Effective Workplace Communication: The Email You Should Have Sent

Effective workplace communication is essential for career growth. It shapes how colleagues engage and collaborate. In honor of International Women’s Day, it’s critical to pause and consider how many professionals—especially women—hesitate to advocate for themselves at work.

Whether requesting a raise, seeking a promotion, or addressing a workplace concern, self-advocacy can often feel daunting for women. One area where these differences become especially clear is email communication.

According to a study by Almoqbali and Al-Amrani (2021) on gender differences in email communication, women often use more supportive and appreciative language, frequently including expressions of thanks and personal acknowledgment. Whereas men tend to use such expressions less frequently.

These differences are seen among employees with different cultural backgrounds. Cultural differences influence email communication styles, affecting formality, directness, politeness, time sensitivity, and tone, which can lead to misunderstandings if not navigated thoughtfully.

These cultural differences, says research from Stanford and Cornell Academics, affect email structure, including levels of directness, formality, and the use of pleasantries. For example, while direct cultures like the U.S. tend to favor concise, to-the-point emails, indirect cultures such as Japan expect polite introductions, sometimes even referencing the weather, before addressing the main topic. Understanding these nuances helps build trust, foster respect, and improve global business relationships.

For Diana Drobysevskaja, Director of GRC Technology at SAI360, honesty in communication has been a learning experience. In short, it’s also been a double-edged sword at times. “My real problem isn’t the emails I didn’t send—it’s the ones I did send, with just a little too much honesty,” she shares. “I believe in authenticity, which is a fancy way of saying I say exactly what I think…and sometimes wish I hadn’t.”

Why Workplace Communication Skills Matter

Balancing directness with diplomacy is a skill many professionals refine over time. Effective workplace communication requires both clarity and strategy—ensuring your message is received without triggering unintended consequences. Diana acknowledges that she’s learned to temper her instinctive honesty with a bit of polish, joking that AI now proofreads her emails, turning “This is a terrible idea” into “Let’s explore other possibilities.”

How to Advocate for Yourself Professionally

The lesson? Advocating for yourself at work is not just about speaking up—it’s about speaking effectively. Women often overanalyze before making a request, waiting until they feel 100 percent qualified before putting themselves forward. Meanwhile, others might take a bolder approach, trusting they can figure things out as they go. The key is to strike a balance: confidence without overcorrection. Writing emails that showcase authentic honesty that is respectful and empowering for both sender and recipient.

How Can SAI360’s Ethics & Compliance Training Improve Your Colleagues’ Workplace Communication?

Before sending that important email, it helps to take a step back, refine your message, and ensure it aligns with professional communication best practices. SAI360’s Ethics & Compliance Training solutions can guide your greater workplace communication strategies, helping professionals navigate digital interactions with confidence. Our courses like Careful Communication: Keeping Emails Appropriate and Careful Communications: Are You Serious? help employees communicate effectively in the workplace while maintaining organizational integrity.

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