- 70% of workers in Ireland prefer emails over calls for work-related communication
- Phone calls becoming redundant in the workplace for Gen Z and Millennials
When it comes to workplace communication, the phone call may have had its day with research from Matrix Recruitment finding that 70% of workers prefer to use email for work-related communication. Fewer than one in five (17%) like to reach for the phone at work.
Unsurprisingly day-to-day communication with friends differs with more than a third (35%) of people polled citing a preference for voice notes, WhatsApp or social media messaging. Just 2% of respondents like to use voice notes for work.
Until around five years ago, phone calls were our main form of communication with clients and job candidates, supported by email. However, in recent years, we have noticed a major transition with email taking over from the somewhat defunct phone call, along with text or WhatsApp messages. These newer forms of communication are primarily being used by Gen Z and Millennials who do not seem to like making or receiving phone calls, even with friends.
As each new generation of worker enters the workforce they bring with them new ways of working and new ways of communicating. While it’s great to be able to take advantage of the advancements in technology, which allows us to communicate faster and more efficiently, personality, tone and meaning can get lost in the process along with the rapport that a more personal form of communication facilitates.
Notwithstanding, we have seen that digital communication has become a critical tool for the recruitment industry with LinkedIn the preferred first point of contact for recruiters and candidates alike. LinkedIn is the most powerful social tool for connecting, networking and managing an extensive talent pool.
Regardless of the platform, job candidates should keep their communication professional and reasonably formal, and I urge people to avoid such familiarities as emojis or signing off an email with a kiss, which I have seen on more than one job application.
Even if you have developed a personal rapport with the recruiter or potential employer, it’s important to always present yourself in a professional manner, particularly in the early stages of an interview process. Informal language is becoming more commonplace and while it has its place, my advice to jobseekers is to err on the side of formality and avoid internet slang such as LOL or IMO to help you land that dream job.
This online poll of 432 respondents was conducted by Matrix Recruitment in June 2023.
