How to Overcome Communication Barriers in the Workplace

Openly discussing communication barriers can help tear them down.

According to Ohio State University, knowing the common barriers to communication is the first step to moving beyond them. Research conducted by the university shows that unclear messages represent the top communication barrier. However, each organization may experience a variety of barriers that reduce workplace productivity and happiness. The Management Study Guide website states that in order to tear down communication barriers, management must be willing to confront the problems and guide employees on how to deal with them to ensure effective communication moving forward.

Instructions

1. 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.

2. Explore the reasons why communication barriers have been built.

3. Determine possible solutions for removing the communication barriers. Focus on what is wanted, rather than what is not wanted. This keeps the conversation positive.

4. Agree on the solution that seems the most likely to work, a solution that everyone in the room feels comfortable with. If one or two people don't feel comfortable with the solution chosen, they should discuss their concerns with management privately.

5. Evaluate the progress made after a reasonable amount of time. If the communication barriers persist, hold another meeting to discuss what went wrong, and how to move forward.

References

• Ohio State University; "Overcoming Barriers to Communication"; Bernard L. Ervan
• Management Study Guide: Overcoming Communication Barriers
• Victoria University: Overcoming Communication Barriers

Resources

• Read this Article in Spanish
• Read this Article in Portuguese
• Victoria University: Workshop 1.6: Overcoming Communication Barriers
• The Center for Human Systems: Managing Team Conflict; Cynthia Phillips