Barriers to communication in an organisation and measures to remove them

Communication and its barriers

Communication is the process of exchanging information and understanding between people. It succeeds only when the receiver understands the message as the sender intended. Barriers are anything that blocks, distorts or delays the message at any point, in encoding, transmission, decoding or feedback, so that understanding is incomplete or wrong.

Main barriers to communication

Barriers can arise in the channel itself (physical and technical), in the organisation, in the people at either end, in the language used, and in the receiver's state of mind; the study text names the last four groups. They are taken here from the most visible to the least.

A. Physical and technical (transmission) barriers

1. Noise, distance, poor equipment, network failures and information overload.

B. Organisational barriers

2. Too many levels in the hierarchy, so messages are delayed or distorted on the way.
3. Status differences, which make subordinates hesitate to speak frankly to superiors.
4. Rigid rules and procedures, or a policy that does not support a free flow of information.
5. Lack of communication facilities.

C. Personal barriers

6. Managers who keep news to themselves, to stay in control or because they underrate their team.
7. Staff who say nothing about problems or ideas because speaking up has never been rewarded.

D. Semantic (language) barriers

8. Technical jargon unfamiliar to the receiver.
9. Words and symbols with several meanings, or used differently by sender and receiver; vague or badly translated messages.

E. Psychological barriers

10. Emotions such as anger, fear or anxiety that distort understanding.
11. Distrust of the sender, which leads to the message being disbelieved.
12. Judging a message before it has been fully heard, or not attending to it at all.
13. Filtering: passing on only what the sender thinks the receiver wants to hear.

Measures to remove the barriers

1. Reduce levels in the hierarchy and allow direct communication where possible.
2. Build trust and an open culture, so that people speak frankly; keep an open-door policy.
3. Choose the right channel: face-to-face for sensitive matters, written for detail, digital for speed.
4. Know what you want to say: the purpose of the message settled before it is sent.
5. Use simple, clear language suited to the receiver; avoid jargon.
6. Encourage two-way communication and feedback to confirm understanding.
7. Listen actively and patiently, without interrupting or judging too early.
8. Be consistent: actions should match words.
9. Time messages well and avoid overload by sending only what is needed.
10. Train employees in communication skills and the use of communication technology.
11. Use the grapevine wisely, correcting rumours with accurate information.

Example. A company found that its monthly e-mails on safety were ignored. It replaced them with short toolbox talks by supervisors in the local language, followed by questions from workers: and accidents fell.

Conclusion

Barriers arise from language, emotions, structure, people and technology. By planning messages, choosing suitable channels, listening and building trust, managers can make communication clear and effective.