Informal Communication

What is Informal Communication?

Informal communication is casual communication between coworkers in the workplace. It’s unofficial in nature and is based on the informal, social relationships that are formed in a workplace outside the normal hierarchy of business structure. That’s why informal business communication can take place between the CEO and an hourly worker.

This type of communication is important in the workplace as it can help with employee morale and can encourage the feeling of belonging for the employees as well as a client or customer.

What’s the Difference Between Formal and Informal Communication?

Formal communication is typically used when sharing official information about the workplace. It’s dictated by the established hierarchical organization of the business. Informal communication is the opposite—it doesn’t follow any rules of predetermined policy that formal communications do. Exchanging a “hello” or “good morning” with coworkers is an example of a brief informal interaction.

When considering the difference between formal and informal business communication, the answer is mostly based on whether the communication is defined by the business structure and its set communication rules, and whether the communication is casual or professional.

Examples of Informal Communication in the Workplace

Good examples of informal communication in the workplace can be seen whenever one employee interacts with another employee casually and conversationally, and generally takes place in less formal settings in the workplace.

• Coffee breaks. This short interaction allows employees to engage in friendly conversation while taking a quick break from work to enjoy a beverage.
• Instant messaging. Workers can chat over applications like Slack and Teams to create and establish bonds with individual workers or larger groups. They can also create breakout groups with other team members to discuss work-related or non-work-related issues.
• Team events. Group team events offer a great opportunity for co-workers to interact outside of work. This can be anything from a charity event for a good cause to a team lunch or night out.
• Grapevine communication (rumors). Grapevine rumors are passed around through informal communication channels. Topics can be work-related or not, and often take the form of hearsay and office gossip.

Types of Informal Communication

There are four different types of informal communication:

• Single Strand: One person communicates with another person and then they go and communicate with another person. Communication is traveling from one person to another one person.
• Gossip Chain: Group conversation where everyone is talking to each other informally.
• Probability Chain: Each individual randomly tells another individual the same message.
• Cluster Chain: One person shares information with a group of selected individuals and in turn, each of those individuals shares that information with others.

All these different types of informal communication represent how information flows between employees outside of a professional and formal meeting scenario.

Advantages Of Informal Communication

According to research, there’s a direct correlation between friendly coworker relationships and job satisfaction. Informal communication plays a key role in helping employees form bonds within the workplace.

Informal communication is generally casual and amiable, while formal communication can sometimes seem cold and distant. Both types of communication are important in the workplace. Informal communication has a few key benefits:

Stronger Relationships Within the Workplace

Informal talk can help to foster closer relationships between coworkers as they exchange pleasantries about everyday life. It gives team members a chance to display their personalities and discover shared interests and values. These stronger relationships can improve collaboration within your business as workers may find it easier to work with people they’re familiar with. This all helps to bridge gaps between departments and create a sense of belonging.

Boosts Productivity

More collaboration can lead to better productivity within the workplace. A Gallup study found that teams that work well together and are engaged result in higher profitability. The rapport established through informal communication can make staff more comfortable in sharing ideas, problem-solving, and other important tasks.

Reduced Turnover Rates

Informal communication can help to establish a healthier and more open business environment. This could encourage employees to feel more comfortable raising issues and concerns, giving them less reason to leave for new jobs. The overall happier working environment that informal communication can contribute to can enable great employee satisfaction and lead to lower turnover rates.

Simpler Communication

Communicating informally is generally much easier than engaging in formal communication. It’s less structured, so workers tend to worry less about factors like tone and terminology. This helps to make talking with others in the workplace easier and more enjoyable. ‌A great benefit of informal communication is that employees have someone to go to when they don’t understand an aspect of the business. It’s a great way for employees to feel connected and to keep abreast of how the business works.

Disadvantages of Informal Communication

Although there are a fair few advantages to informal communication, there are a few downsides that you should consider.

Misunderstandings Can Occur

There are no strict rules or protocols for informal communication, and this can leave room for misunderstandings to occur. This can be caused by things like cultural differences, personal experiences and emotional barriers etc. So, jokes and colloquialisms can be interpreted differently by different people, and can sometimes cause issues within the workplace.

Inaccuracy and Disinformation

Informal communication can leave space for rumors to be spread within the workplace. Gossip and rumor are signs of bad company culture, and this can cause mistrust, anxiety and conflict at work. This can begin to affect employee’s work and lead to a hostile working environment.

Can Affect Inclusion

Informal communication is often based on personal connections, so some employees could feel left out if they don’t have a rapport with other team members.