Clear communication is one of the most important parts of a successful business. Yet many companies still struggle with it. When messages are confusing or unclear, people make mistakes, feel frustrated, and waste time. This often leads to money loss and low employee morale — problems that can quietly grow into big issues.
Let’s take a closer look at how poor communication hurts businesses, both in dollars and workplace culture.
Wasted Time Adds Up Fast
A recent report by Grammarly and The Harris Poll found that poor communication costs U.S. businesses up to $1.2 trillion every year. That’s because employees spend hours trying to understand unclear messages, fix mistakes, or redo work that was done wrong.
Imagine this: If each employee wastes just 30 minutes a day due to confusing emails, missed updates, or unclear instructions, that adds up to more than 100 hours per year, per person! Now multiply that by hundreds or thousands of workers, and the cost becomes massive.
It Lowers Productivity and Teamwork
People often feel stuck when they don’t fully understand what’s expected of them. They may be too afraid to ask questions or not even know what to ask. This leads to delays, missed deadlines, and unfinished tasks.
In team settings, unclear communication causes even more problems. Team members may end up duplicating work or heading in completely different directions. Instead of working together, they become disconnected and frustrated.
Morale and Trust Drop
Bad communication doesn’t just affect work—it affects how employees feel. People feel left out or unimportant when they don’t know what’s going on. This can lead to a drop in trust and motivation. Over time, employees may lose interest in their jobs or even choose to leave the company.
Turnover is expensive. Every time a company loses a worker, it spends time and money finding, hiring, and training someone new. And if the main reason for leaving is poor communication, it’s a fixable problem.
Age Gaps Make It Worse
Communication challenges are even more noticeable across different age groups. Older workers may prefer face-to-face chats or emails. Younger employees often lean toward instant messages or tools like Slack. When businesses don’t set clear communication rules, these differences can lead to misunderstandings.
Also, younger employees, especially Gen Z, want clear and direct feedback. They like knowing how they’re doing and what they can improve. Without that, they may feel confused, unsupported, or undervalued.
This ties into the growing conversation around Gen Z problems, which include unclear communication, lack of feedback, and outdated leadership styles that don’t match their needs.
Fixing the Problem
The good news? Poor communication can be improved with a few smart changes:
- Use plain language: Keep messages short and clear.
- Set expectations: Make sure everyone knows how and where to communicate.
- Ask for feedback: Give employees a chance to share what works and what doesn’t.
- Train leaders: Help managers learn how to deliver clear, helpful messages.
Final Thoughts
Good communication is not a “nice-to-have”—it’s a must. Clear messages save time, boost morale, and improve teamwork. Strong communication can make the difference between success and failure in a busy world with different generations working side by side.
Don’t wait until problems grow. Start talking more clearly today.
Lynn Martelli is an editor at Readability. She received her MFA in Creative Writing from Antioch University and has worked as an editor for over 10 years. Lynn has edited a wide variety of books, including fiction, non-fiction, memoirs, and more. In her free time, Lynn enjoys reading, writing, and spending time with her family and friends.
