Intercultural Communication in the Workplace

Now that we have covered some of the dimensions of culture as they relate to interpersonal skills in the workplace, let’s now focus on the specific skills necessary for effective communication in a diverse workplace.

Interpersonal communication is defined as communication in which parties consider one another as unique individuals (Adler, Rodman, & du Pré, 2015). Individual differences make the workplace a rich environment, but you can also expect some barriers that will need to be overcome in order to communicate effectively. Therefore, we define intercultural communication as communication between people and groups of diverse cultures (Jandt, 2015). As we gain knowledge in this area, we are able to better communicate in a global workplace.

As previously mentioned, you can expect a wide variety of people in the workplace, and we must be able to recognize similarities and differences among coworkers. A key starting point to success is to be diligent in practicing tolerance, respect, and being sensitive to differences. It is also imperative to avoid stereotypes.

Stereotypes in the Workplace

The term stereotype is a broad term that refers to negative or positive judgments made about individuals based on their belonging to a certain group (Jandt, 2013). A stereotype can also be considered a mental shortcut, which leads to misinformation.

Scenario 4.1:

Stereotypes develop as a way to organize our world. Stereotyping people can be misleading for more than one reason. Firstly, as we categorize people, remember that all people within that category are not alike. Secondly, we must be acutely aware that we may not always fully understand what we think we are perceiving (Adler et al., 2015).

Imagine it is your first day at your new job. You are asked to introduce yourself and talk about your educational background. You introduce yourself and disclose that you went to an Ivy League University. A coworker assigns to you the negative stereotype of a spoiled, rich kid. The coworker imagines that you will have connections that will have you running the place in no time, and that it is unfair to them. That person is looking at you through a lens of negativity, and you haven’t even personally met. What that person does not know is that you were on a full scholarship to that Ivy League University. You worked full-time to pay for any other expenses. Your coworker thinks you are spoiled, but actually you have a great deal of life experience and your work ethic is strong. The coworker will eventually find out that he is wrong about you, but not before there are a few negative interactions.

Avoiding acting on stereotypes is key to successful communication. There are some useful tools to help avoid stereotyping in the global workplace.

Find common ground. If you can find things that you have in common with your coworkers, you can increase the odds of discovering overlapping experiences. This can increase your understanding of one another.
Be empathetic. Try to put yourself in the other person’s position. Empathy takes practice, but is well worth the effort.
Build trust. You can build trust by asking questions, doing what you say you will do, and reciprocating trust in others.
Remind yourself and others that everyone has value. If negativity arises, avoid a rush to judgment. Think about the value of the individual, listen carefully, express yourself honestly, then continue to listen (Adler et al., 2015).
Avoid making assumptions. Although you can assume another person is well-meaning and look for common ground, it is not safe to assume you know about a culture with which you have had little contact. Assuming similarity denies cultural, ethnic, racial, background, and socioeconomic differences. Assuming similarities that do not exist is not valuable and not insightful.

As you avoid acting on stereotypes in the workplace, as a key to being an effective communicator, constantly evaluate the way you view your coworkers. Stereotypes can lay the foundation for racism and prejudice. Take inventory of your ideas and attitudes on a regular basis.

Racism and Prejudice

Prejudice can be described as a negative judgment or opinion that guides conduct or social behavior (McLean, 2007). A relevant example might include a hostile situation that exposes a coworker’s prejudice against another, such as mocking their accent, their cultural traditions, the food they eat, or the music they enjoy.

Racism is defined as negative attitudes and feelings of superiority associated with biases and judgments toward a racial group other than one’s own (Dodd, 1998). A workplace example of racism might be a person of a certain race being passed over for promotion, even though they have higher qualifications and better performance evaluations than the person who actually got the promotion.

Ethnocentrism is a barrier to intercultural communication. We define ethnocentrism as the belief in the superiority of one’s own culture (Jandt, 2013). Imagine a workplace where employees speak multiple languages. English is Employee A’s first language. Employee A, however, makes a false assumption that Employee B, for whom English as a second language, is far less intelligent than him because it takes more time for Employee B to understand oral communication. Employee A is assuming that English speakers are the more intelligent group and is demonstrating ethnocentrism.

One positive approach to combating racism, prejudice, and ethnocentrism is to establish cultural norms (Jandt, 2013). It is important to note that communication can either spread racism and prejudice or slow, if not stop, the spread of racism and prejudice altogether.

Take responsibility. Be the communicator in your workplace who slows or stops the spread of racism and prejudice. If you hear someone making a negative remark that seems inappropriate, refuse to repeat that information. Rather, establish a norm. For example, you might say, “I do not appreciate that type of negativity. I feel it is inappropriate to speak that way with anyone else in our organization again.” Be courteous, yet firm.
Take action. If you have a coworker who is perpetuating racism and prejudice, talk to them about it. Also, go to your superior, or go to Human Resources. Most organizations have a communication path for reporting these kinds of incidents.
Be informed. Often, companies have training involving racism and prejudice. Take the time to complete the training, and take it seriously.
Know the law. Title VII of the Civil Rights Act prohibits racial discrimination in the workplace.

Regional Differences

Even within people groups in a nation, there are regional differences. Within regions of a nation, accents, attitudes, and values can differ. If you can wrap your mind around this, it should reinforce how ineffective and misleading stereotyping can be. As we communicate in a global workplace, it is important to remember that communication styles differ among nations and regions within the nation. For example, Dodd (1998) provides a list of communication styles that may differ by region.

Is the communicator rude, brash, or abrupt; or do they just get right to the point?
Is the communicator careless and in a hurry; or is a fast-paced speech delivery part of their cultural norm?
Does the communicator stall, or is it a common speech pattern for their culture to use several reiterations, introductions, or “flowery” language before getting to the point?
Is the communicator overtly formal or informal or is their delivery par for the course in their culture?
Does the communicator show warmth or openness?
Is the communicator animated or not? How might that relate to their cultural norms?
Does the communicator appear confident or overconfident? How does that relate to their cultural norms?
Is the communicator conscientious? How does that relate to their cultural norms?

As you reflect on the communication styles of your coworkers, try not to jump to conclusions about what that style “says” about the individual. For example, if someone talks slowly, do not assume that they are not intelligent. Their speed or cadence could simply be part of their culture. It would be a waste of your time and resources to make assumptions about people based on their communication style. As you reflect on the questions listed above, keep in mind that regional differences can silently keep people apart (Dodd, 1998); but this does not have to be the case. Awareness of individual differences can help you listen and send messages in a sensitive way.

Rural and Urban Culture

Whether the physical workplace is located in an urban or rural area, understanding the local culture is imperative to successful business communication. Residents of the community have a motivation to support businesses that preserve or promote their culture. Not all rural and urban cultures are alike, of course, and it is important to keep this in mind as we discuss some possible similarities and differences (Jandt, 2013).

A rural culture is in or relating to the characteristics of the countryside rather than the towns or cities. Rural cultures are often smaller and more independent than urban ones. A rural town is defined as any town with 50,000 or fewer inhabitants and covers over 97% of the nation's area (Prakish, 2020). Rural businesses might include farming, manufacturing, or service industries. Consider some of the possible differences among rural cultures:

Rural cultures often value personal relationships very highly; friendship and friendliness are important. For example, in a rural area, coffee shop employees take the time to get to know their customers as they visit the establishment. Both the customer and the employee might value the relationship over speed of service.
Some rural cultures value skills of doing rather than being or knowing. In other words, actions speak louder than words. For example, in a rural area, a local farmer might value the fact that the feed store always has his special blend of horse feed available, even if the feed store employees are not particularly communicative when the farmer comes in to make the purchase.
Many rural cultures are very traditional, while other rural cultures are focused on innovation, growth, and change.

If your business takes you to a rural community, do your best to try to understand the culture. Remember that communication styles can differ. For example, are the stories involving friends and family, reflective of relationships, or are they blunt and to the point? You will want to keep this in mind as you deliver and receive messages. Find a contact within the community to ask honest questions about the history and culture of the location.

Scenario 4.2:

You work for a mass distribution company. Although you grew up in an urban area, the company has moved you to their location in a small, southern town. As you are communicating with customers and fellow employees, you notice you seem to be offending others. You can see it in their facial expressions. In one case, you told a fellow employee, “Hand me that scanner beside you, so I can inventory this item.” You see your coworker look at you with disdain. So you say, “I notice that didn’t go over very well. What could I have said differently?” Your coworker is immediately less irritated (because you are willing to ask), and says,

“Look, here in the South, we don’t demand things from people; we ask them politely. Manners are a big deal here. Next time, just start with ‘Would you please…’” With an open facial expression, you respond, “I can do that. Thanks so much for the tip.”

Urban culture is complex; it is the culture of towns and cities, filled with a great number of vastly different people in a limited space. More people often means more complications. As you find yourself communicating, wherever your global workplace takes you, make sure you are identifying the communication culture and styles of the area.

Suburban culture is different from inner-city culture. Suburban areas are lower density areas that separate residential and commercial areas from one another. Suburban culture seems to have a need to integrate with interest groups. Again, the residents of the suburbs have something in common, in that they live in the same area. However, they are different people with different interests, so they tend to reach out to other interest groups in order to build relationships. This might bring to mind soccer and little league parents. Suburban culture seems to have a high need for social interaction, in general. Oftentimes, suburban cultures are also more affluent. This may, in part, lead to the tendency to integrate with interest groups (Jandt, 2013).

Scenario 4.3:

You grew up in an inner-city environment, and get a sales job in a suburban area. You notice that you have no idea how to network and meet new people. Knowing that suburban culture can sometimes value interest groups, you might join a local leadership group, such as Toastmasters International, to meet people and make connections. You also come up with another idea. You decide to volunteer at a local animal shelter or food bank, or whatever the local culture supports that might interest you. These experiences will not only help you meet new people, but you will experience the nuances of how the local people communicate. This could translate into more success at work.

Urban culture is typically more individualistic, with small pockets of cohesiveness. Oftentimes, urban culture has the complication of higher crime rates, housing problems, lesser quality schools, and leads to people living a more isolated lifestyle.

Scenario 4.4:

You grew up in a small, friendly town. Part of your rural cultural norm was to be friendly to everyone you meet. You get a job in Paris, France. When you are taking public transit on the way to work, you find that your attempts to start conversations lead to dead ends every time. You ask a local friend why this might be the case. You find out that it is considered rude to talk to people on public transportation. It is considered invading their personal time and space. Based on this knowledge, you can adjust your approach.

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