Communication barriers

Communication can be defined as the transactional process that involves an exchange of ideas, information, feelings, attitudes or beliefs and impressions. Communicating is a skill that requires constant learning. Multiple barriers exist for communication. For the purpose of this essay there will be some communication barriers discussed and how to overcome them, which consist of: differences in people’s cultures language interpretations, and a person’s ability to listen properly. When it comes to the differentiations between cultures, three prominent aspects are present. These are: language, cultural background (i.e. age, gender, level of education), and economic status. The following are the barriers to communication as they have been introduced above shortly.
Physical barriers are often due to the nature of the environment. An example of this is the natural barrier which exists if staffs are located in different buildings or on different sites. Likewise, poor or outdated equipment, particularly the failure of management to introduce new technology, may also cause problems. Staff shortages are another factor which frequently causes communication difficulties for an organization. Whilst distractions like background noise, poor lighting or an environment which is too hot or cold can all affect people's morale and concentration, which in turn interfere with effective communication.
System design faults refer to problems with the structures or systems in place in an organization. Examples might include an organizational structure which is unclear and therefore makes it confusing to know who to communicate with. Other examples could be inefficient or inappropriate information systems, a lack of supervision or training, and a lack of clarity in roles and responsibilities which can lead to staff being uncertain about what is expected of them.
Attitudinal barriers come about as a result of problems with staff in an organization. These may be brought about, for example,