Su Bridgman, founder of SpeakFluence Global, explores how younger employees can be supported in developing the skills needed to build valuable relationships and prosper at work.

Communicating effectively with bosses, co-workers, clients, and customers is key to job success, but some younger workers struggle with that skill.

It did not help that Gen Z entered the workforce around the time of the pandemic, as remote work became common and in-office chit-chat and camaraderie-building disappeared.

In other words, many new hires fresh to the workforce didn’t always get a chance to hone their communication skills in the proper manner and to the degree that they needed. Communication is in some ways like a muscle that needs to be built through daily use and repetition. But just as a muscle can atrophy from lack of use, so can communication skills.

That’s bad for Gen Z – and bad for the businesses they work for.

A lack of verbal and social skills can have an impact on productivity and morale in the workplace. It can cause communication breakdowns, decreased collaboration, and challenges in building relationships with clients and colleagues.

That means it’s imperative that young people make an effort to hone their skills and that their managers find ways to help them improve.

Vocal Quality, Facial Expressions, and Other Tips

How can you make that happen?

Some companies have implemented re-training strategies that have measurable results for their Gen Z employees, such as offering virtual communication workshops, encouraging regular video calls to foster interpersonal connections, and providing mentoring programs.

Those who manage Gen Zers also can provide assistance when they notice individuals struggling to communicate effectively. When giving feedback rather than focusing instruction specific to an individual’s weaknesses, HR specialists can take a positive psychology-driven approach to giving feedback. In these cases, individuals can be guided to use a strengths-based mindset to improve how they communicate differently in contexts related to their job duties. This will build their inner communication confidence.

Here are several pieces of advice to share that will help anyone communicate more effectively, whether they are speaking in person or virtually:

• Use eye contact skillfully. Eyes create a powerful form of nonverbal communication that affects how we are perceived. Maintaining eye contact shows attentiveness, interest, and truthfulness. A caveat here. The comfort level with eye contact varies, and different cultural contexts should be considered. Also, you might think that eye contact is irrelevant with videoconferencing, but that is not the case. It is still important, just handled differently. In this case, look into the camera as if you’re looking into the person’s eyes. If it is a group call, look around at the participants in the group to show engagement.
• Work on vocal quality. The quality of your voice greatly impacts the effectiveness of communication. A voice emanating from the diaphragm commands more attention and is considered more attractive socially. Breathing from the diaphragm can lower and deepen the voice, enhancing the perception of authority and aiding in memory and speech fluency.
• Control the pace of your speech. The speed at which you talk influences how you are perceived. If you are talking too fast, people will think you are nervous and uncertain, or that you are trying to talk them into something. Unfortunately, there is no one answer to how fast or slow you should talk because it will vary by the situation and context. But worth noting: The average conversation rate for English speakers in the United States is about 150 words per minute. For a business presentation, 140 words per minute is recommended. Tools like metronome apps can help you practice controlling the pace.
• Drop filler words and use silence instead. Filler words such as “um,” “like,” “basically,” etc., are fine for casual conversation, but strive to minimize them if you are making a professional presentation. Instead of fillers, consider purposeful pauses, which can be more impactful.
• Build awareness of your facial expressions. These play a significant role in nonverbal communication and influence how others perceive us. Are you smiling naturally, or forcing a fake smile? Are you showing a disapproving look when you want to be poker faced? By being aware of our facial expressions, we can modify and control the micro messages we send.
• Create an effective virtual setup for video conferencing. Make sure your camera is at eye level, so that your gaze appears natural. Think of centering yourself on the screen like a newscaster. Your surroundings should be well-lit with no shadows. You also should keep the background simple. A blank wall or a virtual background can be best for limiting or eliminating distractions.

Communication, at its core, is the lifeblood of human interaction. By improving their communication skills, Gen Zers in the workforce can build relationships, foster harmony, and accomplish remarkable feats together with their work teams.