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All organizations have informal and formal communication networks.
Formal Communication Networks
Formal Communication Networks
Formal communication networks are designed by management in an organizational chart fashion. They provide clear guidelines for who is responsible for communicating what to whom. They depict optimal directional flow for each person as well. The three formal directional flows for communication are downward, upward, and horizontal.
Downward communication:
This type of directional communication usually flows one way from manager to employees and generally involves giving instructions, communicating vision, or providing feedback, good and bad. This type of communication can be formal (e.g. memos) or informal (e.g. top-of-shift meetings, feedback conversations). Downward communication often gets a bad reputation for being demeaning or demanding; however, it is so important. Having clear expectations, awareness of what is going on, and information about one’s work is extremely important…as is receiving honest feedback about one’s work! Thank You's and recognition can also fall into this category, and they can go a long way toward sustaining good morale.
Upward communication:
This type of directional communication usually flows one way from lower to upper levels in a hierarchy and generally involves sharing problems that employees are facing, giving updates or status reports, or feelings about relationships or the workplace. As a manager, being present and seeking this type of upward communication can help keep a pulse on what's going on. This type of communication can be formal (e.g. status reports) or informal (e.g. sharing challenges). Much of this upward communication can be 1:1 or in a small group of 2-3.
Horizontal communication:
This type of directional communication is usually peer-to-peer and essential for an effective team. It is good for planning, task coordination, problem-solving, sharing information, conflict resolution, and building rapport. When working on operational teams or project teams, it is important to have regular horizontal communication. Sometimes there are obstacles to horizontal communication such as rivalry or different specializations that prevent them from having the same level of understanding, but overcoming the obstacles to create open message pathways is always worth it.
Informal Communication Networks:
Informal Communication Networks:
The unofficial, informal communication network within an organization is often called the grapevine, and it is often characterized by rumor, gossip, and innuendo. On the grapevine, one person may hear that someone else is going to be laid off and start passing the news around. Rumors change and transform as they are passed from person to person, and before you know it, the word is that they are shutting down your entire department.
However, informal networks create connections across an organization that can help work get done more quickly. A 1993 article from the Harvard Business Review put it like this: “If the formal network is the skeleton of a company, the informal organization is the central nervous system” (Krackhardt & Hanson,1993). You can also grow your informal network by learning new skills and being involved in activities that are not necessarily directly related to your work. Developing these friendships and working relationships is also important in helping you navigate your career, but more on that later.
Attribution:
Information for this section was modified from
Business Communication for Success Copyright © 2015 by University of Minnesota is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License, except where otherwise noted.
References:
Adler, R. B., Maresh-Fuehrer, M., Elmhorst, J. M., & Lucas, K. (2019). Communicating at Work: Strategies for success in business and the professions (12th ed.). McGraw-Hill Education.
Krackhardt, D., & Hanson, J. (1993, July-August). Informal networks: the company behind the chart. Harvard Business Review. https://hbr.org/1993/07/informal-networks-the-company-behind-the-chart
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