The lost art of workplace conversation

It cannot have escaped readers’ notice that in workplaces – and elsewhere – around the world, a quiet shift has taken place. Conversations that once happened face to face or over the phone now often take place through email, instant messaging and online platforms. Calls now go unreturned.

In many workplaces, it is perfectly possible for staff to go an entire day communicating with colleagues without speaking to them directly. While electronic communication has made business faster and more flexible, it has also changed how we interact, make decisions and resolve problems.

And it is not necessarily for the better.

Pros and cons

The rise of apps and digital communications is clearly one of the main drivers behind this change. The sudden imposition of COVID on our lives further rewired how we live, work and play.

Now, we have email, messaging platforms and other online systems that allow employees to send information quickly without interrupting another’s work. The problem is that while a message can be written and sent in seconds, and the recipient can respond when they have time, it can be irritatingly slow to get a response. Of course, in busy and pressurised workplaces, this way of communicating is highly attractive. No longer do we need meetings; instead, we can simply send a message and move on to something else.

The written note has plenty of value – it provides a permanent record that can be reviewed later. In a world where accountability, compliance and legal considerations matter, such a record can be invaluable – especially when it comes to medicine.

It follows that we prefer sending written instructions or agreements because it reduces the risk of confusion about what was said. If a disagreement arises later, the note can be referred to later to clarify the issue.

Also, for many, communicating electronically gives someone time to think carefully about what they want to say. They can edit their message, check the facts and avoid speaking impulsively. In contrast, face-to-face conversations require immediate responses, which can feel stressful – especially when the topic is sensitive or complex. For those who want to avoid confrontation or awkward situations, sending a message can feel safer than having a direct conversation.

But it seems that we have become almost too risk averse and almost frightened to talk.

It does not help that the move towards remote and hybrid working – for some – has accelerated this trend. Accordingly, when people we need to correspond with are elsewhere, digital becomes the default. Accelerated by COVID, messaging platforms and video calls allow people to collaborate from afar. But worryingly, even in organisations where employees work in the same building, habits formed during the pandemic have remained in place (online consultations are outside of this argument).

Naturally, culture plays a role in this. Younger workers have grown up knowing nothing but electronic communication. For them, it seems that writing a quick message feels more obvious than making a phone call. In their world, speed, productivity and electronic communication helps them manage their daily routines.

Serious trade-offs

However, here’s the rub. The convenience of digital comes with serious trade-offs. One of the most common of these is misunderstanding.

Written messages lack tone, emotion and inflections of voice, and they miss out facial expressions and body language, all of which are important signals for the interpretation of meaning. A brief or simple email intended to be efficient may come across as abrupt or unfriendly – especially if the person reading it has had a lousy day. Similarly, a poorly worded or grammatically incorrect message can create confusion that requires several follow-up messages to clarify.

Just as bad is the issue of slower problem solving. Something simple that could be resolved in a short conversation can turn into a long email thread involving multiple people. Each message added to the thread just places another layer of delay and complexity – particularly when participants respond hours apart. So, what might have been a five-minute discussion becomes a day-long exchange of messages. But there is more: electronic communications also affect workplace relationships. Given that “people buy people”, an informal conversation – maybe in a hallway, meeting room or over coffee – can help build trust and understanding between colleagues. Conversing, purely online means that those informal moments become less frequent. So, while Teams and Zoom may function well technically, the sense of connection between colleagues can weaken, as they are no longer people but names and numbers, instead.

We’ve all seen situations where a small insignificant matter has snowballed through misunderstanding. Consequently, it is not hard to see why avoiding direct conversations can also allow work problems to grow quietly. Difficult discussions about performance, disagreements over decisions or conflicts are rarely resolved – effectively at least – through email alone.

By not talking problems through, we miss the nuance of speech, leaving the written word to escalate tensions rather than resolve them. Where employees simply avoid raising sensitive issues because they will not talk or communicate effectively, frustration builds over time.

Now, factor in how clients feel when they cannot speak to someone at a practice they want to buy from.

Importance of balance

For practice owners and managers, this new way of working creates additional challenges. Leadership is all about effective communication: coaching employees, explaining strategy or addressing concerns before they become serious. If only electronic methods are used, it becomes harder for managers to read the mood of their teams or identify issues early.

The reality of life in 2026 is that we need to recognise the importance of balance. One option is to encourage staff to switch to a phone call or video meeting when a matter becomes complicated or emotionally sensitive. Managers need to put in place a simple rule, that if an email thread grows beyond a few messages, it is time to talk directly.

Training can also help. Employees maybe highly skilled technically or professionally; however, few are taught about how to communicate. Even just a little training on conversation skills, listening, and conflict resolution can help everyone feel more confident about speaking directly with colleagues.

At the same time, managers need to not rely exclusively on email, as employees are likely to follow their example. Managers need to hold regular in-person conversations to create a culture where talking is encouraged rather than avoided.

Summary

Technology has and will continue to shape how we communicate at work. Of course, digital offers speed, flexibility and efficiency that businesses need and depend on. But communication is not just about information being exchanged; it is also about understanding those we work with.

It is time that we rediscover a simple and universal truth: that often the fastest way to solve a problem is still to pick up the phone and talk.