Effective communication is vital for successful organizations, but what does that look like in practice? A new study from North Carolina State University explores communication patterns within a thriving company, highlighting the importance of organizational position and revealing the common use of “shortcuts” across hierarchical levels.

“Most studies on organizational communication focus only on the network itself, ignoring the formal hierarchy,” the researchers note. “Previous research, for example, analyzed leaked emails from Enron’s executives during its collapse—a context far removed from a successful company.”

Types of communication

Using data from Microsoft Corporation, the researchers examined the relationship between formal hierarchy and email communication among 241,718 employees in May 2019. This is the largest dataset of its kind, including each employee’s place in the company’s structure and their email interactions.

The researchers first categorized the data into 88 teams, mapping out their organizational and communication networks. They then analyzed the flow of emails up, down, and across the hierarchy.

Many findings were expected: closer teams communicated more, higher-ups sent more messages down the chain, and people at the top were more likely to receive responses. However, there were unexpected insights.

One surprise was the presence of “small-world” connections—shortcuts that allowed mid-level and lower-level employees to communicate directly across the organization, bypassing the usual hierarchical steps.

Easy shortcuts

“Typically, communication decreases as the distance in the hierarchy increases,” the researchers explain. “But these shortcuts enable quicker information flow, challenging the idea that communication only decays with distance.”

This finding contradicts the theory that communication diminishes in a straightforward way as hierarchical distance grows. Another theory, known as Agony—which suggests that higher-ups find it painful to communicate down the hierarchy—also didn’t hold up.

“A corporate hierarchy is different from a social one—information must move both ways,” the researchers conclude. “Even if it’s uncomfortable for a boss to engage with their employees, it’s necessary.”

The researchers hope that empirical analyses like this one will guide organizations in improving communication. While some conclusions may seem obvious—such as placing employees closer together to enhance communication—the value lies in the data supporting these ideas.