​To communicate clearly in the workplace you need to know your audience and the purpose of your communication.

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•To understand the purpose of your communication, ask yourself, ‘Why am I communicating and what do I want to achieve?’

•Once you know the purpose of your communication, you need to be clear about who you should communicate it with.

​The purpose of your workplace communication may be to:

• provide or request information

• arrange a meeting

• respond to a customer inquiry

• report on sales, work progress or issues

• alert staff to new policies or procedures

• advise a supplier of changes to an order.

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To identify an audience’s information needs you need to ask yourself, ‘What does my audience need to know?’

​ Your audience’s communication requirements will vary depending on:

• your organisation’s policies and procedures

• the location of the audience

• personal preferences

• disability requirements.

• ​Communication has two primary forms: verbal and written.

• How you communicate can be as important as WHAT you communicate.

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The content of any communication should be planned so it is clear and easily understood by the recipients.