Communication in 2009 and Beyond

Communication in 2009 & Beyond
by Jeannine Hohman, HR Strategist, TriStarr Staffing

With all of the technology available today, there seems to be less need for face-to-face communication. We have more high tech tools to communicate with each other in our professional and personal lives than ever before.

With access to e-mail, voice mail, text messages, etc. it’s possible to avoid having to talk to a real live person during the course of our work day. Take the Blackberry for instance. You can call, e-mail, text, and check the web - all from the palm of your hand. Even better, with a GPS, you don’t even have to stop and ask someone for directions!

Welcome to the age of Advanced Technology.

Without a doubt, technology has made our lives more efficient, but in talking with a few colleagues, we wondered if the act of verbal communication is a dying art? Will recent graduates really know how to communicate in a face-to-face situation? Will they possess the communication skills needed to present themselves well in a job interview or convey their goals and ideas clearly?

This probably won’t be a major problem. After all, anyone who can master and be totally comfortable with all of the technology available today should be able to effectively communicate verbally. It will just take a little practice to gain confidence and a comfort level with public speaking. This is nothing new and hinges on the adage “Practice makes perfect”.

How can we keep verbal communication skills alive? Try this….. instead of sending a co-worker an e-mail or text message to ask a question, just take a walk to their office and ask in person.

By the way, I typed this article on my lap top with a wireless connection, e-mailed it to my manager who is one office over, and received feedback via e-mail which I read on my Blackberry while out of the office and then I texted back “THX” and put a reminder on my Outlook calendar to finish and print the final copy ☺


JMH