Navigating cultural differences in global workplaces

Developing cultural competence is lifelong, with rewards that go beyond some tasty shared dishes one week of the year...

Are you culturally competent?

Cultural competence is an ongoing skill to develop. Cultural missteps in Australia's multicultural workplaces can easily occur when well-meaning gestures are interpreted differently across cultural boundaries.

What is cultural competence?

At Bravo, we believe it is the ability to understand, appreciate, and interact with people from different cultures or belief systems from one's own and to do so with empathy and kindness rather than impatience or intolerance.

To do this, we must seek to understand the differences in ‘Cultural Norms.’ Cultural Norms refer to the expectations, behaviours, and customs that are considered appropriate within a specific culture. Some of these include communication styles, business practices, social etiquette, and personal space preferences.

Spotlight 1

Consider this example of an Australian team celebrating a successful project otucome.

Everyone was invited to the celebration  at a local pub, (a common workplace occurrence in Australia),  including Ramesh, who is of Indian descent and practices Hinduism. At the pub, the team ordered various dishes, including beef burgers, and shared a round of beers.

Ramesh, who is a vegetarian due to his religious beliefs, found the establishment's food options limited. To make matters worse, during a toast, a colleague inadvertently put the spotlight on Ramesh's reluctance to drink alcohol by saying, "Come on, have a beer! Don't be so uptight." Although meant in jest, this comment made Ramesh feel ‘othered’ and singled out for his cultural and religious practices.

While we are not saying a team of people should not celebrate successes, tis situation highlights how everyday social activities can unintentionally exclude or offend colleagues from different cultural backgrounds.

Understanding Cultural Norms

Taking the time to learn about the cultural norms and practices of the countries your colleagues and clients come from is important to working more effectively and makes our workplaces better places to be. It is an opportunity to learn about different perspectives, values, and beliefs and potentially how to do things better. We think half the Bravo team must be of Spanish descent - they love the idea of a siesta after lunchtime, and who could disagree—except perhaps the boss. Cultural differences don't always mean discord.

Spotlight 2 

Here is another example. Nguyen is a Vietnamese software developer whose manager left him feeling uncomfortable and misunderstood in a project status meeting.

The team was working on a critical software development project with tight deadlines. Nguyen had been assigned a complex module that required significant time and effort. Despite his hard work and dedication, he encountered several unforeseen technical challenges that delayed progress. As someone who highly values harmony and respect for authority, Nguyen hesitated to openly discuss these issues with Sarah, the Australian team leader, in a group setting.

During a weekly team meeting, Nguyen’s team leader, Sarah, asked for a status update. In Australian culture, directness and transparency are generally appreciated, especially in a professional context. However, Nguyen, coming from an Asian culture where private communications and maintaining face are important, responded with vague statements, such as "I'm making progress but facing some minor hurdles." He avoided direct eye contact, feeling it was inappropriate to share bad news publicly and risk losing face in front of his colleagues.

Sarah, interpreting Nguyen's indirectness as uncertainty or lack of progress, Sarah pressed him further for details, saying, "Can you be more specific? What exactly is holding you up?" Though aimed at understanding the project's status, this approach made Nguyen freeze. He felt cornered and put on the spot, leading him to retreat and unable to communicate clearly, mumbling and stumbling over his words and feeling embarassed. 

Unpacking this further

Nguyen's response was influenced by several factors:

1. **Cultural Norms**: In many Asian cultures, it's common to avoid direct confrontation and maintain harmony by not openly discussing problems, especially in hierarchical contexts.

2. **Fear of Losing Face**: Nguyen was concerned about losing face, a concept deeply rooted in his culture that involves maintaining dignity and reputation within a social group.

3. **Respect for Authority**: Nguyen’s cultural background emphasised respect for superiors, making him reluctant to openly admit difficulties in front of his team leader and peers.

The cultural context of language

Language barriers can also lead to misunderstandings and conflicts in the workplace. In a diverse team, members may speak different languages or have varying levels of proficiency in a common language.

Fostering a culture of inclusivity and understanding is important to address this. If you notice a colleague struggling with language barriers, offer to help or suggest resources that may assist them. It is also important to be patient and avoid making assumptions about someone's abilities based on their language proficiency.

By respecting cultural differences and communicating openly and empathetically, teams can build a strong and inclusive work environment. This promotes harmony among colleagues and leads to better collaboration and productivity. Additionally, embracing diversity in the workplace can bring fresh perspectives, ideas and solutions that may not have been considered otherwise.

We believe that rather than seeing cultural differences as a barrier, it is important to view them as an opportunity for growth and learning. By valuing and celebrating our differences, we can create a more harmonious and successful workplace for all individuals involved.

To promote cultural competence in our workplaces – and as individuals - we can adopt several strategies:

1. **Cultural Sensitivity Training**: Educate yourself and your team members on different cultural norms to foster mutual understanding and respect.

2. **Be flexible**: Being aware of cultural sensitivities, consider different approaches, such as one-on-one meetings, where employees can discuss challenges in a less intimidating setting, making it easier for individuals to speak candidly.

3. **Encouraging Open Dialogue**: Create a safe environment where team members feel comfortable sharing their progress and obstacles without fear of judgment or losing face.

4. **Active Listening**: All team members and leaders can practice active listening, showing empathy and understanding towards individuals' concerns rather than prioritising immediate solutions.

5. “Be kind.” As a gentle reminder we are all trying to do our best.

By recognising, embracing and adapting to cultural differences, we can enhance collaboration, reduce misunderstandings, and create a kinder, more inclusive and supportive work environment.

Understanding and respecting cultural differences in the workplace is crucial for effective communication, teamwork, project success, and making our workplaces better places to be. It requires open-mindedness, flexibility, and a willingness to adapt one's own behaviour to accommodate different perspectives—all part of the EQ and SQ (emotional and social quotients) we believe are fundamental to workplace happiness and ultimately success at Bravo.

Do you think this is important in your workplace?

Do you have other tips or  strategies would you suggest?