Communication
Oct 27, 2026
What's the Difference Between Verbal and Nonverbal Communication at Work?
What's the Difference Between Verbal and Nonverbal Communication at Work?
The difference between verbal and nonverbal communication is simple: verbal communication uses words, spoken or written, and nonverbal communication uses everything else. That includes tone of voice, facial expressions, posture, gestures, eye contact and personal space. At work, words carry the content of a message. Nonverbal signals show how you feel about it and whether people believe you. When the two conflict, listeners lean on the nonverbal signal to judge emotion. That finding comes from psychologist Albert Mehrabian, whose research gave rise to the popular claim that 93% of communication is nonverbal. As Big Think explains, Mehrabian's numbers apply only to messages about feelings and attitudes. In a status update or a set of instructions, words still do most of the work.
What Is Verbal and Nonverbal Communication?
Verbal communication is any message built from words: a comment in a meeting, an email, a chat message or a written report. Nonverbal communication is every signal you send without words. It covers your face, your body, your voice and how you use space and time. Every workplace conversation uses verbal and nonverbal communication at the same time.
Tone of voice sits between the two. Communication researchers call it paralanguage: the pitch, pace, volume and pauses that wrap around your words. Most frameworks group it with nonverbal communication because the same sentence can sound supportive or sarcastic depending on delivery.
An easy way to remember it: verbal and nonverbal communication split the what from the how. Words say what you mean. Everything else says how you mean it.
Verbal and Nonverbal Communication Examples at Work
These verbal and nonverbal communication examples show both channels at work in the moments that fill a typical week.
| Workplace moment | Verbal example | Nonverbal example |
|---|---|---|
| Team meeting | Sharing a project update | Nodding while a coworker speaks |
| Video call | Asking "Any questions before we move on?" | Looking at the camera instead of a second screen |
| Feedback conversation | Naming the specific behavior to change | Relaxed posture and a steady, even tone |
| Customer interaction | Repeating the customer's issue to confirm it | Facing the customer with open hands |
| Job interview | Answering with a short, specific example | Steady eye contact and an upright posture |
| Email or chat | A clear subject line and a direct request | Reply time, punctuation and emoji choice |
Even written messages carry nonverbal signals. A three-day reply or a one-word answer sends a message the words never state.
Nonverbal Communication Examples by Type
Most lists of nonverbal communication examples cover seven or eight types. Here is how each one shows up on the job.
Facial Expressions
A smile, a frown or a raised eyebrow often lands before you say a word. In a feedback conversation, a tense jaw can make neutral words sound like criticism.
Eye Contact
Steady eye contact signals attention and confidence. Constant glances at a phone or the door signal that you want to be somewhere else.
Gestures
Open hands invite input. Pointing at someone during a disagreement reads as blame, even when your words stay calm.
Posture
Leaning in slightly shows interest. Slumping back in a chair during a presentation tells the speaker you've checked out.
Tone of Voice
Pace, pitch and volume change meaning. "Good job" in a warm voice is praise. The same words in a flat voice can sound like sarcasm.
Personal Space
Standing too close to a coworker's desk can feel like pressure. Sitting across a table during a tough talk can feel more formal than sitting at an angle.
Timing and Silence
Arriving late to a meeting signals low priority. A short pause after someone speaks shows you are thinking about what they said.
Appearance
Dress, grooming and even a video call background shape first impressions. A cluttered background can distract from your message on camera.
Common Nonverbal Communication Cues and What to Do Instead
Nonverbal communication cues are easy to misread on their own. Treat each cue below as a question to explore, not a verdict. The third column shows what to do if you catch yourself sending it.
| Cue | What it may signal | What to do instead |
|---|---|---|
| Crossed arms | Disagreement, defensiveness or a cold room | Uncross your arms and keep your hands visible |
| Checking a phone in a meeting | Distraction or low priority | Put the phone face down or out of sight |
| Camera off during a discussion | Disengagement | Turn the camera on, or say out loud that you're listening |
| Looking at a second screen on video | Divided attention | Look at the camera when you speak |
| Flat, fast delivery | Boredom or impatience | Slow down and vary your pitch on the point that matters |
| Sighing | Frustration | Pause and ask a question instead |
| Leaning far back | Detachment | Sit upright or lean in slightly |
Read clusters, not single cues. Crossed arms in a cold conference room mean little. Crossed arms plus short answers plus no eye contact deserve a check-in.
What Percentage of Communication Is Nonverbal?
No reliable single figure exists. The popular 7-38-55 rule says words carry 7% of a message, tone carries 38% and body language carries 55%. It comes from two lab studies Albert Mehrabian ran in the late 1960s. Participants judged a speaker's feelings when words, tone and facial expressions conflicted. Mehrabian himself noted that the ratio doesn't apply unless the speaker is talking about feelings or attitudes.
At work, that distinction matters. Instructions, deadlines and data live in words. Nonverbal communication decides whether people trust the messenger and how they feel about the message. The goal isn't to rank verbal and nonverbal communication. It's to keep them in agreement.
When Verbal and Nonverbal Communication Don't Match
Mixed signals happen when verbal and nonverbal communication point in different directions: your words say one thing and your body or voice says another. A coworker says "I'm fine with that" in a flat voice without looking up. A manager praises a report while scrolling through email. In both cases, listeners tend to believe the nonverbal signal.
Fix mixed signals from both sides:
- When you're the speaker: Line up your words, tone and body. If you mean the praise, stop what you're doing, look at the person and name what they did well.
- When you're the listener: Ask about the gap. "You said you're fine with the deadline, but you sound unsure. What's on your mind?"
How to Improve Verbal and Nonverbal Communication at Work
Strong verbal and nonverbal communication comes from habits you can practice in any meeting, call or conversation.
- Lead with your point. State the request or decision in your first sentence, then explain.
- Match your tone to your message. Serious news calls for a slower pace and lower volume. Good news should sound like good news.
- Watch for clusters. Look for three or more cues pointing the same way before you draw a conclusion.
- Check in on video calls. Cameras hide most body language, so ask for reactions out loud.
- Ask instead of assume. One open question beats a guess about what someone's posture means.
- Allow for culture. Norms for eye contact, personal space and gestures vary across cultures. A cue that signals disinterest in one place can signal respect in another.
Communication Training for Your Team
Pryor Learning offers training that helps employees and managers sharpen verbal and nonverbal communication on the job. Its How to Read Body Language in 10 Seconds Flat course teaches the gestures to watch for when you interview a job applicant, make a sales presentation or talk with your boss. For a wider set of skills, browse Pryor's communication training courses, or take unlimited in-person and virtual seminars with PryorPlus.
