Horizontal communication: how to get information flowing?

Within corporate communication there is a wide variety of different typologies: internal and external; formal and informal; bottom-up or top-down... But, what is horizontal communication in companies?

We are in the middle of the Information Age, where the communication strategy of companies is taking a 180-degree turn. It is no longer enough for management to send one-way messages to employees or customers; social networks and the internet have imposed a new communication strategy. more interactive, circular and multidirectional communication and, within organisations, horizontal communication is an essential tool for boosting team coordination, motivation and job satisfaction.  

What is horizontal communication?

Depending on the hierarchical framework in which it is produced, we find two distinct types of business communication: vertical and horizontal. Unlike the former, which occurs between subordinates and superiors (bottom-up) and vice versa (top-down), horizontal communication is communication between people at the same hierarchical level or where there is no relationship of authority, It flows laterally, as can happen between workers in the same team or employees in different departments or branches, for example.

As Razo Téllez Nancy and Fidel Nefy state in their work Horizontal Communication, This mode of communication “takes place between people of the same hierarchical level where individuals have the possibility to communicate directly with each other.”. Its aim, the authors continue, “is to provide a channel for coordination and problem solving, as well as to provide the alternative of relating to each other as similar people in the organisation, which makes job satisfaction very important”.

When to use horizontal communication?

Horizontal communication is therefore particularly advisable in cases where:

• It requires a high coordination of several professionals in order to achieve the objectives set. This would be the case, for example, of the opening of a new headquarters, where all departments are involved in the move and the start of the activity.
• It is advisable to providing support and emotional support to workers. This is, for example, a new employee who joins the company and needs his colleagues to help him adapt.

What are the pros and cons of horizontal communication?

Among the advantages of horizontal communication are the following:

• It allows the information gathering of great value in a dynamic way.
• Speeds up the adoption of faster and more consensual decisions This is a particularly important benefit in the case of cross-departmental projects.
• Reduces the risk of errors, The Committee is also concerned about the need to have different points of view when it comes to making decisions.
• It boosts the coordination of the teams and optimises the distribution of tasks.  
• Enriches the creativity The aim is to provide workers with a wider range of information and different points of view or areas of knowledge.
• Reduces the bureaucracy.
• Contributes to the problem or dispute resolution within the organisation.
• Improves relations between workers and increases partnership and the creation of emotional ties within the company.
• It is configured as emotional and social support which reduces negative moods.
• Generate climates of trust in the company that boost motivation and job satisfaction.

However, horizontal communication is not free from some disadvantages or limitations when the foundations for its development are not properly laid. In this respect, we can point out:  

• Excessive information among the staff may cause the overload of professionals.
• The data generated must be classified, entailing a waste of time in this work if an effective methodology is not adopted.
• It can generate more confusion and lack of understanding if appropriate channels and protocols for communication management are not established.
• It can also produce errors arising from excessive technical language, which is not understood by all departments.
• Can be used with individualistic purposes by some professionals or departments, who use it to compete unfairly with their colleagues.
• If there is not a positive working environment among the human capital, which is involved and committed to the transmission of the message, horizontal communication, in the end, will be ineffective.

How can this be done?

When it comes to the flow of information between the human capital of an organisation, the mechanisms or instruments There are many different ways for horizontal communication to take place in the company. Among the most frequent, we can point out:

• E-mail and intranet chats.
• Telephone calls.
• Personal interviews between employees.
• Group meetings, both intra-departmental and multi-departmental.
• Social networking.
• Corporate communication applications.
• Task management software.
• Instant messaging.
• Video conferences.
• Teambuilding activities.
• Social and recreational events.

However, as in any communicative process, the channels of information exchange must also be defined, it is also necessary to provide guidelines to facilitate understanding between the parties..

In this regard, it should be borne in mind that, during communication, interlocutors are exposed to a series of communication barriers. Specifically, as Alejandro Huacon explains in his paper Barriers in the communication process, individuals face the following impediments:

• Semantic barriersrelated to the meaning of the words themselves or to the meaning or concept they are really meant to convey.
• Physiological barriersThe term "hearing impairment" refers to physiological impairments or defects of the transmitter or receiver, such as a hoarseness, for example.
• Psychological barriers: refer to the psychological state of the receiver and the sender as a determining element in the understanding or distortion of the message.
• Physical barriers: are generated by the physical environment, such as interference on the telephone or excessive noise in the office.
• Administrative barriers: are caused by poor planning in the communication process.

Therefore, in order to prevent the information from being distorted and to reach the reader in the most direct and clearest way, coach Aida Barda, in her article 7 keys to effective communication, provides the following tips for giving and receiving feedback:  

1. Clarity. It is advisable to think about what you want to say and to convey it as clearly and simply as possible in order to avoid interference.
2. Conciseness. Superfluous information that may cause confusion should be avoided; the more concrete and direct the content of the message, the less risk of it being misunderstood.
3. Concreteness. Horizontal communication must be specific and contain all the details necessary for the message to be understood.
4. Correction. It is important to adapt the content of the information to the receiver.
5. Coherence. The message must be coherent, following a logical and connected narrative thread.
6. Assertiveness. The transmission must be assertive, taking into account the other person's circumstances.
7. Creativity. Although the expert points out that it is not a prerequisite, creative messages are more attractive and therefore arouse the interest of the interlocutor.