Advantages and disadvantages of oral communication

Advantages of oral communication

Oral communication involves many advantages. In a recent survey about communication it is clear that more than 55% of the executives choose this communication. The advantages of oral communication are as follows:

1. Time-saving: When action is required to be taken immediately it is best to transmit a message orally. If the executive’s workload is high then they stop writing and by oral instructions, they complete their message transmission and released their workload and also it saves time.
2. Cost savings: Cost is involved in any communication. When the communication is needed within the organization and if it and is completed in orally, it has not needed any paper, pen or stamp or computer. So it saves the money of the organization.
3. More powerful: Speech is a more powerful means of persuasion and control. Therefore, executives often prefer to transmit messages orally.
4. Effectiveness: With the help of variations in the tone, pitch, and intensity of voice, the speaker can convey shades of meaning. This factor also contributes to the effectiveness of oral communication.
5. Immediate feedback: The speaker can get immediate feedback on whether it is creating a favorable impression on the receiver or whether the receiver will protest or whether the receiver has clearly understood his meaning or is feeling perplexed or baffled and he can mold and adjust his message accordingly.
6. More suitable: The employees felt more suitable when the message transmits in orally. They get an opportunity for feedback and clarification.
7. A relationship develops: Oral communication is mostly carried out helps to promote friendly relations between the parties communicating with each other.
8. Flexibility: By the demand of the situations, oral instructions can be changed easily and for these cases maintain the formalities are not necessary. So it is very much flexible and effective.
9. Easiness: It is so an easy method of communication. It needs little preparation to send a message. No need of pens, pencils and other writing equipment which are needed in written communication.
10. Correction of errors: If any error is expressed at the time of oral communication. It was possible to rectify at that time or within a very short time.
11. Informal communication: In oral communication, no need to maintain such formalities which are needed in written communication. So it is easy and helpful to any organization.
12. Motivation: In oral communication system, top executives and subordinates staff can sit face-to-face and exchange their views directly, so sub-ordinates are motivated day by day.
13. Special applications: Oral communication is more helpful in communicating messages to groups of people at assembly meetings etc.
14. Maintaining secrecy: Interested parties of oral communication can maintain the secrecy of messages easily.

Disadvantages of oral communication

Oral communication contains many advantages. In spite of this, there are oral some disadvantages which are given below:

1. No record: In oral communication, messages are difficult to record. So it is impossible to preserve the message for the future.
2. Expensive: It is also expensive media of communication. Sometimes the audience can be managed by paying T. A and D. A. On the other hand Technological devices that are used in this system are costly.
3. Distortion of the word: If distortion of the word occurs in oral communication, then main goals of the organization may be filed.
4. Inaccuracy: There is very possibility of inaccurate messages to reach the destination. So, the reverse result of expected plan may be occurred.
5. Limited use: The scope of usage of oral communication is limited. It is not suitable for lengthy messages. It should be sued for a short message.
6. Probability of omitting main subject: Sometimes, main subject may be omitted to express a word for communicating. So, expected result may not be achieved.
7. Confused speech: Sometimes the receiver fails to understand the meaning of a message due to habitual productions of the speaker.
8. No legal validity: there is any legal validity of the oral message. As, the oral messages are not taped and kept records, so it can be denied easily if the situation goes against the speaker.
9. Late decision: It takes time to reach a decision. At the beginning stage, some time is killed in the discussion of any personal matters. Besides some time is also wasted for irrelevant discussion. In this way, decision making is delayed.
10. Less important: In oral communication, meaningless speech can mislead the main effects of communication. But when the information comes out in written, we take it seriously.
11. Lack of secrecy: In oral communication, important and secret information may be disclosed.
12. Defective: Oral communication is defective for the company’s policy, procedure, programs, law, and other important information.
13. Creates misunderstanding: The speaker often gives message without having properly organized it earlier. So, it is possible that he may not be able to make himself properly to communicate with the receiver. As a result, misunderstanding May develops.