clear and specific as possible, especially if the subject matter requires a prompt reply.

Do your research

Don’t start a conversation without knowing the details. For example, if you want to discuss attending a conference with your supervisor, know when and where it is, how much it would cost, and who will be attending. This allows you to keep work conversations efficient. The same rule applies to emails: if there is too much back and forth in an email, you risk burying the important information in the chain.

Helpful hint: Put yourself into the shoes of your co worker or supervisor. What kind of questions would they ask? What sort of information would they need to best assist you? Try and brainstorm a facts sheet or FAQ ahead of time which addresses points which may come up in conversation.

Utilize the tools available to get your message across

If appropriate, consider using bolds or italics in emails. This will be the most effective if your email has multiple sections, and you can emphasize the headings to clearly distinguish these sections. It can also be helpful to bold or italicize a few important things. For example, if a report is due on a certain date, or if a key policy has changed, bold it.

Helpful hint: If possible, try to use the 5W format for your emails: Who, What, When, Where, Why. Following this template will make communication much more effective, and thus less confusion or misinterpretation.

Summarize

For clarity, end your conversations with a quick summary. For example, say “so just to make sure we are on the same page, you’re going to research the most effective marketing practices and I’m going to draft the story due next week.” If the other person was unsure about something during the conversation, this is a great way to spell out the details.

Helpful hint: Keep the jokes to a minimum. While emoticons and ‘lol’s can be easy to slip in, try to avoid using them in your professional emails. It’s easy for a comment to be misinterpreted, and while it may seem innocent and light-hearted, it’s best to keep them to your conversations outside of work.

Create a follow-up email

Miscommunications are less likely to happen in written communication, since everything is documented and people are usually able to re-read any information they may have missed. Not only will you have a record to refer to in the future, it’s helpful to summarize important meetings and conversations. Just a few bullet points will do! Make sure to send the email to everyone that would have attended the meeting, so if a colleague missed it, they will have a quick update.

Is your office suffering from a communication breakdown? Connect with our dedicated team of HR experts to discuss optimizing your internal operations.