BARRIERS TO EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION IN ORGANIZATION

1. BARRIERS TO EFFECTIVE
ORGANIZATIONAL
COMMUNICATION

2. 4 DIFFERENT
BARRIERS
TO EFFECTIVE
ORG.COMM

3. A physical barrier to
communication can be
defined as an element or a
physical factor that acts as a
distraction to hinder the flow
of communication. A physical
barrier can be natural or
human-made and is easy to
spot.
EXAMPLES
NOISE
ARCHITECTURE
TIME
DISTANCE
SURPLUS OF
INFORMATION
ENVIRONMENT

4. Semantic is the study of
meaning, signs and symbols
used for communication. The
word is derived from “sema”,
a Greek word meaning signs.
Semantic barriers to
communication are the
symbolic obstacles that
distorts the sent message in
some other way than
intended, making the
message difficult to
understand.
The meaning of words, signs
and symbols might be different
from one person to another and
the same word might have
hundreds of meanings. So,
when a message is sent by a
sender to a receiver, it might be
interpreted wrongly in a
communication process causing
misunderstandings between
them.

5. This can happen due to different
situations that form the
semantic(of, relating to, or
arising from the different
meanings of words or other
symbols) of the sender and the
receiver, known as the semantic
barrier. It also arises due to
language, education, culture
and place of origin (dialect or
accent) or most likely their
experiences. It is similar to and
related to language barriers in a
communication.
Denotative Barriers
Direct meaning of any word which must be shared by
two people to understand each other is the
denotative meaning. The barriers that arise due to
the definition or meaning of a word used differently
by sender and receiver is denotative barriers of
communication. They disagree on the meaning of a
word as they are unaware of the other persons’
meaning.
Connotative Barriers
The implied meaning of a word is known as
Connotative meaning. Connotative barrier in
communication refers to the difference of meaning
according to different abstract situations,
contexts, actions and feelings. Both the
communicators know both meanings of the word, but
use only one meaning according to the context,
which might be being used differently in the
context.

6. These words can be interpreted wrongly when used
unknowingly causing the semantic barrier in a
communication process. This, in turn, makes the
communication ineffective.
Cultural difference
Many words have fixed meanings in different norms.
So, confusion arises in communication due to
meaning of different signs and symbols in different
cultures, causing semantic barrier. The use of the
“Swastika” symbol in Hinduism and for German Nazi
cab be taken as an example.
The symbol was used by Hitler for his rule and is
taken as something to fear, whereas swastika in
Hinduism takes it as auspicious and lucky. People
belonging to these two cultures take the symbol
differently. If people belonging to these two
cultures talk or use the symbol, it can lead to
conflicts.
Difference in use words
Words can mean something different in two
different languages even though the words have the
same pronunciation and spelling. People do not know
many languages, so the word used in some language
might have a different meaning in the language the
person understands. The unfamiliarity with the word
might make the listener react in a bad way.
Causes of Semantic
Barriers in Communication
Homophones
Homophones are the words with same pronunciation
but different meaning which might have different
spelling too. For example: Words buy, by and bye. They
have same pronunciation, but different meanings and
spellings.
Homonyms
Homonyms are the words which have the same
pronunciation and their spellings are mostly same, but
the intended meaning is different. For example, the
noun “bear” and the verb “bear” has different
meanings but same pronunciation and spelling.
Homographs
Homographs are the words that have the same spelling
but the pronunciation and meaning are different. For
example, “The research lead to the discovery of lead”.
In this sentence, both the words have the same
spelling, but different pronunciation and different
meanings.

7. The receiver might not understand the message or
understand it in a way which is not intended. Sequence
of use of words must also be taken care of. Technical
words or jargons is also understood differently if the
receiver does not have proper knowledge.
For example, the word “concha” in Spanish means shell
whereas in it means female sex in an offensive
language in Argentina.
Body language and gestures
When what you speak and your body language
(kinesics) is different, the listener can get offended.
Inconsistent body language creates conflict. Sarcasm
and contrasts make people confused or doubtful about
the intentions. Action and language must always go
together to make people trust you.
For example, if someone requests you with a catapult
posture (hands and elbows behind head) which is used
to show intimidation, you will interpret the request as
order and might resist doing it.
A psychological barrier seems to be a
condition of mind that may prevent an
individual from making the best choices.
The ability to communicate and interact
with one another in a rational frame of
mind is also impacted by psychological
impediments.
For example
1. Anger
2. Pride
3. Social Anxiety

8. Cultural barriers prevent people from
different cultures from effectively
communicating and working with each
other. Cultural barriers can be caused by
differences in languages, beliefs, or
values.
Six main factors give rise to
communicational barriers, and they are:
• Ethnocentrism,
• Stereotyping,
• Psychological barriers,
• Language barriers,
• Geographical distance,
• Conflicting values.
Ethnocentrism
-The belief that one's culture is superior to
another's is known as ethnocentrism.
It makes a person feel that only their way of doing
things is right. Ethnocentric people look down on
people from other cultures, making them feel
undervalued. It hinders conversations between
people as they would not be comfortable with each
other holding a conversation. Ethnocentrism can be
a conscious act or unintentional.
Stereotyping
-People have preconceived notions about others
based on their nationalities. It is the belief that
people from a country or region will behave a
certain way. But people tend to forget that every
individual is different and may not or will not behave
the way we would expect them to, based on our
limited knowledge and judgments. Stereotyping a
person can be insulting and unhealthy in a working
environment. The person can feel unfairly judged,
making them unnecessarily conscious. Such
situations also act as communication barriers.

9. Language Barriers
Not being able to fluently speak and understand a
team's language can be frustrating. The ones that
cannot understand might feel like they are missing out
on things. Not being able to communicate well in a
foreign language can also make them feel different and
make them hesitant to participate in conversations or
voice their opinions.
In such cases, the native speakers must make it a
point to communicate in a manner that accommodates
the non-native speakers. It involves talking slower and
using more recognizable words instead of local slang.
Psychological Barriers
When dealing with a multicultural team, we might have
to mend our ways to accommodate everyone and help
them feel welcome. While in some cultures maintaining
eye contact is considered a positive sign of
cooperation, in some, it is considered intimidating.
Considering such instances are crucial to making
everyone feel understood, encouraging them to
converse. Even though sometimes it could mean having
to change how we would subconsciously react to a
situation.
Geographical Distance
Although the increasing possibility of working
from home has made working more convenient, it
comes with challenges.
Building a connection within the team becomes
strenuous when the members are only connected
virtually. The employees only meet during team
meetings and discuss their goals and objectives. It
hinders them from getting to know their co-
workers personally, thereby preventing them from
sharing more information or communicating. The
company has to make an active effort in trying to
build team relationships.
Conflicting Values
Everybody has their way of doing things.
Communication between people can become
strenuous when one's values and practices are
disturbed.

10. Cultural barriers play a crucial role in
smoothly running an organization.
Organizations have to identify cultural
barriers and make efforts to fix them.
Some of the techniques to correct
cultural barriers are as follows:
Learn About Different Cultures
The fundamental cause of cultural barriers is people's
ignorance towards other cultures. When employees
take time and effort to understand their co-worker's
cultures, it encourages them to appreciate cultural
differences. Such actions also help to reduce cultural
discrimination and ethnocentrism in the workplace.
Accommodate Cultural Differences
People fail to accommodate cultural differences
because they are biased and judge a person or
situation unconsciously. To prevent this, one must
identify cultural biases and work against them. It
involves understanding how different cultures
function and that each individual is unique.
Organizations can make employees from different
cultures feel welcome by understanding and
acknowledging their cultural beliefs.
Clear Communication
As language is a cultural barrier, employees should
consider this situation while communicating. It will
help to use polite and clear language with simple
words. Visual aids further help in clearing any
misunderstandings. Local slang can also be confusing
for a non-native speaker. Avoiding them can also be
considered an act of consideration.
Knowledge Sharing
When people are made aware of cultural diversities,
it becomes easier for everyone to interact with each
other. People share the knowledge they have gained
throughout the years from different cultures and
experiences. It boosts innovation and communication
among co-workers.