As the world marches into the digital era, a scepticism has enveloped the minds of learners — a concern regarding the relevance of communication skills. It is quite bewildering yet true that something like digitalisation, which has shaped the modern purview of the world and has transformed conversation styles dramatically, has failed to impact the relevance of communication skills. Communication, which heavily relied on in-person interactions and written correspondence, has been diversified into emails, video calls, social media, and collaborative digital tools by the phenomenon of digitalisation. In this age, asynchronous and real-time communication exist simultaneously, which further enables global connectivity and at the same time poses challenges such as misinterpretation, reduced emotional cues, and information overload. Thus, as we consider these altering paradigms, the shift has redefined the essential skills required to communicate effectively. In digital communication, one can say that out of the 7Cs, conciseness, clarity, and concreteness play the utmost significant role. The messages must be brief yet meaningful, as online audiences have shorter attention spans. If one needs to hold the span of a scroller, the texts should be short, clear, and catchy.
The ability to use digital tools efficiently, interpret multimedia messages, and maintain professionalism across virtual platforms has become vital. It is undeniable that visual communication has gained significance through the use of images, videos, emojis, and infographics. These modes convey emotions and ideas beyond words. However, it is crucial to note that the lack of physical presence in digital interactions reduces emotional intensity and elevates the risk of misinterpretation. Henceforth, empathy and active listening become even more crucial and decisive.
Thus, it would be ideal to state that communication skills in the digital era merge technology with human understanding. Contemporary communicators must be digitally literate and emotionally intelligent. Communication in the digital era has its stems rooted in the nodes of clarity, empathy, and responsibility in both physical and virtual spaces.
Submitted by
Dr. Richa Sharma
Assistant Professor, Asian School of Business Noida