What are key interpersonal communication skills for the workplace?

According to the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), “a survey of 400 companies with 100,000 employees each cited an average loss per company of $62.4 million per year because of inadequate communication to and between employees.” Also, “miscommunication costs even smaller companies of 100 employees an average of $420,000 per year.” 

Just by reading these numbers, you can already see how important interpersonal communication skills are to the employee and to the company.

Developing key interpersonal communication skills for the workplace will enhance your career by establishing you as an effective communicator who can deliver the necessary information in the correct format, at the appropriate time, and with the right impact.

In this article, you’ll discover:

• What are interpersonal skills?

• Why are interpersonal skills important?

• Top 10 interpersonal skills

• What makes a good interpersonal communicator?

• The four types of interpersonal communication

• Ten key interpersonal communication skills for the workplace

• How to improve interpersonal communication skills

What are interpersonal communication skills?

Basic interpersonal skills are the behavioral tools required to interact and communicate with others in different environmental settings. These skills also go by the name social skills, people skills, social competencies, and soft skills.  

The good news is that interpersonal skills are innate. Humans are social creatures and want to engage with one another. The even better news is that interpersonal skills can be enhanced through learning. 

The National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) states in the article Assessing Interpersonal Skills, “Researchers concluded that interpersonal effectiveness requires various sorts of competence that derive from experience, instinct, and learning about specific social contexts.”

Why are interpersonal skills important?

Basic interpersonal skills are vital to the success of one’s career. Learning and honing these skills will go a long way in building successful business relationships, managing individual and cross-functional teams, and building trust amongst your staff, peers and superiors.

Having good interpersonal skills will allow you to empathize, be open to actively listening, and to effectively communicate the right message to others.

Another key reason interpersonal skills are important is based on the principle that people do business with people they know, like, and trust. People want to work with someone they have built a relationship with over time, someone who makes others feel at ease, and someone with integrity.

Top 10 interpersonal communication skills

According to Forbes, interpersonal skills appear to have gone the way of the dodo bird in the workplace, but they still remain essential for success. “Even the most qualified employees will need soft skills to reach their full potential. In other words, hard skills may get you in the door, but soft skills will help you succeed.”

All interpersonal skills are important, but here are five listed by Forbes plus another five that experts agree will help you stand out.

1. Communication

2. Problem-Solving

3. Flexibility

4. Organizational skills

5. Diplomacy

6. Professionalism

7. Leadership

8. Teamwork

9. Emotional intelligence (EI)

10. Adaptability

What makes a good interpersonal communicator?

George Bernard Shaw said, “The single biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place.”

Being a strong interpersonal communicator therefore requires an effective and efficient transfer of information. 

• Effective communication in the workplace is the process of ensuring that the message from the sender to the receiver is clear and presented in the correct format, time, and with the right impact.

• Efficient communication in the workplace provides the receiver with only the necessary information.

This makes it perhaps the most important soft skill in the workplace and a key factor of long-term success.

The four types of interpersonal communication

As a professional you must learn to use and understand the four types of interpersonal communication methods. Knowing when and how to best employ these different methods will help you become a more effective and efficient interpersonal communicator.

1. Verbal

When we speak of communication, we typically think of verbal communication. Here we use our words to speak to the receiver and communicate the necessary message. Verbal communication is the most efficient way to communicate.

2. Nonverbal

Nonverbal is the ability to communicate without using words and generally consists of body language, gestures, and facial expressions. You are always communicating (sometimes unconsciously) even if you are not using words.

3. Written

Next to verbal communication, written communication is perhaps the most important method of communication in the workplace. It consists of letters, memos, blogs, articles, electronic communication (Email), and online chat.

4. Visual

We have all heard the adage: A picture is worth a thousand words. Well, that is what visual communication aims to accomplish by using images, art, charts, and graphs. The right image can generate powerful feelings of emotions and speak volumes without ever saying a word.

Presentations are perfect examples of effective interpersonal communication as they can combine visual, written, verbal, and nonverbal communication to tell a story.

Ten key interpersonal communication skills for the workplace

Interpersonal communication is important to the success of your career, and there are many parts that play a significant role in being an effective and efficient communicator.

Here are ten key interpersonal communication skills that will help improve your ability to communicate with others and show you as an effective communicator.

1. Voice

Good verbal communication starts with a strong, confident, and clear speaking voice. 

2. Active listening

Communication is not just hearing someone but actually listening. Active listening is done by asking the receiver probing questions to ensure a better understanding of the message.

3. Empathy

Effective communication is the ability of the sender to relate and share feelings of understanding with the receiver. This can be done both verbally and nonverbally.

4. Body language

As already discussed in this article, nonverbal communication is just as important as verbal communication. Be cognizant of the messages you relay to others through your body language.

5. Critical thinking

The sign of an effective and efficient communicator is someone who is a strong critical thinker. Interpersonal communication paired with critical thinking gives both the speaker and receiver confidence when the speaker delivers well-thought-out information.

6. Emotional Intelligence (EI)

An important piece of interpersonal communication is emotional intelligence or EI. When you are in touch with your feelings and able to control your emotions, as well as handle the emotions of others around you, then you are well on your way to mastering interpersonal communication.

7. Attitude

Projecting a positive attitude with an engaging personality, upbeat energy, and a kind spirit can help endear you to others when communicating.

8. Conflict resolution

Having the ability to confront a problem through direct and effective communication will not only help resolve conflict but prevent and mitigate disruptive impacts on the workplace.

9. Negotiation

Negotiation is an attribute that a good communicator must have. During negotiations, both parties may not get everything they want, but a good negotiator can communicate the benefits afforded to all parties through a mutually agreed-upon resolution.

10. Influence

Leaders can impact and move others with their words. Influencing others is a skill all leaders should strive to attain. When you are able to influence others through communication, you can potentially change the corporate culture and behavior, leading to better performance and improved morale.

How to improve communication and interpersonal skills

Anyone can improve their interpersonal communication skills, but it does take commitment and dedication. Taking steps to improve your interpersonal communication skills takes initiative and shows others your commitment to self-improvement through self-development. This will increase your chances of being noticed at work and enhance the quality of work deliverables.

Taking the time to improve your interpersonal communication skills will be time well spent. There are many different options to choose from, and finding the best method to suit your learning style and preference is readily available. 

Let’s take a look at some of the methods.

Online training (i.e., Udemy and Coursera)

Advantage: 

• You can move at your own pace.

• You can retake the course as many times as you like.

Disadvantage: 

• There may be a fee associated with the course.

• You may not be able to communicate with others in real-time. 

Brick-and-mortar classrooms (i.e., local colleges and seminars)

Advantage: 

• You can interact with the instructor and other students in real-time.

Disadvantage: 

• There may be a fee associated with the course.

• You will have to travel to the physical location.

Books and articles (i.e., local library, Amazon, business websites)  

Advantage: 

• You can reread the content whenever you like.

• You can move at your own pace.

Disadvantage: 

• There may be a fee associated with the product.

• Unable to communicate with others in real-time.

Observation (i.e., watch/shadow your boss)

Advantage: 

• You can watch and learn from those who have mastered interpersonal communication.

• You can interact with others in real-time.

• It’s free.

Disadvantage: 

• Your choice may be biased.

Experience (i.e., implement what you learn at work)

Advantage: 

• You learn and adjust in real-time.

Disadvantage: 

• You learn and make mistakes in real-time.

Key takeaways

1. Basic interpersonal skills are the behavioral tools required to interact and communicate with others in different environmental settings.

2. The most important interpersonal soft skill is communication. Being a strong interpersonal communicator requires an effective and efficient transfer of information. 

3. Developing key interpersonal communication skills for the workplace will enhance your career and establish you as an effective communicator.

4. There are four different ways to communicate: verbal, nonverbal, written, and visual. There are also ten key skills for workplace communication.

5. Anyone can improve their interpersonal communication skills, and there are many ways to do so. 

6. Taking steps to improve your interpersonal communication skills will show initiative in your self-development, increase your chances of being noticed at work, and enhance the quality of your work deliverables.