The workplace communication survey reveals that nearly half of employees experience reduced productivity due to ineffective communication. To maintain effectiveness, companies must stay updated on current business communication trends. These trends constantly challenge businesses to adapt their corporate communication in response to rapid technological growth. For companies that struggle to keep up, it raises the question of where business communication is headed and how they can catch up. To shed light on the future of business communication, here are the top 10 communication trends for 2023 (and beyond).
The Most Important Business Communication Trends
1. Hybrid Work
Working from home (WFH) remains popular in the first year of the post-pandemic era. The remote work model offers numerous advantages, such as increased flexibility, better work-life balance, and time and cost savings. This is particularly true in the IT industry, where onsite work may be a crucial factor in job applications and acceptances.
20% of employees would consider quitting their jobs if remote work wasn’t an option. As a result, the hybrid work model, which combines onsite and remote work, has become the standard practice in 2023.
Recent studies on the hybrid work model have confirmed that people prefer a combination of onsite and remote work. While some companies may require employees to work from the office a few days a week, flexibility is highly valued. This means that individuals appreciate the ability to choose when and where they work.
2. Cloud Services
Cloud-based software refers to systems or tools that can be accessed and utilized solely through an internet connection. These differ from intranet systems, which rely on specific locations.
Cloud-based tools enable teams to collaborate and work together regardless of their whereabouts. Many of the leading business tools today, such as communication platforms, project management software, file-sharing solutions, enterprise resource planning systems, SaaS CRM applications, and more, operate on the cloud.
3. Recording Conversations
It is generally believed that verbal agreements are rather provisional and unreliable. Businesses care about accuracy in every detail and they use recording calls on iPhone. Just an app to record phone calls is enough to ensure that all conversations are documented and can be played back at any time. Call Recorder for iPhone offers good recording quality, easy activation, and recording protection. The main advantage of the iPhone app is accessibility. Users can use the application in any environment: at home, at work, or in transport. No expensive equipment or any special conditions are needed.
4. Collaborative digital workspaces
Successful organizations understand the importance of team collaboration in boosting productivity. Consequently, intuitive collaborative digital workspaces have emerged as a major trend in business communication.
Modern digital workspaces enable employees to work seamlessly as if they were in the same room. Equipped with a robust set of knowledge management tools, these workspaces provide easy access to co-edit documents, share ideas, delegate tasks, and find information in one centralized location.
5. Video Conferencing
When it comes to communication, multimedia is the preferred choice and a significant trend in business communication. By including videos, images, and infographics, you can enhance the engagement and comprehension of your content for employees.
Using videos to train staff, explain processes, and share important company announcements by management has become increasingly popular. Video proves to be a more effective internal communication method due to its engaging nature, making it a trend followed by more companies.
6. Chat Services
Collaborating with team members is made simpler and faster through instant and direct chat services. These services offer various media options, such as video and video conferencing. Additionally, chat can be integrated into your digital workplace, utilizing the right intranet platform. Axero’s Slack intranet integration is a great example of this.
Furthermore, many modern intranet solutions, like Axero, have built-in chat features, reducing the need for multiple platforms. Intranet chat operates in real-time while maintaining a non-intrusive nature.
7. Automation
Automation in communication is becoming increasingly popular. It encompasses various options such as notifications, reminders, and scheduling messages. Furthermore, advanced communication tools now offer app integrations, allowing work apps to seamlessly interact with other software. This integration not only saves time, energy, and resources but also enhances teamwork and streamlines business processes.
8. Mobile-first Communication
The global mobile device ownership rate will exceed 96% by 2023. Analyzing the 2021 data reveals a notable growth of 30%. Professionals increasingly rely on mobile phones and tablets for work, partially contributing to this growth. Although some jobs cannot be fully performed on a phone yet, the ability to accomplish tasks on mobile devices has expanded.
9. Real-time Feedback
Real-time feedback is a powerful strategy for managing performance. It provides instant feedback to employees regularly, eliminating the need to wait for annual or quarterly reviews. Instead, employees receive more frequent and continuous feedback, enabling them to take immediate action. Contrary to some beliefs, studies show that real-time feedback has positive effects on employee engagement and team performance. Additionally, research on the communication styles of Gen Y and Gen Z indicates that Gen Zers expect instantaneous feedback, making it crucial for companies to incorporate a real-time feedback system to attract and retain them.
10. Virtual Training
HR training has seen a significant shift towards online learner-to-teacher interactions. The digitalization of learning, via online coaching, virtual seminars, and interactive activities, is becoming increasingly widespread. Interestingly, employees still show a preference for self-paced and on-demand learning. According to an article by the Learning Management System, 58% of employees favor self-paced learning, with this trend expected to continue in the future.
Conclusion
Modern challenges in the field of communication require equally modern solutions. Cloud based software, call recording, online chats, and other technologies are the answer. The faster you integrate them into the business, the faster all its members will receive updated information and respond to changes.
