Tips for Intercultural Communication in the Workplace

By International Sea and Air Shipping / January 22, 2020

You may already feel comfortable and settled in your career by the time you move abroad for your employer. However, once you’ve made the move and crossed borders, you may not feel as such. There is an entirely new office to adjust to, a new set of co-workers, and possibly a new set of cultural aspects that you’ll now have to assimilate to.

The workforce in your home country may already be diverse, but when you move abroad, the differences in culture might become more noticeable. Communication is perhaps the single most important component of a successful work environment, and knowing how to properly communicate with coworkers is vital. Here are some suggestions to improve intercultural communication in the workplace:

Why Intercultural Communication Matters

There are many ways to say things in a global environment. Different cultures have different concepts of how to be direct, what tone to use, and what work etiquette to expect.

You can work more effectively with your new international team once you are aware of these differences. You can also avoid misunderstandings and build stronger working relationships.

Make the Message Clear

Most often, problems arise during message transmission. Either the message itself is unclear, or it is just misunderstood. The receiver will interpret the message with information from their culture. When people from two different cultures are trying to communicate, the intended message may not be interpreted as the speaker hoped.

And when you have to work cross-culture, try to flatten it out and simplify that message so everybody can understand what’s going on.

Intercultural communication:

Keep your message simple when communicating across cultures.

Language Barriers

Remember, whenever you relocate to a new country, there is likely to be at least a bit of a language barrier—even if you’ve studied the language. While casual expressions might not cause any harm, jargon or slang should be avoided to prevent misunderstandings and confusion during meetings and emails.

If you work with people who speak a language different from your native one, there’s nothing wrong with talking to someone in that language on a break—but if there’s no one else in the meeting room who speaks it as well, don’t do it. It’s better to use the standard language that is commonly spoken in the office during office hours.

Do your Research

After you’ve found out where your employer will send you, the next step should be researching the country. After learning your employer’s location, research the country.

If you are employed by a company in another country, they may have already considered this and provided some background information about the place you will be living; however, it is still beneficial to conduct your own research to understand the deeper cultural and customary aspects that may arise after your move overseas.

Reach out

Before moving, make an effort to get in touch with your counterpart abroad. Start building relationships with your new colleagues or team. Your boss should be able to give you the contact information of people in your new office. Early activity is one way to lay down some communication lines.

Understand Workplace Expectations & Cultural Norms

Every culture has its own workplace behaviors and expectations. Take time to understand:

• Levels of formality in communication
• How is direct or indirect feedback typically given?
• Attitudes toward punctuality and deadlines
• Meeting etiquette and participation styles
• How decisions are made—individually or through group consensus

Being aware of these norms will help you adapt more quickly and avoid unintentional mistakes.

Nonverbal Communication

The power of nonverbal communication is just as important as verbal communication. Understandably, body language and speech patterns themselves can lead to miscommunications. Additionally, it’s crucial to address hand gestures, eye contact, and facial expressions, as they can also lead to miscommunications. Nonverbal communication is just as important as verbal communication.

Practice Active Listening & Empathy

Intercultural communication relies heavily on strong listening skills. Improve your interactions by:

• Paying full attention before responding
• Asking clarifying questions
• Paraphrasing to confirm understanding
• Considering cultural context before interpreting tone

Empathic sensitivity assists you in looking at circumstances from your coworkers’ perspective, decreasing the likelihood of misunderstanding.

Common Workplace Scenarios to Expect

Cultural differences often appear in everyday work situations, such as:

• Meetings: What may be acceptable as an interruption in one culture can be considered rude in another
• Feedback: Some cultures are quite blunt; others temper criticism
• Emails: Short emails are rude to some and perfectly acceptable to others
• Decision-making: Some teams are quick; others like to have a group discussion

Knowing this helps you interpret behavior accurately.

Keep These Ideas in Mind

• Develop cultural sensitivity
• Anticipate the meaning
• Careful encoding
• Use words, pictures, and gestures
• Avoid slang, idioms, and regional sayings.
• Build relationships, face-to-face if possible
• Get feedback from multiple parties
• Improve listening and observation skills

Final Thoughts

Adjusting to a new culture takes time, patience, and care. The more you keep clear communication, follow local customs, and stay open to different beliefs and ways of thinking, the better will be your relationship with others in your international workplace.