No one listens. It’s a common complaint in workplaces and beyond. We repeat ourselves and clarify details, yet colleagues still return with questions we’ve already answered. The issue? More communication doesn’t equal effective communication. In today’s fast-changing workplace, effective communication at work is crucial. Technological shifts and hybrid environments demand continuously updated communication strategies. Keeping your methods fresh prevents confusion, aligns teams, and fosters innovation. If repeating yourself isn’t working, it’s time to rethink how to improve communication at work—clarity and relevance over quantity.
Why over-communicating doesn’t work
The suggestion that you should over-communicate assumes that more is better. But the reason people don’t listen doesn’t have anything to do with how many times you’ve said it. Despite common advice suggesting repetition leads to better communication, more isn’t always better. Constant repetition can cause your audience to tune out even further, especially given the relentless flood of notifications, emails, and messages competing for attention in today’s digitally saturated environment. Effective workplace communication demands clarity and relevance, not sheer volume.
When the information doesn’t “stick,” it’s usually because the recipient’s attention hasn’t been fully engaged. In today’s fragmented world, attention is limited and easily disrupted by context, distractions, and individual differences in processing information. Research from Frontiers in Human Neuroscience confirms this, showing that divided attention lowers our ability to remember and understand what we’re hearing.
While you can’t directly control how others pay attention, you can control how you deliver your message. By recognising these attention limitations and understanding how your audience best processes information, you can craft communication that naturally engages them. Doing this right the first time reduces the need for repetition and ensures your messages resonate clearly and effectively.
Common communication challenges at work
Information overload and digital fatigue
One of the biggest communication problems at work today is information overload. Employees are flooded with messages, emails, chats, and notifications from multiple platforms—it’s exhausting! Digital fatigue sets in quickly, causing shorter attention spans and increasing the chance of missed or misunderstood messages. To improve communication at work, teams need clear strategies to reduce unnecessary noise and focus on messages that truly matter.
Keeping hybrid and remote teams on the same page
Hybrid working is here to stay—and that’s great for flexibility—but it can definitely make effective communication at work trickier. When teams are spread out across different locations and time zones, it’s easy for clarity to slip, expectations to get fuzzy, and accountability to take a hit. The solution? Set clear, consistent communication routines and use collaborative tools to keep everyone on the same page, wherever they’re logging in from.
How to improve communication at work with Thinking Preferences
So, what’s the best way to communicate with your audience? Information processing starts with the brain. By understanding how different people prefer to think, you can adapt your messages to improve communication with any audience, whether you’re communicating one-on-one or with a diverse group. Here are some easy ideas for engaging different thinkers.
Is your audience…
- analytical and technical in its thinking? Get to the point, be clear and have the data ready, because they’ll want to see the facts to support your arguments. A warning: If you meander or go off-topic, they’re likely to tune you out.
- practical, organised and detail-oriented? Go through it step by step, have your references handy, and be ready to discuss all the finer points and contingency plans. Before you communicate it verbally, communicate it in writing in advance to allow for extra processing time.
- expressive and interpersonal? Instead of dwelling on the dry, impersonal facts, engage them with stories and examples. Consider communicating it in an open forum that gives everyone the opportunity to participate, provide input and discuss concerns.
- highly imaginative and conceptual? They’re looking for the big-picture view, so don’t drown them in details. Emphasise the “why,” and get creative about it. If you really need them to pay attention, try turning it into a game or fun quiz.
More often than not, you’ll be communicating with a diverse audience, or you may not be absolutely sure what someone’s thinking preferences are. In those situations, a Whole Brain® approach is always the best strategy.
(Tip: Since most people have varying degrees of preference for more than one thinking style, we recommend using a validated assessment like the HBDI® to uncover thinking preferences.)
The Whole Brain® communication checklist
One way to appeal to and engage a variety of thinkers is to apply the Whole Brain® Communication Walk-Around Model to the significant points of your message. It’s a problem-solving process that forces you to review your communications in each of the four thinking quadrants.
The four-colour, four-quadrant graphic and Whole Brain® are trademarks of Herrmann Global © 2019
🟦 Analytical (Blue Quadrant)
- Does it use facts?
- Is it quantified?
- Does it show clear analysis?
- Is it to the point?
- Is it logical?
🟨 Experimental (Yellow Quadrant)
- Does it look at the big picture or overview?
- Is it visual and colorful?
- Does it use metaphors?
- Does it look at the future?
- Is it conceptually sound or clear?
🟩 Practical (Green Quadrant)
- Does it provide details?
- Is it sequential in order?
- Is it neat?
- Is it in a recognisable, “appropriate” format?
🟥 Relational (Red Quadrant)
- Does it use experiences that relate to the audience?
- Does it provide examples to illustrate the point?
- Is it helpful and user-friendly?
- Does it acknowledge emotional issues?
This is a quick, proactive exercise you can try any time you’re preparing communications for a diverse audience or as a way to check yourself when communicating with those who think differently than you do.
Remember: More isn’t always better. If people aren’t listening to you, you’re probably not communicating in a way that actually engages their attention. Thinking it through upfront will only take a small amount of your time—and you won’t have to keep repeating yourself.
This is a quick, proactive exercise you can try any time you’re preparing communications for a diverse audience or as a way to check yourself when communicating with those who think differently than you do.
Remember: More isn’t always better. If people aren’t listening to you, you’re probably not communicating in a way that actually engages their attention. Thinking it through upfront will only take a small amount of your time—and you won’t have to keep repeating yourself.
Navigating communication in remote and hybrid teams
Remote and hybrid work setups mean teams need to get intentional about communication at work. Casual check-ins, clear processes, and making sure everyone feels included are key to keeping teams aligned, no matter where people log in from. Herrmann’s tools make this easier by helping teams understand each person’s thinking style and preferences. When everyone knows how their colleagues process information best, communication flows more naturally, and remote relationships become stronger and more effective.
How to incorporate Whole Brain® Thinking for better communication in meetings
If you’re struggling to be heard by the people you work with, no doubt your meetings aren’t operating as effectively as they could be. Proper communication is the key to impactful meetings, and without this, you’re just wasting everybody’s time. Download our Meetings That Actually Work toolkit to receive tips, strategies and worksheets for making your meetings more engaging, useful and productive.
Frequently asked questions about workplace communication
1. Why doesn’t repeating myself improve communication at work?
Repeating yourself doesn’t always lead to effective communication at work, especially if people already feel overwhelmed. Clear, targeted messages usually work better.
2. What’s the best way to improve communication at work for hybrid teams?
Hybrid and remote teams face unique communication problems at work. Set consistent routines, pick user-friendly tools, and understand different thinking styles to keep everyone connected.
3. What is digital fatigue, and how does it create communication problems at work?
Digital fatigue happens when employees feel overloaded by constant online communication. It reduces attention and engagement, making misunderstandings more common.
4. How can the Whole Brain® Communication checklist help improve communication at work?
The checklist helps you tailor your messages to different thinking styles, resulting in more effective communication at work—especially with diverse groups.
5. How do I identify my team’s thinking preferences to improve communication at work?
Using an assessment like Herrmann’s HBDI® reveals your team’s thinking preferences. This helps you understand exactly how to improve communication at work naturally.
