When Workers Quietly Lose Access to Informal Communication

A former active participant in certain conversations and communications starts noticing a difference. Decisions appear to be made in advance, information becomes available later, and discussions happen without their participation. Such differences do not emerge in any communication network, but they have immediate consequences.

According to research conducted in the Journal of Organization Studies, informal channels of communication play an important role in the process of information exchange in companies. Such communication channels often exist together with formal structures and contribute to influence, collaboration, and decision making processes. As a result of losing access to such communication channels, an employee can start receiving less information than before.


How do informal networks and organizational power have an effect?

Channels of informal communication are closely related to influence in organizational structures. Research articles from the Academy of Management Journal suggest that employees who are connected through informal channels have access to information on a timely basis and are involved in making decisions. Informal channels play an important role in how fast an idea spreads within a team and the way teams synchronize. When employees are excluded deliberately or accidentally, then the chances of participation become slim for them. It does not necessarily mean that they underperform but instead shows changes happening within the structure of the organization.

Exclusion deeply affects mental well-being

Impacts of restricted access are not confined to processes alone. Studies conducted in the Journal of Applied Psychology have demonstrated a correlation between exclusion from the workplace and disengagement, increased stress levels, and dissatisfaction with the job. An individual who feels isolated from the informal network within the organization might find it difficult to understand the implications of changes within the organization, resulting in confusion about his/her position within the organization. Communication does not consist only of formal communication. Informal networks play a vital role in the functioning of an organization.