Informal communication at the workplace

Informal communication is informal communication between coworkers in the workplace. It is informal in nature and based on informal, social relationships that form in the workplace outside of the normal hierarchy of the business structure. This is why informal business communication can occur between the CEO and an hourly employee. This type of communication is important in the workplace because it can help boost employee morale and encourage a sense of belonging for employees as well as clients or customers.

What is the difference between formal and informal business communication?

Formal communication  is the sharing of official information about the workplace. It is determined by the established hierarchical organization of the business.  Informal communication  does not follow any rules of predetermined policy that formal communication does and is the opposite of formal communication. Without looking into the specifics, the answer to the question, ""What is the difference between formal and informal business communication?"" is mostly based on whether the communication is defined by the business structure and its set communication rules, and whether the communication is informal or professional.

Examples of Informal Communication in the Workplace

Good examples of informal communication in the workplace can be seen when one employee interacts with another employee in an informal and conversational manner. They could be talking about the game they played last night or even about a change in company policy.

 One of the best examples of informal communication is to think of it as a conversation between a family over the  dinner table. A child can turn to the mom or dad of the family (or the boss of the company) and casually ask them a question about an issue raised in the family meeting. This is a relaxed and carefree scenario to discuss things.

In the following sections, we will discuss the different types of informal communication in the workplace and examine some of the advantages and disadvantages of such communication.

Types of informal communication

There are four different types of informal communication   :

1. Single Strand  : One person communicates with one person and then they go to another person and communicate. Communication has to travel from one person to another.
2. Gossip chain  : Group conversation where everyone is talking informally to each other.
3. Probability chain  : Each person tells the same message to another person at random.
4. Cluster chain  : One person shares information with a group of selected individuals and each of them in turn shares that information with others.

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

Advantages and Disadvantages of Informal Communication

Informal communication is casual and careless while formal communication can seem cold and distant. Both of these types of communication are important for the workplace, but informal communication is beneficial because it can bridge gaps between departments and create a sense of belonging. Informal communication is friendly and inviting and is a great sign that someone has friends in the company.

Informal communication is a benefit to the business because employees will enjoy their work more if they have friends to communicate with, which  can increase productivity  . A disadvantage of informal communication is that it is informal. Unofficial or unconfirmed information can be spread to employees, leading to widespread misinformation. A major benefit of informal communication is that employees have someone they can talk to when  they don't understand an aspect of the business.  It is a great way for employees to feel connected and stay informed about how the business works.