Types of Communication

3. Types of Communication

Communication inside and around a business organisation can be classified in three different, overlapping ways: by its relationship to the organisation's structure, by the direction it flows, and by the mode used to express it.

(A) Based on organisational structure — Formal and Informal:

• Formal Communication. Flows through the officially recognised channels of the organisation's structure — the chain of command from the Board down through management to staff, and back up again. It typically takes a prescribed form (a circular, a memo, an official letter, a notice, a report) and is usually recorded and retained. Because it follows a defined channel, formal communication is generally accurate, but can also be comparatively slow.
• Informal Communication (the 'Grapevine'). Arises spontaneously out of the personal and social relationships between people in an organisation, without following any official channel — corridor conversations, informal chats over lunch, or messages passed casually between colleagues. It travels very quickly and can build morale and personal rapport, but is not bound by any official structure, so it can also distort information or spread rumours if left unchecked.

(B) Based on direction of flow — Downward, Upward, and Horizontal:

• Downward Communication. Flows from a superior to a subordinate — for example, from top management down to departmental staff. Typical content: orders, instructions, policies, job assignments, and performance feedback.
• Upward Communication. Flows from a subordinate to a superior — for example, from staff up to management. Typical content: reports, requests, grievances, suggestions, and feedback on downward instructions.
• Horizontal (Lateral) Communication. Flows between people or departments at the same level of the organisation — for example, between the finance department and the marketing department. Typical content: coordination of joint work, sharing of information, and resolving cross-department issues without needing to go up and back down the hierarchy each time.

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(C) Based on mode of expression — Verbal and Non-verbal:

• Verbal Communication uses words, and is itself of two kinds: Oral (face-to-face conversation, telephone calls, meetings, video-conferencing — spoken words) and Written (letters, memos, circulars, reports, e-mails — words set down in a durable, referable form).
• Non-verbal Communication conveys meaning without words — through body language, facial expressions, gestures, posture, eye contact, and tone of voice in a spoken exchange, or through visual symbols and signs (a red traffic light, a company logo, a safety sign) in a written/displayed context. Non-verbal cues very often reinforce — or, if inconsistent, directly contradict — what is being said in words at the same time.

Comparing Formal and Informal Communication: …