Chapter -3

Barriers in the Communication Process

Definition of Barrier or problems of communication:

Aspects of conditions in a workplace that interfere with effective exchange of ideas or

thoughts.

Barriers to communication can be anything that distorts or prevents a message from being

properly sent or received.

A “communication barrier” is anything that interferes with the transfer of intended information

from a sender to a receiver.

Causes of poor communication:

Barriers of communication are the hindrances or difficulties involved in the process of

communication which distort the message from being properly understood by the receiver.

1. Barriers due to organizational Structure:

I. Excessive organizational layering:

The organization has too many levels in the chain of command.

In oral communication this type of problems are created.

Because of many layers the information scattered

Example of Communication Command:

GM

AGM

MANAGER SUPERVISOR STAFFS

II. Indiscipline in organization:

Principles are formed by mission, vision or organization policy

In several organizational structures there are no appropriate rules or principles

It creates indiscipline in organization

So that, information can’t apply properly

III. Executive- subordinates relation:

By providing correct information subordinates have to satisfy the supervisor , otherwise

their relation became hampered, which creates problem I their carrier

Upward information should be correct

Misunderstanding will be creating if wrong information is provided

2. Individual Barriers:

I. Individual Conflict:

Varies to person to person

Every person has two thinking part: 1) Emotional & 2) Practical

Thinking should be practical & logical in case of formal communication

Emotional conflict should be avoided to practical conflict

II. Human Perception:

• Evaluating of two types of conflict

• If two sided decision is strict, it faces communication problem

Example: Superior increase subordinate’s work time but they don’t want to increase salary.

Subordinates want to increase salary. Both parties are stable in their own decision.

III. Favoritism:

Personally nepotism

Showing superior’ s priority to only a group

So other group cannot provide information with satisfied

IV. Insincerity:

Losing of faith & trust

Not to be fruitful by giving word

Having mutual understanding otherwise barrier in communication

Lack of cognition (knowledge) on context of the message

V. Fear:

Darkness in a particular subject

Not to express what can do

Not to having conflict & ideas to the task

Nervousness also causes barrier in communication

3. Language or Semantic Barrier:

I. Ambiguous word:

Using of hazy & confusing word

That create misunderstanding

So create communication gap

Example: Light-weightless

Light-weightless

There are many words having different spelling & meaning but same pronunciation; such as- Dear, Deer.

II. Use of Local dialect:

Should use regional language

Must use standard language/ International language

Regional dialect can create miscommunication

III. Use of Emblematical language:

Emblematical means visible symbol for communication

Not to use symbolic language

A symbol cannot express proper meaning of information

Example: Logo Crown Royalty (Meaningful), Logo(Hospital) Cock ?(meaningless)

IV. Use of mixed Language:

Should not use various language

Not to use symbolic language

A symbol cannot express proper meaning of the information complicated

Such as, now-a-days we make the information complex by using Bangla, English & Hindi

Language integretedly

4. Barriers due to Status or Position:

I. Suspecting Attitude:

Superior suggests to subordinate’s best

But subordinates think that is harmful to them

Then create communication gap

II. Fond of Flattery:

If employees flattery to his boss

Not providing healthy message

So create problem in communication

III. Partial listening:

Being a poor listener is very harmful for the communication. When the receiver listens to the message partially he fails to decode the message properly. Because he fails some parts of message to listen so, it is very important being a good listener for a effective communication.

IV. Seniority:

One party can get more priority without working

Other party works properly, but don’t priority

As a result, don’t inform the superior anything

5. Other Barriers of Communication:

I. Lack Of proper Planning: Lack of encoding Planning of message is unclear Must take proper planning Without proper planning there create some lacking in communication So lack of proper planning barrier to communication

II. Badly Expressed Message:

Use of wrong information or un-necessary sentences can make barrier in communication system. Even

wrong use of comma (,), full stop (.), apostrophe comma (‘) can also effect communication process.

So, importance on correction & correct use of signs must be given in expressing of any message.

Sometime this type of problem can change the meaning of communication. And that would destroy our

communication goal.

III. Rush of Work:

In an organization, Top level manager/supervisor is busy with different work. They usually do work of

making decision, management etc. For this pressure of work there create a weak-bond between Top

level manager/supervisor & Employee/subordinate. And this weak relationship between supervisor &

subordinate can make barrier in communication process. For this, up-ward & down-ward

communication became weak & time-consuming. Up-ward communication means flow of information

from low-level employee of an organization to top-level managers & down-ward communication means

vice-versa.

IV. Unclarified Assumption: Communication information is not clear Both sender & receiver gain wrong idea of information They do misunderstanding

V. Fraudulence: To create wrong conception about someone Reporting against an honest man’s reputation Cheating with someone by personal misunderstanding