Business Communication Starter · free course

Free course · Lesson 5 of 5

Using Gmail, Google Meet, Teams & Canva

In this lesson you will

  • Organise email efficiently
  • Design readable slides

A small, well-used toolkit covers professional email, virtual meetings, and visually clear presentations — the daily communication tools of most modern workplaces.

  • Gmail: Professional email management — labels, templates for repeated messages, and clear subject lines.
  • Google Meet / Microsoft Teams: The two most common virtual meeting platforms in professional and NGO settings — familiarity with both is valuable.
  • Canva: Quickly build clean, professional-looking presentation slides or communication graphics without design experience.
  • Consistency matters more than mastering every feature — a professional, reliably-used toolkit beats an impressive but inconsistently-used one.

Practical Skill: Build a simple 3-slide presentation in Canva using a consistent template, and set up an email signature and one reusable email template in Gmail.

TemplateCommunication Tools Setup
Worksheet
=== COMMUNICATION TOOLKIT SETUP === [ ] Professional email signature set up (name, role, contact)[ ] One reusable email template saved for a common message    (e.g. meeting requests)[ ] Comfortable joining and presenting in both Google Meet    and Microsoft Teams[ ] Canva account set up with your organization's brand    colors saved for quick reuse === CANVA PRESENTATION QUICK START ===1. Choose a simple, professional template (avoid busy designs)2. Apply your brand colors consistently across all slides3. Limit each slide to one clear idea and minimal text

Practice exercise

Create three email labels and a filter, and redesign a text-heavy slide into one idea with large text.

Key takeaways

  • Process email at set times
  • Send meeting summaries with actions
  • One idea per slide
In the full program Module 5: Digital Workplace Tools See how this topic is taught in depth, with practical activities and an assessment.

Free self-study lesson — no certificate. For the full instructor-led program, see registration options.