How to Overcome Cultural Barriers in a Remote Work Environment

Cultural barriers can be a major challenge for remote teams. Each team member may have their own preferred communication style, work ethic, and expectations. It can lead to misunderstandings, miscommunications, and missed deadlines. 

In a recent study involving employees from 90 different countries, it was discovered that 89% of office-based workers "occasionally, if not more frequently," collaborate on projects within global virtual teams (GVTs). These teams consist of members spread across the globe who depend on online tools for communication.

One way to overcome these challenges is to use an online project tracker. Online project trackers can help teams stay organised, communicate effectively, and track progress. They can also help to bridge cultural differences by providing a central place for everyone to collaborate.

What are Cultural Barriers?

Cultural barriers are differences in values, beliefs, and behaviours that can lead to misunderstandings and conflict between people from different cultures. These barriers can be difficult to overcome, as they are often deeply rooted in our cultural upbringing.

Some examples of cultural barriers in the workplace include:

Communication barriers: Different cultures have different communication styles, both verbal and nonverbal. For example, some cultures are more direct in their communication, while others are more indirect. This can lead to misunderstandings and conflict, especially when people are not familiar with each other's communication styles.

Work ethic: Different cultures have different expectations of work ethic. For example, some cultures value hard work and long hours, while others value a more balanced work-life approach. This can lead to conflict, especially if team members have different expectations.

Management styles: Different cultures have different management styles. For example, some cultures prefer a more authoritarian management style, while others prefer a more democratic style. This can lead to conflict, especially if employees are not familiar with their manager's management style.

The Impact of Cultural Barriers in the Workplace

Cultural barriers can have a negative impact on the workplace in a number of ways. They can lead to:

Misunderstandings and conflict: Cultural barriers can lead to misunderstandings and conflict between employees, which can damage relationships and reduce productivity.

Decreased employee engagement: Cultural barriers can make employees feel unwelcome and excluded, which can lead to decreased employee engagement and morale.

Reduced productivity: Cultural barriers can make it difficult for teams to communicate and collaborate effectively, which can reduce productivity and lead to missed deadlines.

Increased turnover: Employees who feel unwelcome and excluded may be more likely to leave their jobs, which can increase turnover costs for organisations.

How to Overcome Cultural Barriers

There are a number of things that individuals and organisations can do to overcome cultural barriers.

Individual strategies

Here are some individual strategies for overcoming cultural barriers in the workplace:

Be open-minded and respectful. Be willing to learn about other cultures and be respectful of their differences.

Be clear and direct in your communication. Try to avoid ambiguity and indirectness, as this can lead to misunderstandings.

Be patient and understanding. It takes time to build relationships and trust with people from different cultures. Be patient and understanding as you learn about each other's cultures.

Seek feedback. If you need help with how to behave in a particular situation, ask a trusted colleague for feedback.

Organisational strategies

Here are some organisational strategies for overcoming cultural barriers in the workplace:

1. Provide diversity training: Diversity training can help employees to learn about different cultures and how to interact with people from different backgrounds.

2. Create a culture of inclusion: Make sure that all employees feel welcome and included in the workplace. This can be done by promoting diversity and inclusion initiatives, such as employee resource groups and cultural celebrations.

3. Provide opportunities for cross-cultural interaction: Create opportunities for employees from different cultures to interact with each other. This can be done through team-building activities, social events, and cultural exchange programs.

4. Using Project Management Tool: Using a free project management tool can help your teams plan, organise, and execute projects more effectively. It can improve communication and collaboration. 

Wrapping Up

Cultural barriers can be a challenge for multinational remote teams, but they can be overcome with effort and understanding. 

By using online project management tools, providing diversity training, and creating a culture of inclusion, organisations can help their teams communicate and collaborate effectively, regardless of their cultural backgrounds.

You can use VirtualSpace, a free project management tool, to overcome cultural barriers in your multinational remote team.

If you’re interested in exploring this topic further, feel free to read the original article here: Overcoming Cultural Barriers in a Remote Work Environment