Learning content

What is digital communication?

Communication is an important aspect of our lives, we communicate on a daily basis, building various types of relationships. At work, without communication, we wouldn't be able to build relationships with co-workers or clients, and we wouldn't be able to achieve any results either.

Communication is the process of sending and receiving information among people. In other words, it is a two-way process that involves transferring information from one person or group to another. Digital communication is a two-way process that involves transferring information from one person or group to another where you rely on technology.

Nowadays, we are using different kinds of digital systems. With this trend, digital communication has become an important part of our lives. We communicate with others through digital platforms while working from home, taking medical advice, shopping, making payments, or investing. There are many types of digital communication, commonly referred to as digital communication channels. These include email, phone calls, video conferencing, and many types of instant messaging like SMS and web chats. Even blogs, podcasts, and videos are considered forms of digital communication.

Why digital communication is important?

The importance of communication can be justified with different kinds of arguments. First, communication is vital for relationships, it can be perceived as a bridge between different people and a tool that helps solve every problem. Communication is necessary for the survival of human beings, but also it is the key to individual success, both personal and professional. As well as there is no organizational success without effective communication.

There are a few important reasons why digital communication is important:

• because where we are now - the era of Industry 4.0,
• to satisfy employer expectations regarding communication skills,
• to increase your productivity by improving communication skills,
• to be able to maintain a rapport with others via technology.

Where we are now?

In recent years, we have observed an incredible pace of technological development. We are in the midst of a significant transformation regarding the way we produce products thanks to the digitization of manufacturing. This transition is called Industry 4.0 and refers to the fourth revolution that has occurred in manufacturing. The history of industrial revolutions includes five main stages, and their characteristics are as follows:

1. The first industrial revolution. Back in the 18th century, the development of steam power began the mechanization of production.
2. The second industrial revolution of the late 19th and early 20th century was triggered by the implementation of electricity in production and the invention of the assembly line.
3. The third industrial revolution began in the 1970s and brought production activities automated with the help of new memory-programmable controls.
4. The fourth industrial revolution is our current state: the application of increasingly sophisticated computers, robots, and communication technologies to industrial processes.
5. The fifth industrial revolution fills the gap and adds the missing ingredient — intelligence. This allows us to blend the power of smart, precise, accurate machinery with human creativity and ingenuity. The goal of Industry 5.0 is to find the right balance between robotization and humans.

Employer expectations regarding communication skills

Digital transformation is on the rise and affecting every industry. Many jobs that are considered traditional have become more digital and required foundational digital skills. A Brookings Institution (Hecker, Loprest 2019), a study found a large increase in jobs requiring digital skills from 2002 to 2016, while the number of jobs that require less knowledge of digital skills and that use these skills less intensively fell significantly. The research (Hofman et al., 2022) shows the key skills that are and will continue to be, required are the knowledge and effective use of relevant technologies. Digital literacy is already an essential (if basic) requirement while understanding and use of data will only increase in importance in the future. The demand for information and communications technology specialists is growing fast. In the future, 9 out of 10 jobs will require digital skills. At the same time, 169 million Europeans between 16 and 74 years – 44% – do not have basic digital skills (The digital skills gap in Europe).

Baseline digital skills are defined as the digital skills adults need to safely benefit from, participate in, and contribute to the digital world. We can also say that these are skills that we need to have the ability to find, evaluate, use, share, and create content using digital devices, such as computers and smartphones. Digital skills can be hard or soft, and it’s best to have a mixture of the two if you want to be able to communicate effectively. Hard skills are the basic practical skills that help you to navigate social media, use software and get the most out of video conferencing platforms. Soft skills are less tangible, but you need to learn them if you want to communicate clearly and confidently. These skills include things such as adapting your language to suit an online discussion or learning how to pick up on body language or tone of voice over video calls.

Increasing productivity by improving communication skills

In today’s society, digital communication skills are essential. As digital technology, platforms, and applications change, digital literacy means people can more easily learn new digital tasks but gaining foundational digital skills and reaching a level of digital literacy is important. It makes it easier for a person to transfer digital knowledge across jobs and potentially advance from entry-level jobs or make occupational changes. Workplace tools have a very strong influence on employee motivation, performance, and productivity. The right communications system can strengthen human connections over time and distance and create an environment that is far more responsible and agile than ever before.

How can a digital communication system improve the work environment?

• new cloud-based solutions are key to enabling the digital workplace and flexible work lifestyles,
• employees can log in from anywhere on any digital device, and the system will immediately recognize them, their teams, and all their contacts,
• presence capabilities let users find colleagues quickly and immediately begin messaging to share real-time information,
• if the users need deeper collaboration, they simply click on the audio or video button to begin an audio or face-to-face call,
• screen sharing is also available for document sharing and updating, as well as sending files – all right from the same application,
• downloadable mobile apps mean that your smartphone (personal or otherwise) essentially puts your desk phone to rest.

At the individual level, digitalization can give you the time to focus on other, more creative and thoughtful aspects of your jobs and work-related apps can help you make the most of your time to get more done.

Maintaining a rapport with others via technology

In conditions where technology has dominated communication between people, digital communication skills become an important tool for rapport building. Rapport is a state of harmonious understanding with another individual or group that is a foundation of a meaningful relationship. Good rapport can make the other person feel respected, heard, and seen. Building rapport is about driving a meaningful connection between you and another person.

Why is it so important to build rapport?

• To create a positive connection.
• To build good relationships.
• To gain support for your ideas and proposals.

The methods of digital communication

When it comes to digital communication, there’s a whole range of different methods that you can use to connect with others. Here are some of the basic methods that you should be able to use:

Email

Email is used for many different purposes, including contacting friends, communicating with professors and supervisors, requesting information, and applying for jobs, internships, and scholarships. Depending on your purposes, the messages you send will differ in their formality, intended audience, and desired outcomes.

Instant messaging apps. If you want to know the person you are trying to get in touch with online at that moment and would want to enjoy a quick conversation you can rely on instant messaging. Instant messaging (IM) helps you exchange text messages in real time through software. It allows you to know if your chosen friend or co-worker is online, and apart from exchanging text messages you can also share files and enjoy voice and video chat. Examples of these apps: are WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger, Skype, Viber, Telegram, and Kik. Instant messaging through mobile apps provides a personal touch, transparency, speed, and affordability. Businesses and brands use messengers to personally engage with their customers These are ad- and spam-free channels providing a high-quality service.

File sharing platforms. When it comes to sharing large files with business contacts, it’s advisable to consider the alternative to email. The first reason is that many mail servers have a limit on the collective size of a single email in terms of data used (it refers to you and your recipient). The second reason is that many users who access email on mobile devices either have limits in terms of the monthly amount of bandwidth they are allowed to use on their paid plans or have data contracts on a pay-as-you-go basis, which means they have to pay for every megabyte of data downloaded over a particular limit. There you have plenty of alternatives to sending large files by email. Dedicated file-sharing platforms have sprung up, and these allow for files to be hosted in the cloud and then downloaded only by users who want to do so. Which file-sharing service you choose in the first instance may depend more on what you are used to or what has been suggested to you by business contacts. The examples of most popular platforms are Dropbox, Google Drive / Google One, WeTransfer, and Box.

Video conferencing tools. Video conferencing is an online technology that allows users in different locations to hold face-to-face meetings without having to move to a single location together. This solution is convenient because it saves time, expenses, and hassles associated with business travel. Uses for video conferencing include holding routine meetings, negotiating business deals, and interviewing job candidates. Video conferencing had experienced steady growth over the past decade but become an essential tool for connecting remote workers and distributed teams during the COVID-19 pandemic. The examples of most popular video conferencing tools are Zoom, Google Hangouts Meet, Microsoft Teams, and GoToMeeting.

Social media. Social media is defined as any website including user-generated content. Social media can take many forms, e.g., social networking sites (Facebook, Myspace), creativity works sharing sites (YouTube, Instagram, Soundcloud), business networking sites (LinkedIn), collaborative websites (Wikipedia), commerce communities (eBay, Amazon, Allegro), podcasts, and open-source software communities (Linux, R). A sense of community and a sense of identity is considered the main reasons for using social media sites. Creating and extending a user’s community, and a network of relationships, provide common shared values and norms and benefit people by connecting with others. In terms of the business world, such networks could help individuals to meet influential people and to find job connections, and also create on own image.

Blog. It is a kind of website consisting of independent, specific, diverse, separate, and chronologically ordered entries. This website is maintained by its owner and creator.

Blogs usually allow you to archive entries and categorize them. Blogs operate on the principle of placing your own entries in anticipation of comments from other participants or commenting on their statements. Companies use blogs mainly for advertising purposes, while individuals use blogs to share their knowledge and ideas with others.

Applying netiquette in digital communication

Netiquette is a portmanteau of net and etiquette and refers to the socially acceptable rules of online conduct. Netiquette sets the rules for maintaining a positive social environment online and refers to self-presentation standards, behaviour norms, and accepted forms of expression. Proper netiquette helps you avoid offending friends, employers, and other people in your social network. This set is not rigidly fixed and is subject to minor changes. Failure to comply with these rules is usually harmless and there are no penalties, but if someone notoriously breaks these rules, they may receive a warning from the website, or even a ban (i.e., blocking access to the website).

Among netiquette standards, we can highlight the following:

• represent yourself well (Use respectful language, Be careful with sarcasm, Check your grammar,
• respect other people’s privacy,
• if you wouldn't say it directly, don't say it online,
• follow the rules,
• fact check,
• respect people's time and boundaries,
• respond as promptly as you can,
• keep your information up to date,
• send files properly.
• be forgiving.

Online communication is also connected with emoticons and abbreviations, to either make the message shorter or to introduce a more personal dimension. You need to know which ones to use in order not to create any misunderstands. Although both are characteristic of informal communication, abbreviations will be used by peers and colleagues in emails or chats.

These are some common abbreviations used in digital communication:

Emoticons = Meanings

FYI = for your information ASAP = as soon as possible BTW = by the way LOL = laugh out loud WTG = way to go TTUL = talk to you later BFN = bye for now BRB = be right back CUL = see you later IDK = I don’t know JK, JJ = just kidding, just joking TYVM = thank you very much

Case study

Context

The presented case study is an example showing the role of digital communication in the success of a small company.

Description

Company X is a micro-enterprise, employing about 9 people, and operating in the regional market for over 20 years. The main activity of Company X is the production of candles, grave lights, candle inserts, and tealights. Production is based on a few basic machines operated by employees. The machines used in the production process do not guarantee full automation of the process and require the significant involvement of employees. The company's offer is addressed mainly to business customers, and the recipients of the products are retail chains or other commercial companies. Company X, due to the adopted sales strategy, does not have its own extensive retail sales network. The company, recognizing the needs of customers, strives to expand its offer, at the same time trying to meet their requirements regarding ecological aspects, as well as packaging and transport of deliveries. The company pays special attention to ecology. In this area, it cooperates with research units to ensure the highest quality and environmentally friendly composition of the mass from which candles are formed.

The conditions of the COVID pandemic took the company by surprise due to problems with distribution and sales. Before the pandemic, the company basically did not exist on the Internet and did not conduct marketing or sales, selling its products to its regular customers. However, the situation where in certain periods almost all economic activity moved to the Internet, and recipients radically reduced their purchases, forced the owners of the Company to look for new sales opportunities. The choice fell on Allegro. This form of sale works especially well for the sale of candle inserts and tealights, especially those of larger sizes, whose recipients are hotels and spa centres. The company systematically issues auctions and handles sales based on this form. The choice fell on the online trading platform Allegro. Based on this tool, Company X started selling its own products, which allowed it to survive the difficult time of the pandemic. This type of sales made it possible to acquire and develop sales for a new customer segment, i.e., hotels and spas.

Lesson learnt

• The conditions of the pandemic forced some companies to be more active online. At the same time, digital communication turned out to be a helpful tool to survive the crisis caused by the pandemic.
• Communication with customers based on trading platforms allows you to increase sales, but also reach customers who would otherwise be unavailable.
• Although the pandemic is over, the sale of products in the Company based on digital communication is still being developed, which results from the analysis of costs and ease of use.

Questions and answers

Q: What are the methods of digital communication that are the most important for you?

A: In response, you can point to the methods you use the most frequently or if you spent a long time using them, or if they enable you to achieve your goals. And focus on your work or professional activity.

Q: Why do you need to be concerned about maintaining a good online presence?

A: In response, you can point out that your online image affects how others perceive you, your friends, or people you just meet. Also, potential employers can evaluate you through the prism of what you post online. Professionalism, and applying netiquette rules of etiquette can make you gain the sympathy of those you care about.

Q: On the one hand, digital communication greatly facilitates communication, work, and achieving results. On the other hand, it carries the danger of overloading, and difficulties in breaking away from online activity, which can harm life. What are your ways to eliminate such a threat?

A: In your answer, refer to your own experience and present a method that you would recommend to a friend. If you are still in the process of finding such a way, you can consider working according to schedules or finding an attractive way to spend time in real life, which will be a competition for the virtual world.

References

• Digital Communication: what is it? Concept and features, https://www.epitech-it.es/noticias-eventos/digital-communication-what-is-it/
• Hecker I., Loprest P., (2019), Foundational Digital Skills for Career Progress, Urban Institute, Washington
• Subramanian K. R., (2018), Technology and Transformation in Communication, Journal of Advance Research in Electrical & Electronics Engineering, Vol. 5, Iss.8.
• Hofman J., Doyle J., Haider A., Bruckmayer M. (2022), Skills needs in selected occupations over the next 5-10 years. Research report, Government Social Research, Department for Education, London.
• The Digital Skills Gap in Europe, https://digital-strategy.ec.europa.eu/en/library/digital-skills-gap-europe#:~:text=The%20demand%20for%20information%20and%20communications%20technology%20specialists,44%25%20%E2%80%93%20do%20not%20have%20basic%20digital%20skills.
• Alhadlaq I. (2016), How Technology Influences Communication, International Journal of Scientific & Engineering Research, Vol.7, Iss. 1
• Effective Email Communication – The Writing Center • University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (unc.edu)
• https://www.gwsmedia.com/articles/10-file-sharing-platforms-business
• https://www.igi-global.com/chapter/social-media-as-a-communication-channel/232591
• https://digitalscholar.in/pros-and-cons-of-social-media/
• 6 Ways to Build Rapport & Develop Work Relationships [2022] • Asana
• Coan G., Jr. (1984), Rapport: Definition and Dimensions, Advances in Consumer Research, Vol. 11, eds. Thomas C. Kinnear, Provo, UT: Association for Consumer Research, p. 333-336.
• Thwaits M., (2016), Building and Maintaining Rapport, Executive Support Magazine, on-line, https://executivesupportmagazine.com/building-and-maintaining-rapport/
• https://heimdalsecurity.com/blog/netiquette-rules-safety/
• https://www.avast.com/c-netiquette
• https://digitalskills.unlv.edu/digital-marketing/what-are-digital-skills/
• https://www.epitech-it.es/noticias-eventos/digital-communication-what-is-it/
• Mastering Digital Communication in the Workplace - Powell Software (powell-software.com)
• Szymańska-Świątnicka E., Pietrusińska J., (2012), Komunikacja interpersonalna Jak porozumiewać się skutecznie, Polska Fundacja Edukacji w Diabetologii, Warszawa. http://www.pfed.org.pl/uploads/1/9/9/8/19983953/broszura_komunikacja_interpersonalna_p1.pdf
• Marr B., (2018), What is Industry 4.0? Here's A Super Easy Explanation For Anyone, Forbs Magazine on-line, https://www.forbes.com/sites/bernardmarr/2018/09/02/what-is-industry-4-0-heres-a-super-easy-explanation-for-anyone/?sh=1e28ab349788
• Industry 5.0: Intelligent Automation of Manufacturing, Software Development https://hqsoftwarelab.com/blog/industry-5-0/

Additional resources

http://laurabiancoedtech.weebly.com/digital-communication.html - Article on how digital communication is related to education and explaining some basic rules of netiquette.

https://www.digitalroad.io/blog/what-is-digital-networking - Blog post on what is networking.

https://www.tricycle-europe.com/why-is-digital-networking-important/ - Blog post on why digital networking is important today.

https://careersblog.enterprise.co.uk/business-acronyms-a-beginners-guide/ - Blog post on business acronyms – a beginner’s guide.