How to Improve Horizontal (Inyra-team) Communication at Work

Horizontal communication - interactions between peers or teams at the same level - is essential for smooth collaboration. It helps align teams, resolve issues, and share knowledge effectively. Yet, workplace silos, unclear processes, and remote work challenges often hinder it. Here's how to address these issues:

✓ Choose the right channels: Use face-to-face meetings for complex discussions, emails for formal updates, and instant messaging for quick exchanges.
✓ Encourage informal connections: Coffee chats, team lunches, and virtual breaks build trust and rapport.
✓ Leverage collaboration tools: Use shared platforms like Google Workspace, project management tools, and video calls to streamline workflows.
✓ Build trust and clarity: Active listening, constructive feedback, and clear roles reduce misunderstandings.
✓ Break silos: Cross-functional projects, rotation programmes, and shared goals improve inter-departmental communication.
✓ Simplify processes: Standardise tools, set clear protocols, and regularly review communication practices.
✓ Adapt to hybrid work: Prioritise asynchronous communication, inclusive video calls, and strong documentation.

Methods for Better Horizontal Communication

Choosing the Right Communication Channels

Selecting the right communication channel can make or break team collaboration. Each method serves a distinct purpose, so understanding when to use them is key to fostering effective teamwork.

Face-to-face meetings are unparalleled for complex discussions that demand a deeper understanding. Whether you're resolving conflicts, brainstorming, or seeking consensus on sensitive matters, the ability to read body language and respond in real time fosters meaningful dialogue and stronger connections.

Email is ideal for formal documentation, detailed updates, or when recipients need time to process information. However, it's less effective for urgent issues or discussions requiring back-and-forth exchanges. If an email thread stretches beyond three replies, it's often better to pick up the phone or schedule a meeting.

Instant messaging platforms like Microsoft Teams or Slack are perfect for quick clarifications, status updates, and ongoing project discussions. These tools strike a balance between formal emails and casual chats, making them particularly useful for hybrid teams. To ensure efficiency, set clear expectations around response times and appropriate use.

Video calls have become indispensable for remote teams, especially for check-ins and collaborative sessions. They provide visual cues that enhance understanding and allow for flexible participation. Screen sharing features are particularly useful during technical discussions or document reviews.

To avoid confusion, successful teams establish clear protocols for using each channel. This ensures messages are delivered through the most effective medium and helps streamline communication. Beyond the choice of tools, informal exchanges play a vital role in strengthening team dynamics.

Building Informal Interactions

While choosing the right communication channel is important, fostering trust and rapport often depends on informal interactions. These casual moments build connections that make formal collaboration more seamless.

Coffee chats and tea breaks are great for sparking creative ideas and solving problems. Many innovative solutions emerge from these unstructured conversations. Encouraging teams to take breaks together - whether in person or virtually - creates opportunities for natural relationship-building.

Team lunches and after-work activities allow colleagues to connect on a personal level, beyond their work responsibilities. These settings help uncover shared interests and experiences, paving the way for smoother professional interactions.

Cross-departmental social events are particularly effective for improving horizontal communication. Activities like quiz nights, seasonal celebrations, or group volunteering bring together individuals who might not interact regularly, fostering shared experiences that enhance collaboration.

Walking meetings are another way to encourage open dialogue and creativity. They're especially effective for one-on-one discussions or small group brainstorming sessions.

Remote and hybrid teams face the challenge of replicating these spontaneous moments. Successful teams address this by scheduling informal virtual coffee breaks, creating non-work chat channels, and setting aside time during meetings for casual conversations. These efforts help maintain the social fabric of the team, even at a distance.

Using Technology for Collaboration

Technology plays a critical role in enhancing collaboration, but its success depends on how well it integrates with your team's natural workflows.

Shared document platforms like Google Workspace or Microsoft 365 allow teams to collaborate on projects in real time. These tools streamline contributions, track changes, and maintain version control, eliminating the confusion of endless email attachments.

Project management tools such as Asana, Trello, or Monday.com provide clarity on task ownership and deadlines. They reduce the need for status meetings by offering a transparent view of who’s doing what and when.

Communication hubs centralise project-related discussions, reducing the chaos of scattered emails. Features like file sharing, tool integration, and search functionality make these platforms particularly helpful for keeping everyone on the same page.

Digital whiteboards and brainstorming tools are indispensable for remote teams tackling creative challenges. They’re especially useful during design sessions or strategic planning, enabling everyone to contribute visually and collaboratively.

While informal interactions build relationships, technology ensures these connections remain strong across different locations. The key is to choose tools that address specific communication challenges without overcomplicating workflows. Teams should assess where their communication gaps lie and adopt tools that seamlessly fit their needs.

To get the most out of these tools, regular training and clear guidelines are essential. Without proper adoption, even the most advanced technology can become a hindrance rather than a help. By aligning tools with team needs and providing support, organisations can unlock their full potential for effective collaboration.

How to improve team communication (Connecting Organizational Silos)

Building Trust and Clarity Among Colleagues

For horizontal communication to thrive, trust and mutual respect are non-negotiable. Without trust, even the best tools and strategies fall short. Creating this trust requires deliberate effort to build a workplace culture rooted in openness and respect. These practices lay the groundwork for clear, peer-to-peer communication, which is essential for effective collaboration.

Trust isn’t built overnight or through grand gestures - it’s the result of consistent actions. When colleagues keep their promises, share information transparently, and own up to their mistakes, they strengthen working relationships. This kind of reliability becomes even more critical in cross-departmental collaboration, where people may interact less frequently. With a foundation of trust in place, teams are better equipped to implement more detailed communication strategies.

Creating a Culture of Psychological Safety

Psychological safety is the cornerstone of effective horizontal communication. When people feel comfortable sharing ideas, asking questions, or admitting when they’re unsure, communication becomes more natural and productive.

Encourage open dialogue by exploring ideas without rushing to dismiss them and treating mistakes as opportunities to learn. This sends a clear message that every contribution matters and fosters honest communication.

Setting ground rules for discussions can help maintain a respectful tone. Simple guidelines like “no interrupting,” “all ideas are worth considering,” and “focus on solutions, not blame” create a structure that supports open conversations. These rules are especially helpful during challenging discussions or when emotions run high.

Regular check-ins - whether formal or informal - offer a chance for team members to raise concerns before they grow into bigger issues. These could be quick chats over coffee or brief discussions at the start of a meeting. Such moments often reveal potential communication barriers early on.

Welcoming diverse perspectives is another way to enhance psychological safety. Actively seeking input from colleagues with different experiences or viewpoints shows that all voices are valued. This inclusivity strengthens trust and encourages better listening and feedback practices across the team.

Practising Active Listening and Giving Constructive Feedback

Active listening is more than just hearing words - it’s about understanding the message, context, and emotions behind what’s being said. It’s a key skill for avoiding misunderstandings and building stronger connections with colleagues.

When someone is speaking, give them your full attention. Maintain eye contact in face-to-face conversations, avoid multitasking during virtual meetings, and ask clarifying questions if something isn’t clear.

Paraphrasing what you’ve heard is a great way to confirm understanding and show respect for the speaker. Phrases like “So what you’re saying is…” or “Let me make sure I’ve got this right…” help ensure everyone is on the same page before moving forward.

Asking thoughtful, open-ended questions can also deepen discussions and provide valuable insights. Questions like “What challenges are you facing with this?” or “How could we improve this process?” encourage meaningful dialogue and problem-solving.

When giving feedback, focus on behaviours and their impact rather than personal traits. For example, instead of criticising someone directly, you might say, “When project updates are delayed, it impacts our planning timeline. Could we set up a regular update schedule?” This approach addresses the issue without making it personal.

Deliver feedback privately, promptly, and with specific suggestions for improvement. This ensures it’s constructive and helps the recipient take actionable steps.

Making Roles and Responsibilities Clear

Uncertainty about roles can lead to friction, miscommunication, and even conflict. Clear role definitions eliminate guesswork, reduce overlap, and minimise misunderstandings.

Document responsibilities clearly so that everyone knows not just what they’re responsible for, but also their decision-making authority and who they should consult for specific issues.

Defining decision-making processes is another way to prevent confusion. When colleagues understand who needs to be informed, consulted, or asked for approval, communication becomes smoother and more respectful of boundaries.

Clear handoffs are also crucial. Specify what information needs to be shared, how it should be formatted, and when it’s due to avoid duplication or gaps in work.

Regularly reviewing roles ensures they remain relevant as projects evolve or team members develop new skills. Open discussions about changing responsibilities help avoid assumptions and keep everyone aligned.

Finally, accountability structures that emphasise collaboration rather than blame are key to maintaining trust. This could include regular progress updates, peer reviews, or brainstorming sessions to overcome challenges together.

Overcoming Common Barriers to Horizontal Communication

Even with trust and effective communication channels in place, certain obstacles can still hinder smooth peer-to-peer collaboration. Organisational structures, outdated processes, and shifting work environments often stand in the way. Recognising and addressing these barriers head-on is key to fostering better horizontal communication.

Some of the most frequent challenges include departmental silos that block information flow, cumbersome communication protocols that slow progress, and the complexities of remote and hybrid working. Let’s delve into practical solutions to tackle these issues.

Breaking Down Organisational Silos

Departmental silos are a stubborn issue in many UK organisations. When teams focus solely on their own goals and processes, collaboration suffers, and vital information often gets trapped within these invisible walls.

To address this, consider initiating cross-functional projects that require input from multiple teams. Shared digital workspaces and regular inter-departmental meetings can also open up communication channels. Even small initiatives, such as joint brainstorming sessions, can help bridge gaps.

Another effective strategy is to implement rotation programmes, where employees temporarily work with other teams. This not only broadens understanding of different processes but also builds stronger inter-departmental relationships.

Aligning incentives across departments can also encourage collaboration. For example, tying performance metrics or bonuses to overall organisational success - rather than just individual or departmental achievements - can motivate teams to work together. Including cross-departmental collaboration as a factor in performance reviews or setting shared goals can further reinforce this behaviour.

Lastly, invest in information-sharing tools. A central dashboard displaying key projects across teams or informal "lunch and learn" sessions where departments share updates can create transparency and reduce the silo effect.

Simplifying Communication Protocols

Overly complex communication processes can bog down collaboration, creating unnecessary confusion and delays. Many organisations accumulate layers of protocols over time, often without considering whether they still serve their purpose.

Start by standardising communication tools across the organisation. When different teams use different platforms for messaging, file sharing, or project management, friction is inevitable. Select a core set of tools that meet most needs and ensure everyone is properly trained to use them.

Establish clear escalation paths so employees know when and how to involve others. Simple guidelines - such as when to copy managers into emails, when to schedule meetings, or how to handle urgent matters - can make a big difference.

Using standard formats for project updates, meeting agendas, and handover documents can save time and ensure no critical details are missed. This doesn’t mean stifling natural communication but rather creating consistency where it’s most needed.

Make it a habit to conduct regular reviews of communication protocols. Processes that worked for a small team may not scale well as the organisation grows, and practices suited for office-based teams may need tweaking for hybrid setups. Assigning clear communication responsibilities helps avoid confusion, ensuring everyone knows their role in keeping information flowing without creating unnecessary bottlenecks.

Adapting for Remote and Hybrid Workplaces

The rise of remote and hybrid working has transformed how horizontal communication happens. Without the casual chats that naturally occurred in office corridors, organisations need to be more intentional about fostering connection.

Recreate informal interactions in a virtual setting with initiatives like online coffee breaks, team lunches, or chat channels dedicated to non-work topics. These small efforts can help maintain the personal bonds that underpin effective professional communication.

For hybrid teams, asynchronous communication skills are essential. This involves crafting clear messages that provide enough context, using collaborative documents that allow contributions at different times, and being mindful of time zones when scheduling meetings.

Video calls require their own set of best practices. Simple steps like turning on cameras and ensuring equal speaking opportunities can make discussions more inclusive. Additionally, paying attention to digital body language - such as tone and clarity in text-based communication - becomes increasingly important when most interactions happen online.

Finally, strong documentation practices are critical. Key decisions, action items, and relevant context should be recorded and easily accessible so that remote team members can stay informed and contribute effectively, even if they aren’t present for every conversation.

Formal vs Informal Communication: Finding the Right Balance

Striking the right balance between formal and informal communication is key to fostering collaboration and effective information sharing within teams. Formal communication involves structured, predefined channels and adheres to official protocols, ensuring accountability with a documented record. On the other hand, informal communication thrives on spontaneity and personal connections, creating a more collaborative and approachable workplace environment. The table below highlights the differences and helps determine when each style is most appropriate.

Comparing Formal and Informal Communication

When to Use Each Approach

Choosing between formal and informal communication depends on the situation and the intended outcome.

• Formal communication is essential for tasks requiring accuracy and accountability. This includes legal documents, official announcements, policy updates, and performance reviews. It’s particularly effective when addressing sensitive topics or communicating with a larger audience.
• Informal communication works best for everyday tasks that benefit from flexibility. Quick check-ins, brainstorming sessions, and casual conversations encourage creativity and allow ideas to flow freely.

For instance, a team might begin a project with informal brainstorming to generate ideas, shift to formal communication for planning and approval, and then return to informal exchanges during implementation. Adjusting your approach based on the context and workplace culture ensures smooth and effective communication. By blending these methods thoughtfully, teams can enhance collaboration and maintain clarity across all levels of the organisation.

Conclusion: Maintaining Good Horizontal Communication

Key Takeaways

Strong horizontal communication strengthens connections among peers by fostering trust and creating a sense of psychological safety. Whether through formal meetings or casual conversations, having clear and effective communication channels ensures that information flows seamlessly across teams and departments. As mentioned earlier, defining roles, choosing the right communication methods, and leveraging technology all play a part in making this type of communication successful.

The best organisations understand that there’s no universal formula for horizontal communication. A balance of structured and informal interactions helps maintain both adaptability and accountability. While technology can facilitate communication, the human element - like active listening, constructive feedback, and genuine collaboration - remains at the heart of it all.

Breaking down silos requires effort from everyone, from leaders to team members. When people have a clear understanding of their roles and feel encouraged to share ideas openly, organisations benefit from quicker problem-solving, better innovation, and higher levels of engagement. Investing in horizontal communication leads to stronger teamwork and improved overall performance.

Next Steps for Leaders

To build on these ideas, leaders can take deliberate steps to enhance horizontal communication. Start by focusing on active listening and providing opportunities for skill development within teams.

One effective approach is business storytelling, which can help leaders shape their identity and connect their personal values with the organisation’s goals. A well-told story can align teams with a shared vision and strengthen peer relationships.

Another key area is self-awareness. Recognising your own communication style, understanding your triggers, and being mindful of how you affect others can improve interactions and team dynamics. This also includes knowing when to rely on formal structures versus informal exchanges.

For professionals eager to refine their communication skills, Leadership Story Bank offers a wealth of resources. The platform provides practical tools and strategies to help leaders build trust, inspire innovation, and develop a distinctive leadership voice. With expert guidance and regularly updated content, it’s designed to help professionals communicate with clarity and influence.

Subscriptions start at just £2.50 per month, offering actionable advice to help leaders make a lasting impact through effective communication.

FAQs

How can I balance formal and informal communication in a hybrid workplace?

Balancing formal and informal communication in a hybrid workplace takes a bit of planning and sensitivity. For formal exchanges, it’s crucial to have clear systems in place. This could mean scheduling regular meetings, sharing written updates, and establishing agreed-upon protocols to keep professionalism intact and ensure everyone is on the same page with goals and tasks.

On the flip side, informal communication also plays a vital role in creating a connected team. Think about setting up virtual coffee breaks, organising team-building activities, or hosting relaxed group chats. These casual moments can go a long way in building trust, strengthening relationships, and fostering a sense of camaraderie among colleagues.

In the UK, where politeness and professionalism are highly valued, finding the sweet spot between formal and informal communication is especially important. Striking this balance can lead to smoother collaboration and a more engaged, cohesive team.

How can I improve communication between teams and reduce silos in my organisation?

To enhance communication between teams and eliminate silos, focus on building cross-functional collaboration. Regular team meetings and collaborative projects can help establish trust and foster mutual understanding. Clearly defined shared goals are vital to ensure all departments are aligned and working towards the same objectives.

Introduce shared communication tools to simplify interactions and maintain transparency across teams. Cultivate an environment where open dialogue thrives - encourage colleagues to share ideas and feedback without hesitation. Prioritising trust, clarity, and teamwork can lead to a more connected and harmonious workplace.

How can leaders use storytelling to improve communication and align teams with organisational goals?

Leaders have a powerful tool at their disposal: storytelling. When used effectively, it can transform communication into something more engaging and meaningful, building trust and fostering understanding within teams. A thoughtfully told story can simplify complex concepts, emphasise shared values, and create a genuine sense of connection - key ingredients for smooth, horizontal communication.

By weaving stories that reflect organisational goals, leaders can bridge divides, spark collaboration, and align everyone towards common objectives. This method doesn’t just break down barriers; it encourages open dialogue and helps teams work together more effectively.

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