Obstacles to communication in business are problematic as they make it difficult for a message to be received in the manner of which it was intended, or indeed not received at all.
In a working environment, communications may generally be classed as vertical or horizontal.
Vertical communications are those that move up or down the various levels in the company, such as a message from the director, down to manager, to supervisor, and then subordinate. Good two-way flow is important in modern business as it helps all workers feel more valued and confident with their tasks. Horizontal communications are usually those that are passed between staff that are at a similar level in terms of hierarchy, or across departments; for example, an accounts assistant may
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Similarly, a manager of one department would frequently interact with a manager of a different department, and of course if this is done well and procedures are followed properly, the business would have a strong advantage. Good vertical and horizontal communication means everybody works as a team for success.
Problems often do arise, however, and messages can be misinterpreted, held back or lost.
Particularly for large businesses with many workers, a sufficient system must be in place for information, instructions and other messages, to be sent and received correctly. Nowadays they are normally sent through emails, booklets, postal letters or speech (including telephone), but technical, interpretative and psychological issues (like an individual's attitude) can all prove to be