Business communication is a critical aspect of any organization and employees should be able to share their ideas or suggestions in a coherent and precise manner. Effective communication within an organization provides a multitude of benefits for the business and its employees. This blog explains the communication flow within a business and the types of business communication.

Communication routes within a business

  • Upward communication – Upward communication refers to a form of communication in which the flow of information takes place from employees to supervisors, managers or directors. This is usually done to inform the superiors about the status of work. An example is the weekly status report sent by a marketing associate to the marketing director.
  • Downward communication – In this communication route, messages and information flow down through a business’s formal hierarchical structure. An example is the weekly tasks assigned by a marketing director to a marketing associate.
  • Horizontal communication – This communication route refers to the exchange of information taking place between employees on same level of the organizational hierarchy. An example is the sharing of information between a marketing associate and a social media associate for completing a shared project.

There are a number of key differences between upward and downward communication, let’s take a look at them.

Parameters Downward Communication Upward Communication
Flow Downward flow, i.e. from superiors to subordinates Upward flow, i.e. from subordinates to superiors
Nature Directive in nature Participative in nature
Purpose To provide instructions, orders or advice To provide requests, suggestions, feedback or opinions
Frequency Low Comparatively higher

Methods of communication within a business

  • Face-to-face or verbal
  • Email
  • Written
  • Web conferencing

If you are interested in learning more about business communication methods, University Canada West offers a Bachelor of Arts in Business Communication. Upon completion of this interdisciplinary program, you will be equipped with business communication skills and knowledge about how communications and media function in today’s professional world.