Most résumés claim that applicants have “excellent written and verbal communication skills” because job postings often explicitly require them. The challenge is that employers and job candidates often mean different things by the term “communication skills,” and that gap creates real friction in the workplace.
Professionals who complete the online Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in Communication Studies program from Northern Kentucky University NKU) gain a comprehensive foundation in communication theory, research and human interaction, precisely the kind of preparation that bridges this gap. NKU offers this program fully online, equipping graduates to communicate with clarity and intention across any industry.
What Is Effective Communication and Why Is It Important?
Effective communication means more than sending a message and hoping it lands. It requires people to align their perception of events, tasks and goals with one another, clarify and confirm the meaning of the message, and attend to one another’s responses to ensure that differences in perceptions and intent do not add to confusion.
According to a 2024 survey from Deloitte, 87% of workers view human skills such as communication and adaptability as integral to their professional success, making these skills as critical as any technical competency. When professionals cultivate these capabilities, they build the trust that makes collaboration, leadership and influence possible in any workplace.
Which Communication Skills Build Trust in Business?
Effective communicators use an array of soft skills to build the trust that drives professional success, supporting collaboration through exchanging information among business operations, employees, organizations, supply chain partners, customers and prospects. These skills are critical whether communicating virtually or in person. The following are six of the most important soft skills for effective communication:
- Non-verbal communication: Non-verbal cues convey information through posture, expressions and other behavioral signals. Understanding nonverbal manners and norms is increasingly important as workplaces become more diverse and businesses expand globally. Professionals who read and manage non-verbal signals accurately strengthen every interaction they enter.
- Active listening: Active listening involves paying close attention to what the speaker says, enabling the listener to ask probing, open-ended questions that clarify and confirm the message and meaning. An active listener also uses non-verbal cues such as eye contact, leaning forward and nodding to signal understanding. This skill forms the foundation of trust in professional relationships.
- Persuasion: By understanding their listeners’ needs, wants and motivations, compelling speakers shape their messages to align with what the audience, whether superiors, colleagues or customers, expects from a professional relationship. Persuasion skills in business influence everything from internal project approvals to client negotiations.
- Conflict management: Conflict management skills are essential because workplace conflict is unavoidable. According to Gallup’s State of the Global Workplace 2026 report, employee disengagement costs the global economy an estimated $10 trillion in lost productivity. Poor communication and unresolved conflict are primary drivers of employee disengagement. Properly managed conflict, by contrast, can reveal and address underlying problems such as confusion over task responsibilities and lack of resources, leading to stronger team outcomes.
- Open-mindedness: Open-mindedness involves setting aside biases and self-interest in favor of a willingness to listen to and empathize with another’s perspective. Instead of simply aiming to convey a message, open-minded communicators facilitate productive exchanges of information.
- Emotional intelligence: Emotional intelligence in the workplace supports a communicator’s ability to recognize emotional triggers, gauge the effect of emotions on personal and professional relationships, and identify ways to manage emotions to avoid damage. Engaging with emotional intelligence is crucial for building trust and high-functioning teams.
Altogether, effective communication fosters the trust that powers teamwork, spurs creativity and innovation, supports positivity among colleagues, and strengthens relationships with customers and external partners. Professionals who develop these skills position themselves as leaders regardless of their industry or title.
How Do Business Professionals Develop Effective Communication Skills?
A communication studies degree provides a structured path for developing all six of these skills through theory, research and applied practice. NKU’s online B.A. in Communication Studies degree equips graduates with insights into organizational communication, persuasion and public speaking.
NKU’s program prepares students for jobs in fields ranging from training, advertising and marketing to social media management and fundraising. The degree’s flexible online format allows working adults to build the essential communication skills that employers value without stepping away from their professional responsibilities. Graduates emerge ready to pursue advancement in their chosen careers.
Learn more about NKU’s online B.A. in Communication Studies program.
