As teams become more decentralized, the way we communicate changes. Firing off a quick email or direct message is commonplace, but the written word can easily be misinterpreted by the reader. Science tells us that our brains often automatically assume negative intent, so when there’s ambiguity with written communication, readers might find underlying meaning that simply isn’t there. “Language is inherently complex,” says Senka Hadzimuratovic, head of communications at AI writing platform Grammarly. “That’s even more pronounced in a business setting where you’re constantly managing competing priorities, multiple stakeholders, and deadline pressures. When we account for the increasing complexities of asynchronous and remote work—and as we write more across more contexts—misunderstandings are bound to happen.” A recent study from digital communications platform Loom confirms this notion. Of respondents, 91 percent said they’ve had a digital message misunderstood or misinterpreted at work, and of that 91 percent, 20 percent said that miscommunication caused negative professional outcomes. With this in mind, selecting the right mode of communication—especially in hybrid or remote environments—is critically important. Before reaching out to a co-worker, determine whether the information you need to communicate would come across clearer as a video chat or an email.