How to Develop Strong Cross-Cultural Communication in a Remote Setting
Taking into consideration potential cross-cultural barriers is essential for having an effective communication process while managing a team, and even more so when working remotely is involved.
Multicultural teams mean the best talent from different parts of the world is brought together. This is becoming easier to do given the prevalence of teleworking. However, such diverse teams can be more difficult to manage. Each culture has unique characteristics that need to be accounted for. Here are four strategies that can help make communication comfortable and effective for every team member.
Make sure everyone is on the same page
Long meetings can be exhausting. Therefore, it is important to keep them purposeful and targeted. This will ensure the most important areas are covered and team members can walk away knowing exactly what their role is in next steps.
Additionally, you’ll want to ensure that there is:
a record of what was discussed in the meeting
a summation of the results of the meeting
a transfer of the voiced ideas to the work plan
Minimize distractions
You can achieve peak team productivity by eliminating things that interrupt it. For example, a lack of understanding of the language, situations when a person is interrupted, and the like. Quite often, difficulties are associated with non-compliance with the rules of ethics. Therefore, try to identify the most important and convey them to the team. These can be:
participants mute the microphone when another person speaks
request to use video communication to preserve non-verbal communication
sending files before the start of the video conference
raising your hand if you want to say something
International teams can face another challenge—poor language skills. Submitting files in advance of the subject of the call will slightly reduce its impact. The use of facial expressions and gestures by the participants also contributes to understanding.
If an employee does not know the language well but he needs to prepare a report for the team, then offer him personal statement writing services. This will eliminate awkwardness and misunderstanding. Of course, cross-cultural teams should be offered language courses. The solution will prove to be beneficial in the long run.
Strengthen social bonds
First and foremost, employees are people, making socialization necessary. By meeting colleagues, employees can feel like they are part of a larger team. Establishing communication helps build trust. It will be easier for team members not only to get work done but also to come up with new ideas.
The establishment of communication takes place in the process of informal communication. There is a lot of it in offices but less for remote collaboration. Therefore, the leader should create a space for easy communication between the team—for example, organizing video meetings.
Social distancing has reduced the amount of communication with other people. Some do not have the opportunity to share experiences or achievements with others. Sometimes a simple question: "How are you progressing with reading the book?" turns out to be very valuable. In addition, you can create a dedicated chat or community that can be used to send funny memes, pictures of pets, discussion of books you have read, etc.
Consider cultural differences
Cultural differences such as traditions, well-established ethical norms, and rules of conduct can strongly influence communication. For example, people in the Middle East may not be able to get in touch on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights. And in China, late Friday evening is a sacred time for the family.
To find out and be able to take into account such features, the leader should:
be attentive to team members
treat with understanding the wishes of employees
be open to dialogue and ask subordinates how comfortable the existing schedule/procedure for making calls is for them
Remote work can be tricky. It can be associated with greater distance between team members and possible misunderstandings. This is especially true in multicultural companies. Hopefully these tips will make your cross-cultural communication process more seamless and effective.