Why Cross-Cultural Communication Boosts Workplace Success


Cultural diversity is set to become a cornerstone of the workplace of the future. As the number of people immigrating to new countries continues to rise sharply, cultural diversity is burgeoning in nations across the globe. Particularly in first world countries like the USA.

In 2018, the US recorded more than 44.8 million American residentsOpens in a new tab. who were born in non-US nations. Each of those people bring with them unique cultures, traditions, and identities. These elements are infused into their work environments on a daily basis.

Immigration aside, many countries are naturally home to several different cultures already. Take South Africa, for example, which has eleven official languages and even more native cultures. Or Mexico, which is home to at least six different and distinct indigenous groups.

This growing level of diversity is becoming increasingly more evident in the modern workplace. Moreover, Glassdoor has found that 76% of employeesOpens in a new tab. consider workplace diversity when considering a job offer. Identifying ways to constructively communicateOpens in a new tab. across cultures is essential for businesses that aim to thrive and to create inclusive company cultures for their staff.


The Persistent Importance of Clear Communication

Since mid-2020, millions of people have switched over to working remotelyOpens in a new tab., either in part or in full. A year later, some workers have moved back to physical offices, while others are still working from their homes. Cultural diversity is pertinent to both of these situations. Interpersonal communication stands at the core of successful business dealings. Both online, and in the real world.

Communication is key to virtually every aspect of our lives. It’s even more essential for businesses that aim to function efficiently and transparently. And that want to provide their clients and customers with exceptional services.

Broken or dysfunctional communication can have the opposite effect. It rapidly causes misunderstandings and conflicts, and more often than not, offense too. Thankfully, it has never been easier to communicate remotely than it is in the age of technology. Today’s workers can use digital tools like Zoom, Skype, Google Hangouts, Outlook, Microsoft Teams, and many other services to stay in touch. These services allow for real-time instant messaging, video chats, and other communication formats.

Cultural diversity aside, if every member of a team has a clear understanding of their roles and responsibilities, they will be far more likely to fill those roles with minimal error. Workplace communication should focus on these core tenets for optimal results:

• Deliver messages and information clearly and concisely
• Be open and transparent about your expectations and requirements of your team
• Listen carefully and take notes if necessary
• Ask questions whenever you feel that you need clarification
• Avoid hearsay, unverified information, and gossip as much as possible
• Offer feedback around communication to enable your entire team to improve their communicative methods.

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YMyofREc5JkOpens in a new tab.

Communicating Across Cultures

Every culture on Earth has unique social norms and expectations. So, it isn’t always easy to navigate interpersonal exchangesOpens in a new tab. without understanding these norms. However, if you are willing to embrace the learning curve involved, communicating across cultures can teach valuable lessons. In turn, it will facilitate both professional and personal growth.

The cultural barriers to effective communication are often complicated and very nuanced. Our cultures define how we see the world around us and how we interpret what is normal or abnormal. When we see something that strikes us as abnormal, we tend to automatically judge it as wrong. What we should do is to seek a valid cultural explanation for the behavior instead.

If we are to work together effectively in our multicultural office environments, we need to develop the right cross-culture communication skills. We need to challenge our subconscious reactions to events that we deem wrong and see them instead as simply different.

Mastering the Art of Gestures

Gestures like facial expressions, hand movements and gestures, eye contact, and touch are all important non-verbal ways of communication that require consideration too. Body language, like verbal language, is not universal. Research has shown that non-verbal cues have a fourfold higher impactOpens in a new tab. on your expression than your words. Therefore, it’s important to take other cultures’ non-verbal communication norms into account.

For example, in America, interviewees will try to make plenty of eye contact during interviews as it shows engagement and honesty. In countries like Ghana, that same level of eye contact is disrespectful and even aggressive. People from Western backgrounds view handshakes as a polite and professional gesture. But people from Russia or Morocco may feel offended if a person of the opposite sex attempts to shake their hands. Waving to a coworker may seem polite, but if they are Greek, they could be put off by your gesture.

We need to look out for these non-verbal cues to work effectively with people from different ethnic and cultural backgrounds.

Communicating cross-culturally in the workplace requires the same core communication techniques that should be used during all interactions between people. Communicate clearly, remain open-minded about your abilities to communicate, and ask questions respectfully when you feel the need.

Cross-culture communication drives workplace success in some key ways.

Different cultures all offer different perspectives and understandings of concepts. This can be extremely valuable during problem-solving processes. When people from different cultures and regions collaborate, they can share and reconcile these perspectives. Plus, they can use their new knowledge to come up with innovative solutions that they may not have thought of previously.

The Benefits of Workplace Cultural Diversity

Every person in the world indeed has unique thoughts and viewpoints. But different cultural backgrounds further diversify these perspectives. For example, every culture expresses creativity differently. This could lead members of those cultures to ask questions that their peers might not have even considered prior.

The recent trend of remote working has had a major impact on every aspect of our livesOpens in a new tab.. Perhaps its biggest impact is that it’s opened up communication channels between billions of internet users from all over the world. This phenomenon of globalization is continuing to grow as we become more reliant on technology. Additionally, this global communication can have important implications for business expansion and growth.

Employees from different countries can use these open channels to speak their truths. They can also provide insights into how businesses could meet the needs of foreign citizens and customers from their cultural backgrounds.

Cultural sensitivity can enhance your company’s advertising strategies too. When marketing overseas, it’s essential to avoid excluding or offending your target audience. When workforces embrace different cultures and cultural perspectives, they are better equipped to understand how to create marketing media that resonates with foreign audiences.

Diverse teams can provide a wide range of insights that can assist in tailoring marketing efforts towards specific cultural groups. This improves the efficacy of advertising strategies across the board and ensures no accidentally offensive material is ever released.

Cultivating Self-Awareness Among Employees

Individuals who work in diverse workplacesOpens in a new tab. usually become more self-aware over time. They become aware of their communication styles and methods and their expectations of themselves, and others. They tend to start to recognize any biases and prejudices that they were not previously aware they harbored towards people of other cultures.

This growing self-awareness leads to a team that is more engaged, more conscious of each other’s needs, and better able to collaborate meaningfully together. Furthermore, they are more sensitive towards each other’s cultures. And they’re more cognizant of the diverse preferences and expectations of your business’s target audiences.

Self-awareness and cultural intelligence go hand in hand. Also known as the cultural quotient or simply ‘CQ’, cultural intelligence describes individuals’ ability to work efficiently in a culturally diverse team.  They can apply their CQ to client and customer interactions too, potentially boosting engagement and retention.

Cross-culture communication in the workplace is a core tenet of CQ. Today, the cultural quotient is one of the primary foundations of successful businesses. Studies have shown that cultural intelligence fosters more financial success and customer loyalty, and lower employee turnover rates for companies across all industries. Moreover, research from McKinseyOpens in a new tab. shows that racial and ethnic diversity increases your likelihood of outperforming your competitors by more than 35%.

The Bottom Line – Cultural Diversity is Crucial for Success

At the end of the day, there are no true downsides to fostering a culturally diverse and inclusive work environment. Knowing how to communicate across cultures is a hugely valuable skill for employees in all industries and sectors. Especially for those working in marketing, customer service, tourism, and other people-centric pursuits.

Having a culturally intelligent team can take your business to a new level by expanding its reach into new target markets and enabling it to reach those audiences in a respectful, sensitive, and targeted way. Studies show that diversity increases your likelihood of growing your market share by 45%Opens in a new tab.. And, companies with a high degree of racial diversity may earn up to 15x more revenues than their competitors.

People of different cultures can work together harmoniously in an office environment. Even if they are new to each other’s cultural backgrounds. Fostering an inclusive environment will encourage your workers to gain deeper understandings of their coworkers’ needs and perspectives, and to be more empathetic and tolerant towards their peers.

True cross-cultural communication will bring your business invaluable insights into the greater world and provide it with endless opportunities to expand, progress, and grow.


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Steve Todd

Steve Todd, founder of Open Sourced Workplace and is a recognized thought leader in workplace strategy and the future of work. With a passion for work from anywhere, Steve has successfully implemented transformative strategies that enhance productivity and employee satisfaction. Through Open Sourced Workplace, he fosters collaboration among HR, facilities management, technology, and real estate professionals, providing valuable insights and resources. As a speaker and contributor to various publications, Steve remains dedicated to staying at the forefront of workplace innovation, helping organizations thrive in today's dynamic work environment.

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