Did you know companies in the US waste enough money on bad communication every year to fund a luxurious tropical all-inclusive vacation for every employee in the country? Yes, you read that right. We waste $12,500 per employee per year or the overall equivalent of 1.2 trillion dollars total. This is according to a study on the State of Business Communication conducted by Harris Poll and Grammarly last year.
The trends point towards an increase in written asynchronous work, (think Google Docs, Slack, email, and text-based chat) and less in real-time verbal communication (calls, video calls or face-to-face conversations). Employees spend half of their work week on written communication alone.
More Tools, Less Results
So, what does this have to do with anything? Just think about it. We’ve got more and more platforms and tools for us to connect via written form and little by little, we are abandoning the option of talking. We’ve seen that the rise of texting via cell phones has created an aversion to phone calls in Millennials and Zoomers.
You know what I’m talking about. How often do you call someone nowadays? Be honest, do you text first to ask permission before calling? Are you reluctant to call someone because you’re worried that they might be performing brain surgery on their hamster? But forget all that…let me ask you this: do you seriously expect them to pick up?
Here’s another thing to ponder, how many back-and-forth written interactions does it take for you to get something done?
Default Communication Mode
I have this client; we’ll call him Daniel. We needed to resolve an issue I was having with their platform. Simple stuff, I thought. A quick email exchange, tops. Little did I know, I was about to embark on a communication odyssey complete with Cyclops and Sirens.
Daniel responded to my question with a pdf titled something like “Platform Troubleshooting for Dummies”, which ironically seemed more appropriate for the sender. My next email was more specific, to no avail, and the third one was practically a novel, complete with screenshots, arrows, and a color-coded flow chart. Another week went by and no answer. I looked to find a phone number in his signature, but oh surprise, none was listed. I implored him for a call, and he gave me a couple of options in a few days. Sigh. Ok. A ten-minute conversation later, the issue was resolved. Did we just contribute toward that $12,500 of wasted time and effort for worthless communication? Yup!
Toolbox Principle
The question is, what takes us so long to get our act together? How many of us use a hammer as our go-to tool every single time? Do we use a hammer on a screw? Or to drill a hole in the wall? Or a screwdriver to open a wine bottle? (Maybe if you are desperate enough.) Either way, you will probably have to fix your mess to finally get to your desired result.
My brother recently had a first-hand experience with this new wave of communication aversion. There he was, trying to ask his team member a quick question, the old-fashioned way…by tapping him on the shoulder. Shockingly, the young man seemed offended, politely requesting my brother (his manager) submit his inquiry via…. wait for it…Microsoft Teams! I guess the physical act of a shoulder tap is just too much human interaction these days. Maybe we should all start wearing those light-up vests with scrolling messages to avoid any accidental conversations in the office.
Ever wonder why Zoomers hesitate to ask for help, according to polls? The answer likely lies in a combination of factors: the social isolation of the past few years during pandemic lockdowns which probably contributed towards a growing preference for DIY solutions. This trend, exemplified by the young man in my story, highlights a troubling decline in interpersonal skills. No matter how sophisticated AI messaging becomes, it can’t replace the human connection fostered through face-to-face communication. By encouraging open communication and fostering a collaborative environment, we can bridge this gap and reignite the power of human connection. After his interaction, my brother graciously told the young man that the purpose of a hybrid workplace model was precisely to have spontaneous interactions to create innovation and connection. Kudos for his emotional intelligence.
Pick the Right Tool!
If we think about communication like a toolbox overflowing with fancy gadgets, the rusty hammer of endless written messages shouldn’t be our default choice. An email might be your trusty screwdriver, perfect for tightening a few screws or simple tasks, but for a complex project or sensitive issue, you’ll probably want to grab a power tool with multiple functionalities and capabilities – your voice!!
So, let’s consign the rusty hammer of endless emails to the communication graveyard, right next to the fax machine and those message machines with blinking lights from the 90s! Next time you have a complex question or a sensitive issue, ditch the digital and pick up the phone! Or, better yet, walk over to your colleague’s desk. You might be surprised at how much faster things get done with a real conversation! Let’s break down these communication silos and build bridges of understanding… one verbal exchange at a time, and maybe even a friendly high five for good measure. Because let’s face it, who wouldn’t prefer a high five over an emoji?”
