Why Written Communication Will Always Be A Powerful Workplace Skill

Communication drives collaboration. Now that hybrid and remote work are here to stay, written communication is especially important – that’s how most work gets done on a daily basis (and why so many Hive features are geared toward facilitating communication). And no, AI is not going to undermine the importance of written communication as a workplace skill. 

“Interpersonal communication is the connective tissue that underscores how business functions, and particularly its company culture. So while generative AI may prove to be of substantial importance when it comes to more mechanical communications processes, anything that’s more qualitative or interpretative will always require human subjectivity – the human touch,” according to Zoë Morris, president of recruitment agency Jefferson Frank. 

“I’d like to suggest that we all redouble our efforts to approach internal written communication – including text-to-speech – with intention. The same goes for verbal communication, of course, but because of the speed of business, there is a tendency to abbreviate anything that’s not happening in real-time or face-to-face.” 

When your written communication skills are strong, you can leverage the tech at your disposal to increase productivity and improve workplace culture. As Morris puts it, taking the time to compose memos, messages and emails with both clarity and sincerity not only prevents time from being wasted due to misunderstandings, but also fosters better relationships at work. 

Written communication is crucial in a hybrid setting 

Take, for example, the prevalence of chat features at work. A McKinsey study revealed that by using social technologies, companies can raise the productivity of knowledge workers by 20 to 25 percent. Instant messaging allows teams to stay connected. It also provides an opportunity for more effective communication and alignment, particularly when working asynchronously. 

“Written communication, unlike oral communication, is not immediate, so it allows us to think, articulates our ideas better, changes some words for others, correct what we write, and be more concise,” says Victor Anaya, co-founder and CEO of Serviap Global. “In addition, when working remotely or in a hybrid environment, having good written communication skills make it easier for everyone on a team to be on the same page.” 

Leverage Hive’s native messenger 

Hive’s native messenger makes it easy to chat with your team, whether you want to share a project update with a small group of coworkers or want to discuss something one-on-one via direct messaging. Some of its features reduce the time that it would take to type out something. This means you can focus on relaying the information that matters the most, such as an essential piece of context or even an informal moment to catch up, since those matter too. 

For example, in Hive, you can quickly drag and drop an action (a task) into a chat window when discussing deliverables. Additionally, when you view someone’s profile, you’ll also be able to see the actions that they’re working on, taking some guesswork out of the collaboration or delegation equation.  

Documenting work properly can impact performance 

While written communication skills are important for daily conversations with coworkers, they also matter when it comes to documenting work. According to a Mitel survey, nearly 15 percent of employees’ total work time is wasted through inefficient communications. Just imagine how much time teams would save when people can easily access the information they need to do their jobs. 

Document work in Hive 

Documenting work comes with challenges. First, it’s a habit that you need to cultivate. There also needs to be a system around it – what will you document and where? And who will be responsible for documenting? The answers, of course, depend on the organization, the team involved, and the nature of the work that is performed. 

Hive is built to adapt to you and your team’s unique needs. Whether you want to document task-related notes by commenting on Action Cards or use the Hive Notes feature to take notes during brainstorming, the possibilities are endless. Just choose a process that works for you and your team – some trial and error are normal – and stick to it. Create best practices for documenting work, from designating note-takers to creating project templates that include ways to record. 

Whether you’re writing an email or a project brief, one thing is certain: written communication will always be a powerful workplace skill.