Informal Communication Networks

Not all organizational communication is scheduled, formal, or filtered through official channels. Some of the most essential information travels through informal networks, hallway chats, text threads, Slack messages, or whispered updates over lunch. Leadership may not sanction these grapevines, but they can shape morale, decision-making, and even an organization’s culture. In this section, you’ll explore why grapevines exist and how they function. You’ll also learn to recognize informal communication networks and how they influence how information (and misinformation) flows through a workplace.

Informal Communication: The Real Talk at Work

So far, we’ve discussed the three formal communication networks in organizations: downward, upward, and horizontal. These are the official channels that most companies rely on to keep things running smoothly. But there’s another type of communication network that plays an equally significant role in how work gets done: informal communication networks. Informal communication is the stuff that doesn’t follow the chain of command. Side conversations, group texts, hallway updates, and Slack messages occur outside the formal structure. You might’ve heard it called “the grapevine” or “water cooler talk.” While it might sound like gossip, it’s often much more than that.

Where Did “Grapevine” Come From?

The term goes back to the Civil War. Telegraph wires used by the Army were strung through trees and looked like tangled grapevines. Messages sent over them were often scrambled or confusing, so the phrase “from the grapevine” eventually became slang for a confusing or unverified message (Mishra, 1990). Today, when people say they heard something “through the grapevine,” they usually mean it came through informal channels, not through a formal memo or official announcement.

Informal Talk Is Everywhere

According to some estimates, up to 70% of workplace communication happens informally (DeMare, 1989). Think about that for a second: most of what’s said in the workplace never becomes a meeting agenda or HR memo. It’s shared in passing, in DMs, during smoke breaks, or over lunch. That doesn’t mean it’s all gossip or small talk. Informal networks can disseminate critical updates, warn about problems, or help people navigate changes more quickly than official channels ever could.

Most Managers Don’t Even Know It’s Happening

Research by Crampton, Hodge, and Mishra (1998) found that many leaders aren’t fully aware of the extent of grapevine communication—or its potential power. In their study:

• Only 70% of top-level managers were aware that their organization had a grapevine.

• Eighty-one percent of mid-level managers were aware of it.

• 92% of lower-level managers were aware.

Interestingly, informal communication doesn’t just happen among frontline employees—it’s just as common among management. In fact, “bosses who chose not to pay attention to the grapevine have 50% less credible information than those who do” (Mishra, 1990, p. 215). That’s a big deal. Informal channels can help leaders stay informed about what’s happening in their organization, from morale issues to early signs of conflict.

There are eight reasons why grapevine communication exists in organizations:

While grapevines benefit organizations and their members, there are apparent problems with informal communication networks. The primary issue arises from the unreliability of information transmitted through informal communication networks. It is worth noting that research has found that information transmitted through informal communication networks tends to be 75 to 95 percent accurate (Davis, 1969).  Unfortunately, 5 to 25 percent of the time, the informal communication network contains false information, which is highly problematic for organizations. Now that we’ve examined the nature of informal communication networks and the reasons behind them, we need to shift our focus to the types of informal communication networks.

Types of Informal Communication Networks

Informal communication isn’t just casual small talk; it follows patterns. Keith Davis (1969) identified four basic types of informal communication networks: single strand, gossip, probability, and cluster. Let’s walk through each one and what it might look like in real life.

Single-Strand Network

Think of this one as a telephone game. In a single-strand network, information travels straight from one person to the next, like a relay race. One employee tells another, who tells another, and so on. This method is simple and orderly, but also really vulnerable to distortion. As more people pass along the message, details can change, get left out, or become misunderstood (Redding, 1972). This method is often called serialized transmission, where one message moves through multiple hands.

Gossip Network

In a gossip network, one person spreads information directly to many people. Picture someone returning from a meeting and immediately sending a group text to their coworkers: “Guess what I just heard!” This network doesn’t mean the information is bad; it just means it spreads widely, fast, and from a single source. It’s common in organizations where people rely on a few “informal influencers” to hear the news first and share it.

Probability Network

This one’s a bit more random. In a probability network, one person tells a few people at random. Then those people tell a few more, also at random. There’s no rhyme or reason to who hears the message next. Imagine you receive an email forwarded that says, “Pass this along!” and people start forwarding it to whoever is in their inbox that day. Like spam or a viral meme, the message spreads unpredictably, and the original sender has no control over where it ends up.

Cluster Network

The cluster network is the most structured of the bunch. It’s like a more organized version of the probability network. The first person carefully chooses who they’re going to tell. Then those people tell a few other specific people, and so on. This is how telephone trees work: one person calls two people, those two call three more, and the message ripples out quickly and efficiently. It’s excellent for urgent updates, like snow day alerts or emergency announcements.

Why These Networks Matter

These types of informal communication might seem random or unimportant, but they’re a powerful part of how organizations function. Understanding how information flows within your workplace can help you stay informed, build trust, and prevent misunderstandings.

Here’s the big takeaway: Building a strong and diverse social network, formal and informal, is a key communication skill in every career. Understanding how people share information allows you to navigate your workplace more effectively, solve problems faster, and make stronger professional connections.