In diversified workplaces, the apparency of miscommunication within the organization is dominantly prominent. Employees belonging to different backgrounds, cultural thoughts, experiences, ingrained beliefs, and religious temperaments, will have different opinions on a single work circumstance, which will lead to failure of work information.
Furthermore, individuals having different perceptions about a fact sow the seeds of miscommunication at work.
Miscommunications are often the result of passive listening, differences in opinion, unconscious biases, impromptu planning, and inarticulation.
We will know more about the key reasons that instigate haphazard communication at work in the later part of this blog. Before that let us understand what is miscommunication at work.
What is Miscommunication at Work?
Miscommunication at the workplace refers to situations where the communication is not conveyed clearly with clarity which ultimately leads to misunderstandings, conflicts, failure in task completion, confusion, and potentially negative consequences.
The occurrence of miscommunication can be from verbal, non-verbal, written, or spoken words that are unclear and vaguely interpreted. The consequences of miscommunication at work can lead to:
– Failure of scheduled compliance
– Non-accomplishment of tasks
– Faulty work
– Surging internal conflicts
– Inharmonious work environment
– Increase in attrition rate
– Defamation of the organization’s reputation and more.
Now that we gained insight into the meaning of miscommunication at work, let us dive into the key happenings that cause miscommunication at work.
6 Key Causes for Miscommunication at Work
Generally, the reasons causing miscommunication at work are many but the major 6 elements that instigate miscommunication are as follows:
1. Lack of Active Listening
The foremost cause of miscommunication is the lack of active listening. Listening is pivotal for any individual irrespective of the type of job professionally or personally.
For Example: Not paying attention in vital meetings and missing keywords can affect your task even after its completion on time. In fact, it can lead to re-doing of the same task hence consuming additional time, money, and resources.
2. Vague Messages
Vague or unclear messages are major reasons for miscommunication in the workplace. Ambiguous messages that lack clarity and are open to interpretation often become the cause of miscommunication.
For Example- Unclear expectations or vague instructions will lead to faulty task processes and potentially hinder the workflow.
3. Perceptions
Perception is a combination of individual thoughts, beliefs, experiences, and opinions that affects communication and causes misunderstandings within the organization. Making assumptions about what others know can lead to miscommunication.
4. Ingrained Beliefs
Miscommunications are the consequences of ingrained psychological beliefs that an individual holds from the very beginning of life. It is the cultural nuances and thoughts that build the personality of an individual. Ingrained beliefs shape the perception of a person so in a diversified workplace, with people coming from distinct cultural backgrounds, it becomes an element that causes miscommunication and conflict.
5. Incomplete or Inaccurate Information
Inaccurate or incomplete information defines an improper way of accomplishing tasks. This as a result creates confusion, multifaceted interpretations, misunderstandings, and non-achievement of targeted goals.
6. Lack of Follow-ups
Lack of feedback or regular follow-ups can cause miscommunication as grasping the entire required information is not always convenient for a human brain. So, monitoring progress can highlight the deficient areas and help you save over consumption of time, money, and resources for your business.
Epilogue
In summary, miscommunication at work arises due to factors that if handled cautiously can be avoided and ignored. Miscommunication is lethal for any business as it not only stimulates conflicts but also makes the workplace inharmonious.
Recognizing the communication gaps prevailing in the organization and addressing the key miscommunications can help you foster your business productivity, development, and growth as well as help you to robust your employer’s reputation in the cut-throat market sphere.
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