Great Lakes Wire

In the modern workplace, where much of communication occurs through digital means, understanding how we communicate has become crucial. Traditional cues such as eye contact and tone are often absent in virtual interactions, leading to a reliance on digital body language.

Digital body language includes subtle signals sent in virtual settings like response times, punctuation, word choice, emoji usage, and camera presence during meetings. These factors can influence message interpretation and affect clarity and trust.

For example, a manager's "OK." reply might seem dismissive to an employee when it was intended to be efficient. Similarly, delayed responses or lack of emojis may be misinterpreted due to the absence of vocal or facial cues.

Misunderstandings can arise from various scenarios:

1. Delayed responses might indicate busyness rather than disinterest.

2. Punctuation differences can shift perceived tone.

3. Lack of emojis doesn't necessarily mean messages are ignored.

4. Cameras off during meetings may not signify disengagement but could relate to personal comfort.

5. Typing indicators might change due to interruptions or rewording.

6. Ellipses in messages could soften tone rather than show reluctance.

To mitigate these misunderstandings in hybrid teams, establishing communication norms is recommended. This includes setting response expectations, being mindful of punctuation and tone, using video for nuanced discussions, and encouraging clarification requests.

Training for effective virtual communication is becoming essential. Workshops could cover writing clearer messages, avoiding misinterpretations, leading engaging meetings, and promoting inclusion through digital channels.

Human Resources plays a vital role in interpreting culture within remote work environments by helping teams understand diverse communication styles and coaching leaders on transparency.

By Heather Nezich from ASE via SBAM-approved partner.