How to overcome barriers to effective communication free essay sample

Communication in business is the passing on of ideas and information and building relationships in this way, however in the process of doing so sometimes some issues and conditions may arise that might hinder the ideas and information being passed on from being understood clearly these are what we refer to as communication barriers. Therefore, its very important to identify the barriers of business communication to get your message across clearly. Organizational communication involves formal and informal communications throughout an organization. This branch of communications considers an organizations communications to employees, with employees and from employees to upper management. When a business or organization does not establish clear communication policies, define roles or provide training for better communications, this can result in several barriers to effective communication. The communication barriers that may arise in an organization include the following; No/Poor Communication Strategy. When organizations fail to establish consistent communication materials and policies for employees, this can lead to a major breakdown in organizational communication. For example a salesperson who is unclear about features and benefits of the organizations products may not meet projected sales goals. When clear communication guidelines and policies are not established, this may cause serious problems for the organization. One-way Communication. Organizations should not just be concerned with communication that flows from upper management to employees only , but also from lower level employees to upper management so that they can issue their issues, concerns and ideas Processes must be established so that employees can report grievances, cases of sexual, verbal or physical harassment, and suggestions for improvement. In a recent article, Ann Meyer of the Chicago Tribune refers to the results of surveys conducted at 54 companies between January and August of 2010, which showed that in addition to pay raises and other favorable employment conditions, workers wanted increased communication. Non-responsiveness to employees When organizations solicit feedback from employees and then disregard the information they receive or take long to give feedback, this will hinder communication within the organization, but also lead to mistrust which will always hinder any future communication made since attitude of the employees will be bad . According to Meyer, Convergint Technologies did an employee-engagement survey in 2009 and gave each of its 860 employees $100 cash for a fun-and-laughter personal day, based on the suggestion from one of its employees. Companies who are not responsive to employee feedback therefore create a barrier for effective organizational communication and risk losing out on employee loyalty, commitment, satisfaction and engagement. Using the Wrong Communication Channel. When the wrong communication channel is used the message may not be understood clearly or it may bring about a lot of confusion. Different situations may require different communication channels therefore it is advised that the communication channel being employed is fit for the message being communicated. For example sensitive issues like layoffs and terminations are best communicated face-to-face, while other situations like performance reviews and behavioral issues should be documented so they can be reviewed in the future. Distance Distance is a major communication barrier especially for those organizations that have offices in various geographic locations and although teleconferencing has provided assistance in bridging communication gaps between business associates in different geographic locations, it is often viewed as less effective than meeting face-to-face. Part of the problem is from being unable to read facial expressions and body language (non-verbal communication), which can lead to misinterpreted reactions. Culture. Culture can be a big communication barrier for businesses working across cultures especially international/Global organizations. Without any training it is easy to fail to recognize the effect that difference in culture which entails language, environment, social history, conceptions of authority and nonverbal communication has on communication. According to an Inc. article, ethnocentrism leads to the belief that your way of conducting business is logical, when in reality that logic stems from your own cultural upbringing. Distractions. Business interactions must take place in an environment where both parties are able to pay attention to one another free of distractions. Having a television or radio on, the constant noise of sirens or bells, poor technological connections, poor internet connections, the temperature of the room and even the appearance of the speaker can be distracting to an audience. While not all distractions can be avoided, its important to eliminate as many as possible so that your message comes through effectively. Perceptual barriers. Many times ,employees grow accustomed to perceiving things in particular ways, making it difficult to recognize new meanings. For example, a manager who prefers hiring Havard graduates may overlook the exceptional contributions that could be made by a USIU graduate. Differing life experiences, interests and values may prevent two employees from perceiving an event the same way and due to invalid perceptions, an employee may recommend incorrect solutions. Gender barriers. Although these have become less of an issue in recent years, there is still the possibility for a man to misinterpret the words of a woman, or vice versa because men and women tend to form their thoughts differently therefore this must be taken into account when communicating. Although some communication barriers may not be easy to overcome especially those that are perceptual or emotional ,most of others can be solved if they are addressed properly and these include the following; A closed door approach or a business culture where only the very few get the whole story can lead to problems in communications, and developing an honest and open line of discussion can help improve the situation. Therefore, to solve the problem of non-responsiveness to employees which brings about a lack of trust, building an atmosphere of transparency, where leadership provides details behind decisions, can improve communications, even where trust has been fractured. Management can take steps to open up communications by providing an honest opportunity for staff, customers or shareholders to discuss business operations candidly with the possibility of change to occur based on that discussion. Also organizations can organize unofficial activities such that employees get to interact with their managers on a social basis to break the tension which will make working together and communication easier . Secondly , to solve the barrier of use of a wrong communication channel, Regardless of the scenario, companies must carefully consider what channel will be used to reduce confusion, increase clarity and ensure uniformed and actual delivery of the message to all employees who need to receive it. The barrier of geographical distance can be solved by using the recent technological advances in combining the Internet, video conferencing and multimedia technology assist in bridging this gap so that business associates have the ability to put a name to the face and to better comprehend the nature of their conversations. Although this may be expensive in the short run it makes communication much easier. In business, communications systems can go awry when different departments or divisions do not talk to each other. Departments can assume the other side knows what is happening but, without frequent and consistent messaging, communications can be ineffective. Arrange regular meetings, updates, reports or emails to provide the latest information to keep all departments in the loop. Provide as much information as necessary and institute an open door policy to keep communications running smoothly between departments, divisions or even between those on your own work team. Gather employees and openly discuss the communication barriers that have arisen. All parties involved should understand the goal is to resolve the communication issues to improve the work environment. To solve the culture barrier organizations can hire appropriate cultural consultants and teach employees about intercultural communication. Translators can also be hired if necessary, to communicate effectively across different cultures and in this case language specifically. In business, employees sometimes lack motivation as a result of unclear communication about their roles in an organization. Its vital for people to feel driven by a purpose, and when you educate employees on how their company plays a role in a larger commitment, those employees are more likely to feel motivated about doing their jobs well. Additionally, a lack of recognition is problematic in retaining employees. Conveying appreciation for work that is done well is important to keeping the best workers. To solve the problem of distractions, management of such organizations should try to eliminate as many distractions as possible so that your message comes through effectively. For example ensuring that there is working air conditioning at all times and sound proof walls to block all unwanted noise, sirens from outside. In conclusion, Business is all about building relationships, but without effective communication its nearly impossible to create those relationships on a strong foundation. Therefore, its vital to identify the barriers of business communication to get your message across clearly. By being sensitive to the needs of your business associates, you will have an easier time communicating.