Culture in workplace communication

Culture has been defined as complex collection of knowledge, folklore, language, rules, rituals, habits, lifestyles, attitudes, beliefs, and customs that link and give a common identity to a particular group of people at a specific point in time (encyclopedia.com). Cultures emerge in all human settings.

From personal relationships to family settings, social groups and organisational setups, there are defining features that permeate the co-existence of people. These features which, over time, become part and parcel of members of such human gatherings, eventually become their culture. There is a strong relationship between culture and communication. On the one hand, cultures are created through communication.

This implies that communication is the medium through which cultural features such as customs, roles, rules, rituals, laws and other peculiarities are mutually shared. On the other hand, communication is shaped by a person’s cultural orientation. This is to say that language use is not completely an individualistic habit, but a byproduct of a person’s cultural orientation.

Given the possible different cultural backgrounds of members of any organisation, this piece will discuss the ways culture can affect communication in the workplace, thereby impacting teamwork and productivity. It will also elucidate measures to curtail the effects of cultural differences in the workplace.

Different cultures communicate in different ways; and if co-workers are not mindful of these differences, they can result in misunderstanding and conflict. One major way language affects communication is the use of nonverbal cues. Comparing two major Nigerian languages as a case study, while an Igbo person might find nothing wrong with waving a hand at someone as a form of greeting, a Yoruba person may frown on it.

In fact, when you wave at some Yoruba people as a form of greeting, such a gesture engenders a verbal reaction such as “wọ́n á juwọ́ sí ẹ.” (you shall be waved at); this reaction connotes that the gesture is not appreciated. Outside Nigeria, eye contact is often interpreted as a sign of interest or attentiveness among Americans while the same gesture may be considered disrespectful in some parts of Asia.

Linguistic habit is another way culture may affect communication in the workplace. Again, using the Igbo and Yoruba as examples, a person who is a decade older than you can be addressed by his first name, among the Igbo, and this will mean no disrespect to such a person.

Among the Yoruba, by contrast, it will amount to disrespect to call an older person by his or her first name without an honorific noun such as “Brother”, “Sir”, or even a title such as “Mr” before the name. This is one way linguistic habit peculiar to different cultures can have an effect on communication.

Variance in etiquette is another way culture affects communication in the workplace. Etiquette is the customary code of polite behaviour in society or among members of a particular profession or group.

In some cultures, it is offensive to interrupt a speaker, while interruption is permissible in other cultures when there is a point of order or information. In some Nigerian cultures also, it is considered rude for a younger person or junior colleague to stretch his or her hand out for handshakes while this would mean nothing in other cultures.

Having identified some cultural factors that can affect communication in the workplace, I shall proceed to discuss measures to curtail the effects of cultural differences in workplace communication.

The first measure is cultural consciousness. Everyone in an organisation has to be conscious of cultural differences and sensitive towards the potential for misunderstanding. Being mindful of cultural differences helps us respect boundaries and pay attention to how individuals wish to be treated.

Read also: Candour in workplace communication

Also, there is the need to establish organisational culture in order to achieve peaceful co-existence and maximum output in the workplace. When such organisational culture is in place, everyone adheres to it notwithstanding their differences.

In some Nigerian banks, for instance, it is a norm that everyone refers to one another by their first name. Such an organisational decision supersedes whatever anyone thinks of the gesture.

Having said that, individuals should also be mindful of their cultural biases. Hence, bear in mind that the way things are done in your culture is not necessarily universal and binding on all other persons around you. It is, therefore, important to make a good effort to understand others.

What is more, diversity should be embraced by members of an organisation. Diversity helps promote the spirit of inclusion and tolerance. When members of an organisation are open to diverse opinions and various cultural perspectives, it helps achieve better results for the organisation.

In conclusion, culture and communication are interrelated. If not well managed, however, the former can be to the detriment of organisational goals. This piece, as such, is a guide on how communication and culture can be managed for organisational productivity.