Downward Communication

Downward communication flows from a superior to a subordinate. The Managing Director communicating with the departmental head, a manager giving a directive to an assistant manager or a supervisor, a foreman instructing a worker, are all engaged in the process of downward communication. Orders, instruction, policy statements, etc., fall under downward communication. Downward communication is eminently suited to an organisation in which the line of authority runs distinctly downward, with each rank clearly below another, to which it is directly related.
To give specific directives about the job being entrusted to a subordinate; to explain policies and organisational procedures; to apprise the subordinated of their performance; to give the subordinates information about the rationale of their job, are the main objectives of the downward communication.

Disadvantages of downward communication:
1. Under- communication and over- communication. Downward communication is often marred by either under- communication or over- communication, that is, a supervisor may talk either too little or too much about a job. Sometimes the supervisor act in a presumptuous manner. Under- communication may also involve incomplete instruction. Over- communication may lead to the leakage of confidential information or the message may get lost in a jungle of irrelevant details.
2. Delay. The lines of communication in downward communication being very long, transmitting information to the lowest worker is time-consuming process. By the time information reaches him, at may have lost much of its significant or it may have caused damaging delay.
3. Loss of information: Unless the communication is fully written, it is not likely to be transmitted downwards in its entirely. A part of it is almost certain to be lost. In fact, it has been experimentally verified that ‘only 20% of the communication sent downward through five levels of management finally gets to the workers’ level.’
4. Distortion. In long lines of communication, information is not lost but even distorted. Exaggerating, making under-statements, giving unconscious twists to facts are a part of human nature. By the time it reaches its destination, it may not contain even an iota of truth.
5. Built in resistance: Downward communication smacks of too much authoritarianism. The subordinates do not get any opportunity of participating in the decision-making process. They are expected to receive the policy decision and directives without questioning their appropriateness, utility or validity, which they resent.

Advantages of downward communication
1. Managers should keep themselves well informed of the objectives, activities and achievements of their organisation. If they are themselves in possession of adequate information, they will be able to transmit information of their subordinates in an effective manner.
2. Manager must work according to a communication plan, so they decide beforehand how much information is to be communicate and what time. This will ensure that there is neither a communication gap nor over- communication or under- communication.
3. Information passed on to the correct person in the hierarchy. If the MD by passes the departmental heads to communicate directly with the lower staff, he is subverting the organisational structure and creating future problems for the smooth flow of downward communication.