BARRIERS TO COMMUNICATION

Introduction

When the sender’s message does not get across to the receiver or goes
only partially, we say that there is a gap in communication.

1. Barriers
Anything that prevents communication from reaching the receiver is
called a barrier to the communication process. The commonly
encountered barriers to communication are as follows:
a) Physical barriers.
b) Noise.
c) Time and distance.
d) Faulty instruments.

2. Language barrier.

3. Faulty transmission.

4. Status barriers.

5. Underutilization of channels.

6. Lack of effective oral communication.

7. Resistance to change.

8. Assumptions that are not clarified.

9. Wrong choice of medium.

10. Other psychological barriers.

11. Cross cultural barriers.

How to break the barrier.

1. The need to listen.

2. Obstacles to good listening.
3. How to listen effectively.
4. Use of direct, simple and meaningful language.
5. Repetition.
6. First hand communication.
7. Use different methods and channels.
8.
BARRIERS TO COMMUNICATION.

Physical barriers

1. Noise – Noise interferes with what is being communicated;

examples are the clattering of a typewriter, the sound of
hammering, sawing or drilling, loud music blaring from
loudspeakers, the hustle and bustle of traffic, running trains or
an aero plane passing close by, static in radio – anything that
interferes with communication
2. Time and distance – Time acts as a barrier when two
communicators cannot adjust to their timing of communication.
Distance also acts as a barrier when two people are too far apart
to communicate and do not have other modes of
communication like a phone at hand. Technology has however
succeeded in bridging this gap today to a large extent.
3. Faulty (defective) instruments – when instruments of
communication do not work properly, it causes a break in
communication. Other physical defects such as stammering,
bad hearing, bad eyesight or a poor handwriting can also hinder
communication. Noise created due to defective instruments not
only interferes with communication, it also affects the
efficiency and people’s health adversely in the long run.
4. Faulty transmission / distortion – When a message is
transmitted from one end of the communication chain to the
other, it is likely to get distorted due to faulty transmission. The
causes are faulty interpretation, misunderstanding due to
differences in perception or vocabulary. According to Koontz
and O’Donnell : “ successive transmissions of the same
message are decreasingly accurate” For example, in oral
communication, something like 30% of information is lost in
transmission. Equally serious is the problem of poor retention
 of information. It is observed that on an average, employees
retain only 50% of communicated information..

The Language barrier.

It can be easily understood how language can act as a barrier

when two people who have little or no knowledge of each other’s
language try to communicate. Even when they know the language,
there could be a communication gap if the message is expressed badly,
lack of coherence, use of vague, empty words, needless repetition,
jargon etc.
The sender should use a language and style that is easily
understood by the receiver. Improper pronunciation too results in poor
communication. Also each one’s perception causes the message to be
received differently; this can be corrected by use of feedback

Bypassed Instructions.

Caused by attributing different meanings to the same word