At the end of this module you will be able to:

• Acquire basic knowledge about digital communication and its current context.
• Identify the main communication problems in the digital era.
• Enhance communication skills in the digital environment. From a management perspective, towards an employee/work team perspective. A practical guide to boost effective communication in the work environment.

The spread in the use of the Internet over the last few decades has brought about profound changes in the way we communicate.

Most of us may know by now that digital communication is any type of communication that is based on the use of technology. There are many channels and forms of digital communication. In the workplace, which is what we will focus on in this module, it can range from sending an email, having a chat conversation with your work team, or having an online professional meeting through some platform, among others.

But, do we know how to have effective digital communication in the workplace and how to get the most out of it?

In this module we will focus on how to improve digital communication and thus coordination with others, by developing the necessary skills that will help drive effective digital communication in the work environment.

Currently, after the COVID-19 crisis, the digitalization processes of companies have accelerated, which has led to the establishment of new remote working methodologies, encompassed in the new term called Smart working, in which work teams become virtual.

Therefore, it should be noted that this type of digital communication is nowadays the new norm, in which in addition to the knowledge of certain skills and digital tools, we must learn the codes of conduct of communication in the current digital environment, and work on our soft communication skills, to achieve effective communication, which is basic for teamwork and coordination with others, the professional development of the individual, as well as to have an attractive, productive and enjoyable work experience, and in turn adapt to the new circumstances and labour challenges in which we live.

To achieve the above objectives, it is valuable to know that digital communication has inherent characteristics, advantages and disadvantages compared to the face-to-face communication to which we have long been accustomed. Digital communication is faster, interactive, decentralized, more participatory, less hierarchical. Above all, it allows us to interact immediately, eliminating the physical barriers that could condition us before. One of its particular characteristics is that it is not usually accompanied by the non-verbal language that accompanies traditional communication, which poses new paradigms.

According to these characteristics, let's see in the following unit, what are the most common problems that can arise through digital communication in the workplace.

Communication barriers are those that prevent a free, clear and effective transmission of information or message. Let's see in the digital work environment, what are the most common problems that we can find in our team.

• Cooling of interpersonal relationships in the virtual work team: The lack of contact in virtual work or digital communication can lead to feelings of isolation, loneliness and cooling of team relationships, which can have a negative impact on the individual, affecting their well-being, productivity and the work environment itself.
• Problems in the interpretation of the message: The digital message is easy to misinterpret. Through this medium, the non-verbal signals of communication, such as tone of voice, emphasis, hand gestures, facial tone, body position, etc., which usually accompany the interpretation of the information, are not seen. This can lead to a misinterpretation of messages or information, in which we end up giving a subjective or personal interpretation of the receiver (based on his emotional state. We hear and see what we emotionally tune in), losing the initial effectiveness or objectivity of the message.

• It creates a false security / coldness: For many people, the physical distance of digital communication creates a sense of "false security", which face-to-face communication does not provide, and makes them feel safer, as if digital communication were not "real", and they can manifest a more "aggressive" behaviour or a certain lack of caution in communication, shielded by the medium and the distance. It is easier for them to express themselves through this type of medium than when we have to look someone in the eye and share our feelings or opinions.
• The immediacy / instantaneousness of the message: The perspective of instant communication creates an additional pressure to compensate presentiality, which can often lead to write quickly, answer quickly, which can transform what should be a thoughtful response, in a reaction, which can lead in turn to recklessness, more difficult to remedy by the intrinsic characteristics of the digital medium.

• The persistence of the message or digital fingerprint: The digital medium, in addition to having multiple advantages, has the particularity of remaining in the electronic medium, this means that the messages we send, or the conversations we have, etc., remain reflected in the medium and will remain in the digital support, unlike traditional communication, which we could say is more “ephemeral".
• Use of vocabulary with certain meanings: Languages, technical terms, anglicisms, colloquial language, symbols with more than one meaning, poor expression, etc., which the receiver, for different reasons, may interpret them differently or not understand them at all, which leads to a distortion of the message we receive or that we intended to convey.

• Lack of clarity in the instructions and objectives: The clarity of information and guidelines in the digital environment is of utmost importance. This is what will enable the team to follow them properly and achieve the proposed objectives.
• No knowledge of the work being done by others: Many times, we do not have the appropriate tools for this purpose. This feeling can also be due to the lack of physical presence to which we are so used to, and the coexistence in a new environment in which the presence is virtual.
• Lack of responsibility and autonomy: Autonomous time management and self-sufficiency are essential for performance in today's digital work environments, a factor that in turn influences coordination with the rest of the team. 

• Misunderstandings within multicultural teams: One factor to take into account is the message in multicultural digital environments, in which not everyone has the same interpretative codes or communicative behaviour. Hence the need to work on the effective digital message, assertive, and adapted to the medium and the environment.  
• Lack of feedback: Feedback in the digital work environment helps the fluidity and synergy of communication, in this medium it is essential to maintain an exchange of information that keeps us always up to date, and in which it is known that our information is being received, read and understood.
• Lack of a generalized digital language established: Digital language is very recent compared to the history of traditional language that we all know and have learned. For this new digital language, there is still no common formal basis established that we can all follow and interpret according to a common standard, which can lead to different interpretations.

As we have seen above, virtual work teams are exposed to a number of difficulties that often slow down the work and prevent proper progress. To prevent these inconveniences from affecting the work team, its projects and objectives, it is important to design strategies in order to know how to overcome them.

Assertive communication in the digital workplace is of vital importance for the achievement of professional objectives both individually and as part of a team, and in all areas of business communication, from management to communication between employees or with customers.