Changing communication habits lead to workplace friction

Nuances in digital messaging in the workplace are driving miscommunication according to a new study by Adaptavist.

The survey of 1,000 UK knowledge workers finds 'misinterpreting tone or phrasing' comes out as the biggest communication challenge facing workers, cited by almost half (46 percent) of respondents. This is closely followed by different response time expectations (46 percent) and lack of context (31 percent).

There are significant generation issues, particularly in interpreting punctuation. A full stop or period (.) at the end of a workplace message is interpreted by a majority of over 50s (71 percent) as clear and 'to the point', or professional and formal. Meanwhile, just over half of Gen Z (52 percent) and 61 percent of Millennials share the same view. Gen Zs are far more likely to interpret the period as cold, passive aggressive or outright rude than their generational counterparts.

Emojis are a bit of a minefield too, 68 percent of Gen Zs frequently use emojis to communicate in the workplace, compared to just 36 percent of over-50s. Millennials sit in the middle when it comes to emoji usage, with 48 percent using them to communicate. Yet despite their fondness for emojis Gen Z are the most likely to misinterpret them, with 43 percent experiencing a misunderstanding at work caused by emoji use.

Simon Haighton-Williams, CEO of The Adaptavist Group, says:

Our latest research shows just how complex workplace communication has become. With four different generations now in the workforce, and people communicating across multiple channels, there is an increased risk of misunderstanding, which hinders both productivity and worker happiness.

To bridge the generational communication gap, businesses must embrace flexible, integrated work management and communication tools that cater to diverse preferences without creating siloes. But technology alone isn't enough -- promoting communication literacy across all age groups is vital to fostering collaboration. By rethinking traditional tools, normalizing AI through transparent governance, and investing in shared training, organizations can enhance understanding and productivity, and ultimately create a more inclusive, connected workplace.

To help navigate workplace communications successfully, a significant 68 percent of workers are using AI tools, such as ChatGPT, to help with everything from helping with grammar and spelling (42 percent) in their professional messages to adjusting tone (26 percent) and brainstorming ideas on how to respond.

The attitude to AI-based messaging is positive too, as 71 percent say they would be happy for, or amused to see, colleagues to use AI tools to reply to their messages. Just 29 percent say they would be annoyed, and would prefer human responses.

In addition, 52 percent of workers say they would be likely to use an AI assistant to translate workplace slang that they didn't understand -- this can be broken down by 55 percent of Gen Z, 57 percent of Millennials and 42 percent of over-50s -- demonstrating how AI is increasingly impacting human communication.

You can get the full report on the Adaptavist site.

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