Categorization of Barriers:

1) Semantic Barrier:
a) Similar pronunciation but multiple meaning
b) Badly expressed message
c) Wrong Interpretation
d) Unqualified Assumption
e) Technical Language
2)
a)
b)
c)
d)
e)
f)

Organizational Barriers:
Organizational culture
Organizational rules and regulations
Status relationship
Complexity in organizational structure
Inadequate facilities and opportunities
Lack of cooperation between senior and subordinate

3)
a)
b)
c)
d)
e)
f)
g)
h)
i)
j)
k)

Interpersonal Barriers:
Shortage of time for employee
Lack of trust
Lack of proper channel
Lack of cooperation and mutual understanding
Desire to capture authority by retaining information
Fear of losing power of control
Fear of penalty
Bypassing
Information overload to employees
No interest to communicate
Poor social relationship

4)
a)
b)
c)
d)
e)
f)
g)

Individual Barriers:
Inattention
Poor retention
Closed minds
Filtering
Selective Perception
Brevity
Linguistic accent

5)
a)
b)
c)
d)
e)

Cross-cultural Barriers:
Language
Values
Concept of time
Concept of space
Perception

f)
6)
a)
b)
c)
d)

National character
Technological Barriers:
Lack of knowledge of technology
Advancement in technology
Noise
Fear of lack of security

Overcoming Barriers:
1) Fostering good relationships.
2) Coordination between superior and subordinate
3) Avoid technical language
4) Avoid overload
5) Simple language
6) Be a good listener
7) Feedback to avoid selective perception
8) Accuracy
9) Clarity in message
10) Proper communication channels
11) Reduction of semantic problems
12) Organizational policies
13) Division of labour
14) Flat organizational structure
15) Create climate of trust and confidence
16) Empathize
17) Time your message carefully
18) Harmonious words and actions
Consider the recipients of your messages
Decide who can communicate with whom
Follow up your verbal message with written statement
Choose your communication mode
Fig: Steps in avoiding communication barriers
Communication Barrier:
They are the obstacles in a workplace that prevent effective exchange of ideas
and thoughts.
They are anything that interferes with the transfer of information from a
sender to a receiver. It can be anything from static on radio to a third party
interfering conversation between two people.