Workplace Miscommunication: Factors, Effects, and Solutions

Introduction to Workplace Communication

By definition, communication is a two-way process that requires four components to be successful. First, the message must have a sender as the source. Second, there must be a channel through which the communication will be sent. Third, a receiver must be present as the destination of the message. Lastly, an encoding process must occur; otherwise, communication itself is rendered null and void. Feedback is then given by the receiver, who in turn becomes the new sender, while the original sender takes the position of the new receiver. This exchange continues until a conclusion is reached and communication is terminated by both parties. All four components must work together, or miscommunication becomes highly likely (Emery, 2012).

In the workplace, proper communication is essential. Those involved in communication must be able to speak clearly and concisely. There should be empathy, but also assertiveness. Self-monitoring is important, and the skill of active listening must always be present. Regardless of an organization's size, important information is delivered across multiple departments and to multiple personnel so that the entire company can function properly. Information is passed through a chain of command, allowing everyone to receive the messages — and thus the instructions — that need to be acted upon (Psychtest AIM Inc., 2012).

Every organization's goal in terms of message delivery is to maintain open communication. However, those in management are often burdened with heavy workloads, which prevents them from hearing the concerns of lower-level personnel regarding how the organization is being managed. Delayed responses to concerns are frequently the result of this lack of time to communicate, and disharmony in the workplace often follows (Pazcoguin, 2013). Organizations must therefore find ways to help their employees communicate properly, ensuring that communication practices are effective enough to prevent dissatisfaction and misunderstanding across all levels. This also fosters better understanding between employees and the organization, as well as with the stakeholders who are directly affected by harmony within the business (Brewer & Holmes, 2009).

Factors That Cause Miscommunication

One possible factor that can cause miscommunication in the workplace is the heavy workload of managers and officers. However, other factors may also contribute to the problem. One common example is the use of ambiguous terminology. Terms that denote possibility or likelihood — such as never, usually, and probably — are often conflated with terms that imply certainty, such as soon, tomorrow, right away, and ASAP. The receiver may then interpret a message differently from how the sender intended (Brewer & Holmes, 2009). The receiver may feel manipulated during the conversation, creating uncertainty about what the outcome of the discussion should be (Frankel, 2003). This confusion can lead to low productivity, poor motivation, reduced morale, sales loss, and many other undesirable outcomes (Brewer & Holmes, 2009).

Problematic talk can also be a source of miscommunication in the workplace. This refers to differences in how individuals attempt to communicate that are frequently misunderstood by those receiving the information. Research focusing on this problem often breaks down the issue to the level of interpersonal communicative practices and norms, revealing mismatches in communicative and discursive practices across different groups. The link between these mismatches and miscommunication is often clearly apparent (Stubbe, 2010).

Miscommunication can also be related to organizational politics and ideology. Communication failures in this context are often the result of power struggles between employees. Messages are used to establish interpersonal relations, and intergroup interactions are affected as a result. The way employees relate to one another is therefore strongly influenced by how they communicate, and what has been established can either be changed or maintained. Most frequently, however, this dynamic operates at a subconscious level and may go unrecognized by those not directly affected (Stubbe, 2010).

The organizational structure of the company itself may also become a source of miscommunication. In this context, communication is not merely a human factor contributing to structural problems — it can also be the key to resolving them (Stubbe, 2010).

Of course, other reasons may cause miscommunication as well, and it would be impossible to enumerate all of them here. The factors discussed above represent the most common sources of disrupted workplace communication. Focusing on these four issues first is the most effective approach to identifying quick and lasting solutions. Other factors may come to light as these primary causes are addressed, and the solutions discussed in the following section may also apply to those unidentified factors. If not, resolving the main issues may pave the way to finding concrete answers for stopping miscommunication in the workplace more broadly.

Conclusion

Miscommunication in the workplace is an issue that, if left unchecked, could cripple an entire organization. It is therefore a concern that everyone should address in order to prevent the possible outcomes described above. It must be remembered that the factors discussed here represent the most common sources of miscommunication. Similarly, the effects and solutions presented are the most widely recognized and serve as foundational knowledge for anyone working within an organization.