In a collaborative workplace, written communication is crucial—but it’s also a source of friction when things go wrong. Whether it’s tone, lack of clarity, or misaligned expectations, small mistakes in your messages can lead to big issues. In this article, we’ll explore common missteps and how to prevent them using empathetic, clear, and thoughtful messaging. You’ll walk away with practical tips and insights to strengthen your communication at work.
Why written communication goes wrong in the workplace
Even with the best intentions, written communication can go sideways. Tone is easily misread, context gets lost, and assumptions fill in the blanks. In a fast-paced work environment—especially remote or hybrid settings—employees often rush messages without fully considering clarity or emotional impact. When empathy and intention don’t come through, trust and collaboration suffer.
Common mistakes in workplace writing
Many workplace writing issues stem from unclear goals, lack of audience awareness, or poor structure. Common missteps include:
- Using vague or overly technical language
- Leaving out key context or next steps
- Misjudging tone, especially in difficult conversations
- Overloading messages with too much information
- Failing to proofread or check for misunderstandings
Each of these can lead to confusion, delays, or conflict—ultimately slowing down team effectiveness. Below are additional examples of poor communication in the workplace:
1. “Hey, what did I do?”
It can feel silly or even childish, but we’ve all experienced it: the creeping sense that a co-worker is angry with us, based on nothing but a single message.
The culprits:
- A terse message. We’re all busy, and we’re all trying to communicate as clearly and quickly as possible. What gets lost are the “niceties” that soften our messages when we’re conveying them in face-to-face conversation. Under normal circumstances, straight-to-the-point emails and Slacks are the way to go, but these aren’t normal circumstances. Give yourself permission to go a little overboard on “cushioning” your messages.
- Straightforward feedback. Wait, but isn’t feedback supposed to be straightforward? Otherwise, how is it actionable? While that’s all true, direct constructive feedback over Slack can feel blunt. Save yourself the grief and move more in-depth or critical feedback discussions to a more human medium, like video.
- An ominous message. The scariest words in any relationship are, “Can we talk?” The same is true of our working relationships — a vague request for a meeting is scary, and never feels like good news. It’s a best practice to reserve more in-depth discussions for video chat vs. written conversation, but do the person you’re messaging a favor and preview the subject when you’re making the ask. Or, at the very least, assure them that it’s not bad news on the way.
2. “Who’s on first?”
Every now and then, we get our wires crossed, and end up talking past each other. When attempts to clarify a confusing message go off the rails, it can feel like you’re in the middle of an Abbott and Costello routine with no ending.
The culprits:
- A meaningless “What?” When you get a message you don’t quite understand, “What do you mean?”, or even just “?”, is the easiest response, but it’s not the most useful. Rather than get you the answer you’re looking for, it might trigger a frustrating back-and-forth, where the wrong part is being re-clarified and you still don’t know what the message means. Instead, paraphrase the parts of their message you did understand back at them, and ask for clarity on the single part that was confusing.
- Mismatched terminology. When you’re working from different vocabularies, getting on the same page can be impossible. Don’t take for granted that a word or phrase means the same thing to all parties involved: set definitions at the start of a conversation when there’s any risk of confusion, and ask others to do the same.
- Autocorrect. More and more communication channels are using autocorrect and predictive text to anticipate what you’re about to type, or even what you meant to type. Sometimes, artificial intelligence gets it wrong and bungles our message. There’s only one thing to be done: proofread before hitting send.
3. “Is this a bad time?”
Written communication is asynchronous, meaning the parties communicating aren’t necessarily engaging at the same time. Because of this, there may be uncertainty and anxiety about response times. During the current period of company-wide telecommuting, there’s even more variability in where people are and what they’re doing at any given time. This all escalates the risk factors for miscommunication.
The culprits:
- Artificial urgency. We all approach our inboxes differently — some reply as soon as they get a message, and others set time aside to focus on their messages. We tend to assume other people take the same approach we do, but this isn’t the case. It can be stressful for an “inbox zero” person to get a message during off-hours, even if the sender doesn’t expect an immediate response. This can be avoided with shared expectations around response time. There’s no perfect solution, a conversation between managers and direct reports about expectations like, “When is an off-hours message urgent, and when is it not?” and “Is a Slack more urgent than an email?” is a start.
- Assumption of availability. Similarly, you and your colleagues may have different expectations about what “off hours” even are. In a work-from-home world, the pressure to be “always on” is high if it isn’t checked. One person’s lunch break is another person’s heads-down time, and one person’s start-of-day is another’s time with their children. Use your calendar, the “status” feature on your direct message platform, and email auto-replies to alert your team to when you are and aren’t available.
How Bravely coaching supports better communication
Bravely can help employees build confidence and emotional intelligence in their writing. Through 1:1 coaching sessions, professionals gain personalized guidance on how to:
- Communicate with empathy and clarity
- Tailor messages for different audiences
- Navigate difficult conversations with composure
- Improve feedback and conflict-resolution skills
Whether you’re preparing to send a sensitive message or working to strengthen your communication over time, Bravely is here with guidance that meets you where you are.
One final word of advice: cut your teammates some slack when it comes to written communication. We’re all navigating the same uncharted terrain, and assuming good intent goes a long way toward understanding each other.
FAQs about workplace communication
- Q: Why is written communication so important in the workplace?
A: Written communication ensures clarity, accountability, and documentation—especially in hybrid and remote environments. It impacts team trust and productivity. - Q: What are the most common mistakes in written workplace communication?
A: Common errors include vague language, unclear action items, poor tone, lack of context, and overuse of jargon. - Q: How can I improve my written communication at work?
A: Use plain language, be concise, anticipate questions, and reread your message for tone. Tools like coaching or templates can also help. - Q: How does Bravely help with communication skills?
A: Bravely offers on-demand coaching that supports professionals in developing empathy, clarity, and confidence in both written and verbal communication.
