As a remote worker, you communicate mostly using emails and instant messaging apps like Skype and Slack. This is why aside from improving your skills and knowledge in whatever work you do, it’s important to build strong communication skills to help you step up your game.
Here are five keys to improving your communication and eventually, your performance:
1. Choose the right medium.
The first step to communicating effectively, especially to your remote colleagues, is to choose the right tool or channel for your message. While there can be a lot of tools you’re using as a remote team, things will be easier if you use a certain channel for a specific purpose. Emails are great for sending things like tasks delegation, client support, project updates, instructions, etc. Anything that contains confidential information shouldn’t be delivered via email because your messages are stored somewhere in a server.
A chat via Slack or Skype is more efficient if you want to communicate in real-time. You can confirm something immediately and not waste time waiting for a response. For a more detailed discussion, group meetings and video calls are your best options. Nevertheless, think about what tool your recipient prefers and use it to communicate appropriately.
2. Keep your message clear and concise.
Since many people may have little to no time reading long emails and they can easily lose interest, it’s important to keep your messages short, direct, and easy to read. Leave out unnecessary details, omit pointless words, and use bullet points as much as possible to highlight your objectives. Likewise, avoid putting too many questions into one email as this will only make the reader confused. When you use concise language to make your message more effective, there’s less room for misunderstanding.
3. Check your tone.
Remember that written communication can easily be misinterpreted or misunderstood, so you need to be careful about how you phrase words. It’s difficult to determine the tone or intent of an email or chat message so make sure your meaning is as clear as possible. If possible, also use positive and encouraging words instead of negative ones to get your message across while keeping a friendly tone.
Using emoticons and GIFs in chat messages can also help improve your tone and lighten a conversation. But of course, this will still depend on your company’s culture and how your team values communication.
4. Double-check and proofread before hitting “send.”
It is not only writers who need to proofread their work to make sure it’s free from any grammatical errors or spelling mistakes—it’s also a must for any remote worker or freelancer. Remember that these errors could make you look bad and unprofessional, especially when you’re dealing with foreign clients. Aside from your skills and work ethics, a well-written email could also boost your credibility.
But such mistakes could easily be avoided by re-reading a message before sending it. Double-check to make sure everything you include is accurate and proofread any grammatical errors and spelling mistakes. Also, never use texting abbreviations and always use correct capitalization. If you’re still not confident, don’t shy away from using free online tools or consulting a colleague to make sure there isn’t something you missed.
5. Always be respectful.
Whatever the purpose of your email is, whether you are asking or complaining, don’t forget to remain respectful. It also doesn’t matter who will receive your message as there will always be a person behind the screen who will read it. Use proper greetings and words like “please” and “thank you” to maintain a friendly and courteous tone and connect to a more personal level.