10+ SAMPLE Communication Problem Statement

What is a communication problem statement?

A communication problem statement pertains to the report to be submitted to facilitators or supervisors regarding a problem happening within the communication between members or employees in a certain company. These problems may be regarding technology, or the kind of software being used by employees to communicate with each other or with their clients. These may also pertain to real life communication problems wherein workers are having a hard time conversing with each other. This is a very big problem since relaying information may be one of the most integral parts in keeping a business or a job in general afloat. With that being said, the problem statement needs to be accurate and precise, as this is the basing ground of the kind of response the company you are in will be giving as a solution. Just like research, you also need to check up a few parts regarding the problem in order to be able to make a solid conclusion. For this, you may work with a skilled technician for you to be able to have accurate and detailed explanations of the observation at hand.

Top Communication Problems in the Workplace

Before we can be able to address the communication issues occurring, and even to the extent of writing a problem statement regarding those, we have to be wary of the common communication problems that actually happen in the workplace. Identifying the top communication problems allows you to be more preemptive about them, and be able to create solutions, or mitigating factors that could lessen the likelihood of these problems even accruing in the first place. With that, here are the top communication problems in the workplace.

First Time Jitters : Employees who are relatively new in the workplace are those who are likely to be coy in expressing themselves, or in raising concerns that they may find pressing. First time jitters suppress their need to raise these points, or even reach out to their supervisors for guidance. This is a very common communication problem, and you may mitigate the likelihood of this happening through making your employee feel very welcome, and constantly asking them if they would like some help regarding anything. The act of doing this paves the way for them, and gives them the opportunity to raise their concerns without necessarily feeling like they are disturbing you or being a burden at work. A quick getting-to-know the employee may also ease the tension and make him or her feel a little bit more comfortable.Heavy Jargon : When you have worked long enough and immersed yourself within the workplace you belong to, you may be very accustomed to the choice of words you and your colleagues use, making them seem like normal words that people use on a daily basis. This may be very different for someone just starting out their job. The heavy use of jargon may very likely make them feel alienated from the rest of the group, and they may have a hard time in understanding the kind of communication you are having. Having felt alienated or boxed out, it is likely that relatively new employees may just distance themselves from the general group, or be ashamed of how little they know. One way to respond to this issue would be to have an orientation that does not only constitute the introduction of the company, or the responsibilities the employee has to adhere to, but one that also covers the communication dynamics that occur within the department this employee belongs to.Physical Barriers : Physical barriers pertain to non-face to face communication that may give way to a lot of misinterpretations that are very likely to not occur with the use of non-verbal communication, which only happens in real life conversations. This may also be why communication between workers get a little tense, because the job itself may already be pressuring them, meaning that they may be very sensitive, and one misunderstanding regarding non-face to face communication can trigger them very drastically. One way to address this is to remind employees to be expressive, and even concise regarding the kind of messages that they want to deliver across. It may be hard to do, but it is something we ought to learn especially when our job requires us to work with other people.Technical Problems : Technical problems occur during telecommunication. Using technology as your platform for communication means that you should also understand the volatile nature of your medium. Technical problems may pertain to problems regarding the internet connection which is something that cannot be promised to be fast and consistent. This is why companies always make use of the latest technology, and make sure that their systems are well-checked and maintained. But even with that, internet interruptions are still inevitable which may cause the client to get impatient, or even cause frustration between two communicating workers. Other than that, an old and outdated software may also be the reason why there are glitches in communication. This is likely to happen in small businesses or medium businesses that do not necessarily have the budget to constantly update their software. Perhaps one way to ease the tension regarding technical problems would be to understand that technology is not a promise, and that errors and setbacks will always happen when we use it as a medium.Prejudice : It is likely that prejudice occurs within the workplace, especially when an employee who comes from a minority group is present. This may be an employee who belongs to a different race compared to majority of the other workers, or an employee who is part of the LGBTQ+ for instance. It is very easy for these things to cause rifts between them and other workers especially when prejudice is present. It is the company’s prerogative to make sure that their employees feel comfortable in the workplace, and things like race and sexual orientation are things that are protected attributes, which is why it is important for companies to have a policy that disallows such a discriminating behavior to proliferate. It is very unprofessional, and delays the productivity of the company. Supervisors may also reprimand those who show signs of prejudice, and always ask the new employee how the others are treating them.Cultural Differences : Culture matters so much since it is one of the things that dictate our actions and norms. These social norms determine how we act in social settings, and these may vary from the norms that majority of the existing employees in the company. One way to address this would be to voice out concerns, and to ask questions regarding the culture in your workplace. A facilitator may be utilized for this, and the employee with the different culture can voice out what they may find offensive, and for the practices and actions that are not at all harmful can be settled through the understanding that there are indeed other cultures, and this is something we should accept and be okay with.Emotional Distress : Emotional distress may be caused by information overload, or through stress in the workplace. Emotional distress can cause an individual to behave irrationally, which is why communication may be very hard when someone is not emotionally stable or well in general. With that being said, it is important for those in emotional distress to be helped in calming down in order for them to settle and perhaps come to their senses. Pressure in the workplace, and in dealing with clients can very likely push someone to be emotionally sensitive, and it can be very hard to make conversation. Make sure that the employee is well and emotionally stable through giving them a break, for instance, in order to lessen emotional distress.

How to Write a Communication Problem Statement

Now that we know of the common communication problems that occur within the workplace, it is high time for us to get back to the target of the article, which is the communication problem statement. The problem statement itself is important, because it allows you to elaborate on a single issue that thoroughly needs to be addressed. The problem statement is a formal document that records your specific target issue, and is something to be submitted to the direct superior in the department in order for the problem to be given a response to, or some form of resolution. Unaddressed problems can cause further tensions and misunderstandings in the long run, and could really harm the performance of the employees, and even harm the social relations that they have. With that being said, here is how you can write a communication problem statement.

Step 1: Problem Description

The first section of a problem statement would be the problem description. This should provide a vivid picture of the happenstance that occurred in the workplace which caused the issue. A walk through regarding the event is something that should be provided in the problem statement in order for those who are assigned to create resolutions to know the extent of the problem, as well as the necessary parts they are to address. This is something that can only be done if they know the important details of the problem.

Step 2: Communication Policy

After mentioning the problem description, the communication policy you have in your company has to be mentioned, specifically the one that has been compromised because of the issue. For technical issues, you may also mention the policy you have for that which tackles the appropriate response in the instance of such event happening. Mentioning the communication policy can help supervisors or HR’s to figure out what to do about the issue.

Step 3: Quality Assurance

This step is mostly only required for those issues regarding technical problems. Quality assurance is something that should be mentioned at the bottom part in order to uphold the establishment’s promise to deliver and employ quality products and devices. This further makes sure that the problem at hand is responded to fast and well.

Step 4: Signatory

The last step is for the problem statement to have a signatory. The one whose signature has to be affixed is the one assigned to craft the problem statement in the first place in order to confirm their identity. This is also so that your superiors could know who to reach out to when they have questions regarding the report you have submitted. Conclusively, your signatory also seals the problem statement and makes it more legitimate since the person submitting it can be seen in the bottom part of the document along with their signature.

How can communication be improved with employees?

Communication within employees can be improved when the company itself values the social interaction between its constituents. One thing that can be done to improve communication is to make sure that the people around know each other and have an extent of trust and respect for each other. Perhaps the company can have team building programs in order to improve the relationship of their employees, and even make sure that problems within the workplace are ultimately addressed in order for them not to proliferate. It is always important for conflicts to have a mediator to help solve the crisis.

Why does communication fail in the workplace?

This usually happens when the workload becomes so overwhelming that employees are now having a hard time getting their messages across to their fellow employees, and even express themselves properly since information overload can ultimately lead to emotional distress. This harms the employee psychologically since they may be suppressing their emotions, or perhaps are having a hard time in getting them out, which is why it is important for companies to make sure that their employees are getting enough breaks, and are practicing self-expression in order for things to not build up internally, leading to more detriments in the long run.

Why is submitting a communication problem statement important?

Submitting a communication problem statement is important by virtue of it being the basis of the kind of response that superiors are going to employ in order to solve the problem at hand. It also allows the company to keep record of the events that happen within the workplace which may important and can be used in the future, or become precedents of other solutions which they may have to come up with for other issues of similar nature as well. Conclusively, the problem statement is just really important since it shows the extent of the issue, making sure that the resolution will perfectly tailor-fit the problem as well.

Communication is a very important thing, and is even something that holds anyone in a certain area together. This constitutes understanding and patience, however, this is not something that a lot of people could necessarily put their attention to considering the amount of things that they may need to accomplish, or because of the responsibilities that they need to adhere to which may become overwhelming. This is why proper orientation, making sure that employees have a good relationship with each other, and that all employees are comfortable are all very important. It truly is the company’s responsibility to make sure that the workplace is a safe space for everyone.