Communication at Work — Why, Whom, Tone and Length
On this page 6 headings
Start here For 15 years at school, you heard “Keep quiet!” and “Don’t talk to your neighbour in the exam!” Then on your first job day, your boss says, “We need you to communicate more.” Strange, right? This page explains why the rules change at work.
School vs workplace
At school and college, you mostly work alone: you and your exam paper, you and your assignment. You are often told not to communicate.
At work, you do a part of a project. Other people do other parts. So you must communicate well with the people around you.
This lecture covers eight topics:
- Why communicate at all?
- Whom to communicate to — and whom not to
- Tone of communication
- Length of communication
- Sending emails
- Communicating with your manager
- Communicating with the team you lead
- Communicating with a customer
For each one, the lecture shows what to do (✓, green) and what not to do (✗, red).
None of this is difficult. It needs the right attitude and a sense of what is correct.
1. Why communicate at all?
| Reason | What it means |
|---|---|
| Share your input | The company hired you for your knowledge and experience, not to sit like a doll. In meetings, they want your ideas — for example, why a new app is less popular than a competitor’s. |
| Get credit for your work | If you improved something, people should know it was you. Later, when the company gives new responsibilities, they remember your work. |
| Raise issues | If something is wrong in how the team works, or you face a special problem, you must speak up about it. |
| Provide feedback | Your seniors give you feedback. You also give feedback — even on your own manager. This is called upward feedback (or upward appraisal), and it is confidential. If you lead a team, you give them feedback too. |
Communication happens every minute, not just on Friday afternoon. And people are always forming an impression of you from it, even without trying:
- “Ask her — she explains things very well.”
- “Give this report to him — he writes it perfectly.”
When top management brings investors to visit, they choose the people who communicate well to explain the work. So communication has big career effects.
Why is it hard? We are used to chatting with friends, family and on social media. Some of those habits are not okay at work. You need an inner filter that stops casual habits from coming into the office.
In one line: At work you communicate to share ideas, get credit, raise issues and give feedback — and people judge you by it. Exam words: share your input, get credit, raise issues, provide feedback, upward feedback.
2. Whom to communicate to — and whom not to
Lecture example — the broken chair at “Wheelderness” You join Wheelderness, the world leader in tyres. On day one, one wheel of your office chair is broken.
✗ Wrong: Email the CEO: “How can the world leader in tyres have a broken chair wheel?” This is rude and shows poor judgment.
✓ Right: Quietly ask your neighbour or the person who showed you your desk: “Whom should I report this to? Email, call, or a ticketing system?” Then use that process.
A ticketing system records your complaint with a date and time. It goes to the right person. When the job is done, the ticket is closed.
Using the right process shows that you are: - systematic - willing to spend a little time to learn the process - not someone who acts wildly
Remember: your communication is used to judge your judgment — “If I give this person a new situation, will they act sensibly?”
Also decide whom not to contact. Sending a message to the wrong person wastes their time.
In one line: Find the right person and the right process before you send a message. Exam words: judgment, right person, ticketing system, process.
3. Tone of communication: polite, please!
Always be polite, whatever the situation.
Example 1 — HR reply about housing
A new employee asks HR for help finding a place to stay in a new city.
| ✗ Don’t | ✓ Do |
|---|---|
| “We do not provide accommodation. See the local newspapers for vacancies.” | “We regret that we are unable to provide accommodation to you. However, we will share a few relevant contacts with you. Please get in touch with them to make suitable arrangements.” |
The first reply may be true, but it sounds dismissive (“That’s your problem”). The second gives the same fact, politely, and helps.
Example 2 — a confusing message
Someone writes that your request will be solved “if documents are found in order”, and you don’t understand.
| ✗ Don’t | ✓ Do |
|---|---|
| “What do you mean by ‘if found in order’? Don’t you know how to write in simple language?” | “I was unable to understand the message. I request you to please clarify what needs to be done.” |
The good reply is not even longer. It is just polite.
Why does it matter? Managers get many emails. A polite message lets them reply without losing their calm. Your work gets done and nobody is upset.
Everyday example Your hostel warden replies late to your leave request. Instead of “Why are you so slow?!”, write: “Sir, I have not received a reply on my leave request yet. Could you please let me know the status?” Same request — but now he wants to help you.
In one line: Even a true fact sounds rude if it is said in a dismissive way — always be polite. Exam words: polite tone, dismissive, professional.
4. Length of communication: be efficient
At work, there is a lot of communication. So your message must be efficient. You are not writing a story.
| ✗ Don’t (long and wrong) | ✓ Do (short and right) |
|---|---|
| “As we all know, education forms one of the pillars of success. I have been focussed on accumulating a good quality education… In addition, since I am also involved in an electric car project, this has required me to travel for a contest. The last date for the registration was in the middle of the contest and I missed it for no fault of mine. The institute needs to have a flexible policy… register me for the course now.” | “I need to register for the course, but missed the last date due to an official activity at the same time. I request you to let me know the procedure for late registration.” |
What is wrong with the long one?
- Wasted build-up: “Education is a pillar of success…” may be true, but it adds nothing to the request.
- Blame game: “For no fault of mine” — blames the institute.
- Preaching: “The institute needs a flexible policy” — as if you know better.
- Blunt order: “Register me for the course now.”
The short one says only: what happened, why (an official activity), and what you need.
In one line: Say the issue and what you need in two or three clear sentences. Exam words: efficient communication, no build-up, no blaming, no preaching.