Better Emails, Better Business: 3 Writing Skills Every Employee Needs Now

We live in a TikTok world. Attention spans are shorter, communication is faster, and writing needs to evolve—or it risks becoming irrelevant. If Shakespeare were alive today, he’d have no idea how to craft an effective email, let alone a concise Slack message. The way we communicate has changed dramatically, yet many organizations still rely on outdated writing habits that slow teams down. 

Companies invest heavily in leadership development, digital transformation, and AI tools, but overlook one of the biggest barriers to productivity: poor writing. Ineffective emails waste time, create confusion, and strain relationships. Meanwhile, younger employees—fluent in emojis and rapidfire messaging—often lack the skills to write clear, concise, professional communication. 

If businesses want to move faster and collaborate better, they need to modernize how their people write. Here are the three writing skills every employee needs now. 

1. Modern Email Writing: Clear, Brief, ActionDriven 

Email hasn’t disappeared—it’s just evolved. Today’s inbox is crowded, and most people skim rather than read. Long, formal messages simply don’t work anymore. 

Employees need to know how to write emails that get read and acted on. 

What modern email writing requires: 

• Brevity: Aim for 150 words or fewer whenever possible. 

• Scannability: Use bullets, bolding, and clear structure. 

• Action upfront: Put the ask or purpose at the top. 

• Human language: Retire phrases like “Per my last email” and “Kindly be advised.” 

If your teams are still writing emails like it’s 1999, they’re slowing down decisions, frustrating colleagues, and creating unnecessary backandforth. Training helps employees write with clarity and confidence—saving hours every week. 

2. Adaptive Tone: Bridging Generational and Platform Gaps 

Gen X and Boomers learned formal writing. Millennials and Gen Z grew up with fast, casual digital communication. Neither style is “right,” but the ability to adapt is essential. 

Strong communicators know how to shift tone based on audience, purpose, and platform. 

Examples of adaptive writing: 

• A client email may require polish and professionalism. 

• A Slack message should be concise and conversational. 

• A LinkedIn post benefits from storytelling and personality. 

Writing skills training helps employees understand tone, audience expectations, and how to strike the right balance between clarity and authenticity. The future of business writing isn’t stiff or robotic—it’s flexible, human, and intentional. 

3. Digital Emotional Intelligence: Using Emojis and Informality Wisely 

Let’s address the emoji in the room. 

Are emojis unprofessional? Not inherently. Are they overused? Absolutely. But emojis, GIFs, and exclamation marks aren’t going anywhere—they help convey tone, soften requests, and reduce misunderstandings. 

The key is judgment. 
A 👏 can add enthusiasm. A 😊 can make a request feel friendlier. But what works in a team chat may not belong in a boardroom email. 

Instead of banning emojis or informal language, organizations should teach employees how to communicate with emotional intelligence across digital platforms. This is a skill—and it can be learned. 

Adapt or Get Left Behind 

Just as Shakespeare wouldn’t know what to do with a TikTok video, today’s businesses must evolve their writing skills to match modern communication. The organizations that invest in writing skills training will move faster, collaborate better, and build stronger relationships—internally and externally. 

Good writing isn’t about sounding fancy. It’s about getting your message across clearly, quickly, and in a way that makes people want to respond. 

The companies that embrace this shift won’t just communicate better—they’ll perform better.