Limitations / Disadvantages of upward communication?

Date :07-112-2009 
Presenter : MD.SHAFIQUAL ISLAM  

Lecture : 25

Dhaka Commerce College.

It is not very easy to have a smooth upward communication. Although upward communication is merited with many advantages but it is not very easy to have a smooth upward flow due to following reasons:

Disadvantages of Upward Communication

1. Distortion: Upward communication is intentionally distorted. Such distortion hampers the real objective of any communication.

2. Unwillingness: Employees are usually reluctant to start upward communication. The managers might keep their doors open but they cannot force the employees to walk into their room.

3. Fear: Employees often feel that if they communicate their problems to their superiors it may affect negatively to their efficiency. The complaint or criticism placed by the subordinates may be interpreted as a sign of their personal weakness or limitation.

4. By passing: In the process of upward communication, sometimes workers directly approach the top most authority with their suggestions or by passing their immediate boss. This proves harmful in two ways. The relations become poor between superiors and workers and works are damaged.

5. Recklessness: Taking the opportunity of upward communication, sometimes the subordinates behave desperately with their bosses. This can hamper the chain of command in any organization.

6. Flattery: In order to convince the superiors, subordinates can take the help of flattery. Decision taken on such incomplete information will be wrong to serve the organizational purpose.

7. Insufficiency: Subordinates may not be aware regarding the sufficiency or completeness of any information. Inadequate information will bring zero outcomes.

8. Errors and omission: Most of the lower level employees are not aware regarding many aspects of an organization. During performance of any upward communication they may commit errors and mistakes. 

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