With the recent end to COVID restrictions in England, and many people making some form of return to the office, it seems in-person work events are finally back on the agenda.

Whether you’re attending a company social or an external networking event this year, being able to effectively communicate and connect with your colleagues is an important aspect of any healthy working environment.

In the latest RADA Business report – The New Art of Business, 48% of workers admitted that they feel isolated when working from home, whilst 31% miss communicating with their co-workers, showing the importance of in-person communication for business professionals across the UK.

However, after nearly two years of adapting to virtual communication, some professionals may feel apprehensive to return to in-person events, particularly those who started a new job during the pandemic and have spent limited time socialising with their colleagues.

For those looking to effectively communicate at an in-person work event this year, the experts at RADA Business have shared a range of techniques to help equip workers with the methods to communicate effectively and with confidence.

Eye Contact
Eye contact when you’re holding a conversation is a powerful tool as it helps you to build a deeper connection with those around you. Not only does it help listeners to feel more engaged with what you’re saying, but it also ensures your colleagues feel heard when they’re speaking.

Work events provide an opportunity to delve deeper and hold more personal conversations with colleagues, and maintaining eye contact will help to strengthen your working relationships further. When taking pauses between sentences and when landing your messages, remember these are great moments to make eye contact. If you’re having a discussion with multiple co-workers, make sure to move your gaze around the group, ensuring each person feels involved and part of the conversation.

Hold Your Space
Utilising the space around you helps you to feel more comfortable in your surroundings. Particularly during presentations at company summits, small changes to the way you hold yourself can have a big impact on how others perceive you.

Before any big presentations, practice planting your feet firmly on the floor, hip-width apart, with your knees unlocked, ensuring your weight is evenly distributed. Lengthen your spine, releasing any unwanted tension, and make sure your head stands upright and feels supported. A strong posture allows you to feel more grounded during your presentation, enabling you to feel more confident and deliver your message with greater authority.

Project Your Voice
Whilst many of us have grown used to communicating through a laptop microphone, in-person events require us to project our voice more clearly so those around us can hear what we’re saying. There are various ways to improve the projection of your voice by paying attention to your body and breath.

Try standing with open yet relaxed shoulders, allowing yourself to breathe in and out, slowly and deeply. Focus on breathing from your diaphragm, instead of your chest. Breathing deeply like this can also help calm your nerves.

Projecting your voice is also important during informal events, as it will help others to hear you over the noise, allowing listeners to become more engaged in the conversation.

Make Meaningful Connections
The return of in-person work events allows you to form meaningful connections with your colleagues and team.

Whether at a formal conference, or a more informal social gathering, taking the time to greet and talk with your colleagues one-by-one will help to build stronger emotional connections. Use appropriate physical and vocal choices to back up what you are saying and engage your colleagues emotionally. Listening to your co-workers with genuine interest and intention to really understand, or making them feel open and relaxed, can also help you build a meaningful relationship. This is something many professionals will have missed during the pandemic due to remote working, so it’s important to seize the opportunity to make meaningful connections with your co-workers.

So, as you prepare to return to in-person work events in 2022, these are some techniques you can utilise to ensure you have confidence and are able to communicate clearly and connect with your co-workers.