Different communications barriers: do you know them?

Introduction

Communication is key to a harmonious workplace relationship with your subordinates, peers, and superiors. It is one of the most important tools for a team's success. Nevertheless, we can’t deny that some communication barriers will inevitably exist.

One important point to note is that some communication barriers are bigger in magnitude than others. When left unresolved, they can be a hindrance, which is detrimental to the working environment. In worst-case scenarios, they also affect the performances of individual team members. This article discusses what these communication barriers entail and how we can solve them when we encounter them.

• Causes of communication barriers
• Types of communication barriers
• How to overcome communication barriers
• Communication barriers in specific contexts
• The impact of technology on communication barriers
• Conclusion
• Frequently asked questions

What are communication barriers? 

Communication barriers are issues that prevent people from accurately getting and receiving messages that communicate information, thoughts, and ideas from others. 

Why is it important to identify and address these barriers? 

Communication barriers can affect your personal and professional life. When you’re unable to communicate effectively with your family or colleagues, you’ll miss out on important ideas and feelings. A survey by The Economist showed that poor communication could greatly affect your workplace, with 31 percent saying that it can lead to low morale. 

You don’t just receive valuable information when you overcome these barriers. When such barriers are overcome, you can nurture and strengthen relationships. It will help create a healthy environment whereby people can freely share their thoughts and inputs.

Causes of communication barriers

There are many reasons why people are unable to pass down information successfully. It can be as simple as the perception or tone of language used in the workplace. Sometimes, communication barriers come from a great source of emotional factors.

Differences in language and culture

Language barriers happen when two people aren’t communicating in the same language. This can be prevalent in a multicultural workplace setting or at multinational companies. It can be challenging to get the message across if you or the person you're speaking to is speaking a different language. This is especially so if one of you isn’t as fluent or proficient in the language that you’re communicating in. 

Cultural differences can also be a cause of communication barriers. In some cultures, people aren’t in favour of the usage of direct language, and the usage of it might be perceived as rude. Some cultures have a different set of words or diction used when speaking to older people or superiors. People from these backgrounds might not willingly share their opinions even when asked. 

Physical barriers

Such barriers occur when they affect a conversation due to environmental factors. These elements may prevent a sender from passing a message, or the receiver might misconstrue the message. 

Some examples of physical barriers are noise, message distortion, the setup of an office, information overload, and technical difficulties. 

Emotional and psychological barriers

Emotional or psychological barriers occur when a mental block affects your perception of someone's actions. These said mental blocks hinder you from communicating your feelings truthfully. 

Some examples of emotional barriers include anger, pride, jealousy, envy, anxiety, low self-esteem, and apathy. 

Attitudinal barriers

Attitudinal barriers are caused by someone’s attitude and assumptions accumulated over the years and manifested in workplace situations when a conflict arises. These might also stem from a person’s socioeconomic and cultural background.

Some examples of attitudinal barriers are perception, culture, personal beliefs, and status. 

Perceptual barriers

Perceptual barriers arise when internal biases shape how we perceive others, thoughts, or events. Certain social and cultural environments we have become accustomed to can lead to unresolved internal workplace biases. 

Some examples of perceptual barriers include perceptual filters. These are your preferences, values, and attitudes shaped by experience, information, people, or events.

Another perceptual barrier can be triggers and cues. Body language and gestures are examples of non-verbal cues that impact how we communicate. These non-verbal cues can affect how some people process words. 

Types of communication barriers

Many communication barriers have adverse effects on the sending and receiving of messages. These can be verbal, non-verbal, or written occuring more often than we realise. Knowing more about them can help you understand how to overcome or avoid them. 

Verbal barriers

Verbal barriers are factors that can hinder spoken communication. Here are some examples: 

Language barriers

Language barriers occur if two people do not speak the same language. A more formal definition for this is a linguistic limitation that can lead to confusion or affect comprehension. 

Aside from speaking a different language, other language barriers include speaking another dialect, speech impediments, and poor word choice. 

Lack of clarity and conciseness

If you do not speak precisely and clearly about a topic, you can come off as confusing to the listener. How you speak a certain language might differ from the person you are speaking to. Using slang, or sometimes formal language, can affect clarity, as the recipient might not be used to it.

Use of jargon and technical terms

Jargon is a specialised language that is used in a specific context. It’s frequently used in professions, trades, academia, or the scientific field. These terms may not be easily understandable to those not in that field of work.

Tone and inflexion

Tone and inflexion can also be communication barriers. How you say something can shape how a receiver understands your message. Do note that your pitch, pace, volume, and emotional state can affect your message. These can also affect the recipient’s perception of  you. Say something loudly and forcefully, and the person you’re talking to will assume you’re angry even when you’re not. 

Non-verbal barriers

Non-verbal barriers are a factor that blocks communication due to facial expressions, body language, tone, and mood, among others. These may convey information with unintended consequences.

Body language and gestures

Body language can be an unnoticeable barrier. People with their heads down, arms crossed, or have their backs turned at you can signify a non-verbal barrier. Such body language indicates  resistance to the acceptance of a message.

Facial expressions

Facial expressions can also be a barrier, especially when a negative emotion is conveyed in the conversation. These can be taken the wrong way and will lead to unfavourable working relationships because there is a perception of negativity. 

Eye contact

Eye contact can be a key signifier of whether a person is open to communication. If a person isn't making eye contact with you, they might need to pay more attention or be disinterested. Conversely, if there is too much eye contact, it can show superiority or a threatening attitude. 

Distance and physical space

Not to be confused with physical barriers of distance, physical space can also be a non-verbal barrier. In this case, space refers to someone’s personal space. This can be defined as the space someone is comfortable with during a face-to-face meeting. Some people do value their space more when engaging in smaller-scale conversations. 

Written barriers

Written barriers can also hinder effective communication. Poorly written messages can confuse. This is why we should strive to ensure the message is well-received and understood in our sentences, grammar usage, and more.

Poor grammar and spelling

Poor grammar and spelling are communication constraints. While a word that’s misspelt can change the quality of the message, it can lose meaning if the word is spelt differently by the receiver. This may be because of their upbringing, culture, and preferred social exchanges.

Imagine a situation where a British person communicates with an American via text or email. The British person decides to write, "I will be on holiday for a fortnight."

In this scenario, two potential communication constraints could lead to misunderstanding:

Spelling: In British English, "holiday" is commonly used to refer to what Americans call "vacation". So, the American might not immediately understand what the British person means by "holiday" because in American English, "holiday" usually refers to special occasions like Christmas, Independence Day, etc.

Grammar: The term "fortnight" is commonly used in British English to refer to two weeks, but it's not commonly used in American English. So, the American might not know what "fortnight" means, leading to further misunderstanding.

In this example, the British person's word choice, influenced by their upbringing, culture, and preferred social exchanges, might cause the American to misinterpret the message, even if all the words are spelt correctly. This highlights the importance of using clear and universally understood language, particularly across different cultures or dialects.

Incorrect use of punctuation

When used incorrectly, punctuation marks can change a sentence's meaning. A missing punctuation mark can alter the message and the thought of such. 

Consider an executive who sends an email to their team without using the Oxford comma:

"At the conference, I'd like you to meet our partners, Mr. Smith and Ms. Johnson."

This sentence could be interpreted to mean that the executive wants the team to meet the partners, Mr. Smith and Ms. Johnson. Without the Oxford comma, it's unclear.

Now, consider the same sentence with the Oxford comma:

"At the conference, I'd like you to meet our partners, Mr. Smith, and Ms. Johnson."

With the Oxford comma, this sentence clearly indicates that the executive wants the team to meet three separate entities: the partners, Mr. Smith, and Ms. Johnson.

In a corporate setting, this kind of ambiguity could lead to misunderstandings, miscommunication, and mistakes. For example, team members might not schedule enough time to meet with all three entities if they incorrectly assume that Mr. Smith and Ms. Johnson are the partners. Therefore, using the Oxford comma can play a crucial role in ensuring effective communication.

Poor sentence structure

Like poor grammar and spelling, a poorly structured sentence can change the message's meaning. It can also come off as a message that wasn’t handled with care.

Lack of organisation and coherence

When the thoughts and ideas in a message aren’t organised and all over the place, the receiver may no longer understand what a person is trying to say. 

How to overcome communication barriers

Knowing the communication barriers should also teach us how to overcome them. These lessons allow you to connect with your colleagues better and establish a better rapport. Here are some things to keep in mind: 

Improve language and cultural competence

If you work in a multinational corporation or a company that employs people from different nationalities and cultures, you need to give cultural differences extra attention. Malaysia alone has a mix of Malays, Chinese, Indians, and other Races working in the country. Each group has cultural differences in communicating, so it will go a long way to know these differences. 

Choose appropriate communication channels

There is a time and place for everything – even communication channels. Select the one that best fits your need – through an in-person or online meeting, a memo, or an instant message. 

For example, if you have to speak to a colleague about a problem between you, you should be cautious of involving others in your email. You can even set up a meeting instead. 

Use clear and concise language

Make sure to make your sentences shorter. Be direct when sending messages or any other form of communication. This also applies to verbal communication, meetings included.

Be mindful of non-verbal cues

To improve cultural competence, watch for non-verbal cues when communicating with others. Observe a colleague’s nonverbal movements when you are speaking to them. Adjust accordingly, if need be, so that you are better equipped to address them in your next exchange.

Be an active listener

Actively listening to what your colleague is saying shows you the value of their sharing and allows you to comprehend them fully. 

Practise empathy

When communicating with others, open yourself to engaging fully and accepting what the other person has to say. You don’t have to be overly emotional to do this. But keep in mind that you shouldn’t be brash or harsh. 

Clarify and confirm understanding

You must ask questions when you need clarification on what the person is saying. You can respectfully ask them to repeat their words to ensure you understood them correctly.  

Communication barriers in specific contexts

Communication barriers are changed or shaped by specific scenarios and settings. Some examples of such are listed below. 

Workplace communication barriers

In the workplace, there are many ways for communication barriers to build up. For example, if you’re leading a meeting or presenting a deck, you may have shared too much information or used too many technical terms. Those present in the meeting may need to help to understand what you're saying.  

Intercultural communication barriers

When working with colleagues from different cultures, you might notice they have different communication approaches. If you have a colleague from a different culture, don't assume they have the same habits and preferences as the next. Please get to know them and ask them about their culture. You're not just welcoming them into the team but also building rapport and trust. 

Family communication barriers

Sometimes, we can’t help but be emotional with our family members. You may burst into anger, say passive-aggressive things, or make a sarcastic remark. When you don’t calmly communicate how you feel, you can’t just assume that your family member truly understands what you’re trying to say. 

Communication barriers in healthcare settings

If you are in the healthcare industry, you will see various barriers that might hinder you from giving the best care to your patients. There are language barriers, jargon, cultural differences, and differing expectations. To overcome these, you can begin a session by setting expectations and encouraging your patients to ask questions if they have concerns. 

Communication barriers in education

For teachers and educators of any level, ensuring communication is bridged between them and their students is vital to their success. Factors like too much information, anxiety, or language barriers for students can affect how they understand lessons. 

The impact of technology on communication barriers

Although technology can break communication barriers, it can also create more barriers if you’re not careful. Based on a study by Project.co, a project management software company, 68% of respondents said time was wasted due to communication issues at work.

One important point to note is that the message might get misconstrued when people don't interact face-to-face. For instance, emails can sound cold to the receiver if they aren’t communicated clearly or if they’re worded poorly. According to an article by Harvard Business Review, collaboration and innovation are only possible with face-to-face interaction.

At the very least, communication barriers continue to be broken down with new technology. Teams that are connected are up to 25 percent more productive. Those with language barriers can utilise a machine service to get rough translations of what they want to say. Today, information sharing, collaboration, and interaction are much easier and faster with instant messaging, emails, and file-sharing applications.

Conclusion

There are many communication barriers. Language differences, physical or emotional and perceptual barriers can cause these.  They can make or break the success of a team if addressed.

Whichever the reason, it’s still important to address these communication barriers to avoid wasting time and money at work. Not only that, but you also build and cultivate your work relationships with clear communication. 

Overcome barriers in the workplace and build better relationships by improving your communication skills. Every small step counts toward being a better colleague. 

FAQs

1. What are the most common communication barriers?
   ⁠The most common communication barriers are language barriers, body language and gestures, and poor grammar.
2. How can communication barriers be overcome in the workplace?
   ⁠⁠You can overcome communication barriers in the workplace by:
   ⁠

   • Using clear and concise language

   • Confirming if you or the person you’re speaking to understand the message correctly

   • Avoiding information overload or using too many technical terms 

   • Being open to any negative feedback regarding the message

3. What are the best strategies for overcoming language barriers in communication?
   ⁠Some tips to keep in mind when addressing language barriers are: 
   ⁠

   • Speak clearly and use clear language

   • Frequently check in to see if the person you’re speaking to understands what you’re saying

   • Avoid jargon or technical terms

   • Veer away from cultural or regional references

   • Ask questions if something isn’t clear

4. How can emotional barriers be addressed in communication?
   ⁠Emotional barriers can affect the way we speak and communicate with others. Keep these tips in mind to overcome emotional barriers: 

   • Take time to pause and calm down if you’re feeling angry

   • Accept your shortcomings and be kind to yourself if you feel affected by pride

   • Meditate or take a walk if you’re feeling anxious

   • If your emotional well-being isn’t manageable anymore, seek professional help

5. How do communication barriers affect personal relationships?
   ⁠Communication barriers affect personal relationships because they can lead to negative emotions such as anger, anxiety, or resentment. These barriers can also cause a rift or even separations in relationships. 
6. What role does active listening play in overcoming communication barriers?
   ⁠Active listening is important in overcoming communication barriers because it engages you with your speaker or listener. This builds a sense of positivity and makes the person feel valued. 
7. How does technology impact communication barriers in today's society?
   ⁠Technology can impact communication barriers when face-to-face interactions are lacking. People may miss the non-verbal cues they normally see in in-person meetings. Or they may miss verbal cues such as tone if reading an email or an instant message. 

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