5 most common workplace communication problems

· Passive listening

Communication is a two-way road, it’s not only about sharing information, but it’s also about listening to it and understanding it effectively which requires strong listening skills. Sometimes, the major communication problems at the workplace are due to passive listening. A good employee is someone who is an active listener. Employees who are passive listeners often misinterpret or are unaware of what’s going on leading to improper communication.

· Ego and/or attitude

The issue of ego or attitude arises when two employees don’t get along or one employee considers himself as superior to other employees. In such situations, the ego becomes a communication barrier. As an egoistic person will never listen to or even shut the person’s mouth with whom he doesn’t want to talk to. Due to such behaviour of people in the office, there are communication problems.

· Lack of interest

Some employees are least interested in any work, they just want to laze around or keep doing what they have been doing for years. They are not interested in learning something new, neither they are interested in giving their opinions in a conference meeting or a team meeting. Lack of interest of a person can be a negative point for the company in terms of good communication.

· Assumptions and misinterpretation

There would be employees who are always ready to jump on conclusions without getting their facts clear. They will join the dots on their own with the information they have and make necessary assumptions or misinterpret information according to their storyline and share the conclusion to their colleagues. This can cause serious misunderstandings in the workers.

· Communication barriers

Communication barriers caused due to cultural differences, background difference or experience related difference are also the major issue when it comes to communication at the workplace. An organisation recruits people from a different cultural background where the workers may have a different language, difference of opinions depending on their own culture and thus can cause arguments. Cultural differences may also cause difficulties in non-verbal communications, causing mixed messages.