Effective Cross-Cultural Communication Strategies in the Workplace

This report delves into the complexities of cross-cultural communication within a professional setting. It begins by identifying a conflict arising from cultural differences in the workplace, specifically focusing on the experiences of a Latin American employee in a European company. The report analyzes the communication strategies employed to resolve the conflict, including a direct meeting with the HR manager, and suggests a better alternative strategy involving regular interactive sessions with minority employees. The report then examines scenarios involving an aboriginal old woman in an aged care service and a Chinese patient in a healthcare setting, highlighting communication barriers and cultural insensitivities. It explores strategies to make these individuals feel comfortable and addresses the consequences of neglecting cultural practices. The report concludes by emphasizing the importance of informed diagnoses, transparency, and optimal treatment planning in cross-cultural healthcare interactions. References are provided to support the analysis.

Running head: CROSS CULTURAL COMMUNICATION
Cross Cultural Communication
Name of the Student:
Name of the University:
Author Note:

1CROSS CULTURAL COMMUNICATION
Table of Contents
Task 1.........................................................................................................................................2
1. The conflict........................................................................................................................2
2. Communication strategies utilized to resolve the conflict.................................................2
3. A better alternative strategy, which could have been used...............................................2
4. A verbal along with a non verbal alternative strategy that could have been used.............2
Task 2.........................................................................................................................................3
1. Features of Daisy as an aboriginal old woman in the aged care service............................3
2. Strategies, which could be utilized to help Daisy..............................................................3
3. Strategies to make Daisy to feel comfortable in the current situation...............................3
4. Ways to make Daisy feel comfortable at her new residence..............................................3
Task 3.........................................................................................................................................4
1. The problem in the communication...................................................................................4
2. The Chinese practices, which were not addressed by the health care department.............4
3. Consequences of the negligence of the health care professionals......................................4
4. Client outcomes for Lee.....................................................................................................4
References..................................................................................................................................5

2CROSS CULTURAL COMMUNICATION
Task 1
1. The conflict
One of the major causes of conflicts arising in workplaces is cultural differences
among the employees (2). For example, in the workplace involving a diverse employee pool,
there are frequent communication gap in the sharing of knowledge or information due to
cultural differences (1). One such instance is that of I have faced being a Latin American, but
an employee in a European company. In addition to that, I was also cornered in the office,
since there are only a handful number of Latin Americans in this office. Because of this,
despite noticing a lack of proper promotion in the Latin products of the company, I decided
not to convey my opinions about the current marketing strategy. This is because I felt that
such an action would only result in my manager thinking of me as unethical and
unprofessional as I am not in the marketing department of the company. This action has led
the company incur losses in the Latin American products.
2. Communication strategies utilized to resolve the conflict
The communication strategy, which was utilized in this case, was a direct meeting
between the Latin Americans of the company and the HR manager. This meeting excluded
the involvement of any European colleague just to make the Latin employees feel
comfortable. His strategy yielded good results, as many of the employees including providing
me with the opportunity to open up about our opinions. In this process, the fear of rejection in
the minds of the Latin employees also reduced.
3. A better alternative strategy, which could have been used
With the current knowledge, a better way to handle the situation could be employing
the HR department to hold regular interactive sessions with the minority among the employ
pool in the first place, in order to communicate effectively with them, minimize their fears at
the workplace and share opinions as well (5).
4. A verbal along with a nonverbal alternative strategy that could have been used
A verbal strategy, which could have been employed, is to mix up the employ pool
consisting of the majority Europeans and the minority Latin Americans in order to eradicate
their fears and to encourage more employee interaction.

3CROSS CULTURAL COMMUNICATION
A non-verbal strategy, which could have been employed, is to promote employee
equality by the company by putting up banners as well as posters inside the office premises in
order to encourage the minority employees to be more engaging in the workplace (4).
Task 2
1. Features of Daisy as an aboriginal old woman in the aged care service
Daisy is a native of Western Australia. She has not developed sufficient English
communication skills in order to engage herself in discussions with the English speaking
public. However, she can understand and speak broken English. Apart from having diabetes,
Daisy also suffers from partial deafness in addition to suffering from a minor stroke recently.
As daisy is a native from a community, she restricts herself from being taken car by any male
caretaker. Therefore, Daisy suffers from a stark difference of the two cultures between her
native community and her new old aged home.
2. Strategies, which could be utilized to help Daisy
One verbal strategy, which could be used, is to communicate with her in simple
English, keeping in mind her native traits and respecting her culture.
One worthy non-verbal strategy could be to display her paintings to the others at the
home.
3. Strategies to make Daisy to feel comfortable in the current situation
One way to make daisy more comfortable in the present situation is to make her feel
more at home by giving her paintings more importance and engaging in discussions about art
and paintings. In the new cultural conditions, since Daisy is partially deaf along with being
not fluent in English, sign language can be employed to make an effective communication
with her.
4. Ways to make Daisy feel comfortable at her new residence
At her new home Daisy can be made to feel comfortable, by being taken for long
walks initially on her wheelchair by a female caretaker and then switch to her assigned male
caretaker.

4CROSS CULTURAL COMMUNICATION
Task 3
1. The problem in the communication
The major problem in communicating between Lee, Mae and health care system is
Lee’s complete inability to understand English in addition to Lee being very uncooperative
during the nurse’s checkup process (6). Further, there were cultural differences between them
as well, due to which, Lee would not let the nurse check her, as he was a male. Moreover, due
to the same cultural differences, Mae would first go to treat Lee with herbals according to her
beliefs, which would not yield any significant results. In addition to that, Lee was weeping
and complaining about the health care professionals not allowing wearing her Rosary Beads
into the operating room.
2. The Chinese practices, which were not addressed by the health care
department
The primary Chinese practice, which was not at all addressed by the health care
department was letting Lee wear her Rosary Beads. The nurse prohibited Lee to wear her
Rosary Beads to the surgery room, which made her unhappy. The other Chinese practice,
which was not addressed by the health care department, is the use of herbal tablets.
3. Consequences of the negligence of the health care professionals
The need of the patients, which were ignored due the cultural differences between the
patients and the doctors, is Lee’s request to let her wear her Rosary Beads to the surgery. In
addition to this, the doctors as well as the hospital authority need to be more cautious about
the privacy of the patient (4). A female doctor should have assigned with the task of
examining Lee. Moreover, the entire process needs to be well informed. Her sister should
have been informed about the examination process as well as the needs of surgery.
4. Client outcomes for Lee
 The primary importance is to be given to promote a process of diagnoses that is well-
informed. From the case study it can be noticed that the patient as well as her sister
were not well informed regarding the urgency of the operation (3). The nurses and the
hospital authority should adopt more strategies to inform the process of diagnosis
before starting the treatment.

5CROSS CULTURAL COMMUNICATION
 The hospital needs to maintain the transparency of the entire process (6). Special
attention should be given to this case as the patient is not capable of understanding
English. Hence, lack of transparency and time can lead to confusion and panic.
 The third client outcome that is required in this scenario is ensuring optimal treatment
planning for Lee. It is to be ensured that the treatment is effective as well as efficient.

6CROSS CULTURAL COMMUNICATION
References
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Business and Social Science. 2012 Mar 1;3(6).
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communication. Victoria University Press; 2014 Apr 1.
4. Patrick HA, Kumar VR. Managing workplace diversity: Issues and challenges. Sage
Open. 2012 Apr 25;2(2):2158244012444615.
5. Schullery NM. Workplace engagement and generational differences in values.
Business Communication Quarterly. 2013 Jun;76(2):252-65.
6. Wei M, Su JC, Carrera S, Lin SP, Yi F. Suppression and interpersonal harmony: A
cross-cultural comparison between Chinese and European Americans. Journal of
counseling psychology. 2013 Oct;60(4):625.