4 Types of communication you’ll find within your business

 

Communication is an important part of all our lives. We use it to show people how we’re feeling, to explain how to complete a task or to get more information about a particular detail. Not only is this essential at home, but it’s also critical within the workplace.

 

So, what types of communication will you come across only when you’re in the work environment? These are some of the most common you may know about – and they may even surprise you on how crucial certain forms are in your day-to-day life in the office. See if you take part in any of these communication types when interacting with colleagues in your brand.

 

Upward communication

This can be anything from an individual to someone higher up in the organization. To have a true idea of what’s happening in a company, a leader will need to have information flow upwards. Much of this type of communication will be based on surveys, reports, forms, templates, and other assets for employees to use so they can pass on the required details.

 

So using a sales report as an example, that may contain information such as the number of pitches and actual sales. You may also be required to document any successes or problems that a manager may wish to find out about.

 

Downward communication

This will be from a superior to someone below them, and these communications may include, for instance, a letter or even a verbal directive. A leader should ensure such messages with someone junior to them are both clear and professional.

 

If you’re informing a group about a new procedure that includes safety requirements and regulations, for instance, there shouldn’t be any room for interpretation for these regulations. Your language should explain concisely what should happen.There may also be instances where critical information needs to be sent out immediately during an emergency, so having business continuity reflecting the communications process is crucial

 

You may wish to automate some communications to team members, which can be carried out using programs such as Boomerang Messaging. The applications can be designed to suit your brand’s needs and can improve your process efficiency.

 

Diagonal communication

Also known as crosswise communication, this is when information goes among or between people at different levels, who may not even have a direct reporting relationship. You may find this can occur during emergency situations, for instance, if those working within a production department get in contact with a supervisor who is in the marketing department.Mapping out the escalation process during  emergency situations will help businesses make sure the right steps are being taken and the right people are informed when it matters most.

 

 

Horizontal communication

This is when messages go between colleagues at the same level within an organization, or across departments. You may find this form of communication can be either written or oral. You might also hear this form called lateral communication.

 

There are many different variants of communication that you will come across within the workplace, yet these describe what usually happens between certain groups in an organization. While you may not participate in these communication types each and every day, you will inevitably be involved in them at some point in your career. Therefore, get to know how they can work for you and your coworkers.Asking for feedback about these daily, weekly or monthly communications will help you maintain the right balance in delivering the best communications to suit your business needs.