Intercultural Communication Report: Understanding Workplace Diversity

This report delves into the multifaceted realm of intercultural communication, examining its influence on communication styles and the dynamics of a diverse workforce. It begins by defining intercultural communication, emphasizing both verbal and non-verbal aspects, and highlighting the importance of understanding different cultural backgrounds. The report then explores the impact of culture on communication, including the significance of body language, attitudes, and rituals. It also addresses the benefits of a diverse workforce, such as enhanced productivity, innovation, and global competitiveness. The report further discusses the advantages of fact-based decision-making and cross-cultural understanding. It concludes by emphasizing the need for effective intercultural communication in today's globalized business environment, providing insights into how organizations can foster inclusivity and achieve their goals by embracing diversity.

Intercultural
communication

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
STAGE 1 .........................................................................................................................................1
Understanding of the impact culture has on our communication style and the
diversity in the workplace...........................................................................................................1
STAGE 2..........................................................................................................................................2
Intercultural communication.......................................................................................................2
Explain workplace diversity........................................................................................................3
Describe briefly at least three advantages of a diverse workforce..............................................3
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................4
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................5

INTRODUCTION
Intercultural communication is related to verbal and non-verbal interaction among people
who are from different cultural backgrounds (Yang, 2018). Moreover, it is not simply language
proficiency but communication need ability of understanding language. There are several ways
of intercultural communication such as body language, attitude of individual as well as rituals
from hand shaking to stink eye. This report will going to present understanding related to impact
culture has on communication style and diversity in workforce. Along with this, it will also
discuss advantages and disadvantage of intercultural communication.
STAGE 1
Understanding of the impact culture has on our communication style and the
diversity in the workplace
Intercultural communication is simply verbal as well as non-verbal interaction which
conduct among people who are from distinct cultural backgrounds (Rubtsova, 2019). In addition
to this, communication within inter culture people not need only understanding related to
language but also require understanding related to several factors such as body language, attitude
of individual as well as rituals from hand shaking to stink eye.
According to the Journal of intercultural communication, 1999 it has been determine that,
now a days world is characterized through an ever growing number of contacts which result in
communication within people of distinct linguistic as well as cultural background. These type of
contacts simply take place by transactions of business, educational exchanges, mass media,
entertainment, tourism and several other (Oetzel, 2017). In addition to this, there are several
business which are getting globalise and required diverse workforce for that an business firm
have to train their employees and provide them intercultural communication skills.
As per the Journal of Intercultural Communication Research, 2020 it has been analysed
that, it is important for an business firm to hire diverse workforce as well as train their employees
to lean intercultural communication. Because with the assistance of this they will be able to
interact with each other in effective manner and conduct operations of company in desired way.
Such practices result in several advantages for an organisation such as enhancing productivity of
staff, generating high revenue, accomplishing desired goal and objectives within required
duration and several other.
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According to the Journal of international and intercultural communication, 2020 it has
been summarised that business environment is getting globalise day by day and it is required by
business firm to learn intercultural communication skills in effective manner so they will be able
to accomplish their desired goals in effective manner (Henderson, Barker and Mak, 2016).
Intercultural communication is related to verbal and non-verbal interaction among people who
are from different cultural backgrounds. Moreover, it is not simply language proficiency but
communication need ability of understanding language. There are several ways of intercultural
communication such as body language, attitude of individual as well as rituals from hand
shaking to stink eye (Eguchi and Asante, 2016). Because with the assistance of this they will be
able to interact with each other in effective manner and conduct operations of company in
desired way.
STAGE 2
Intercultural communication
Intercultural communication is verbal as well as non-verbal interaction within people
who are from distinct cultural backgrounds (Piller, 2017). In simple term it can be said that,
intercultural communication is utilise for explaining single person trying to interact within
foreign environment but more often. Moreover, intercultural communication is two way street in
which people from both the cultures try for enhancing their communication. In addition to this,
intercultural communication will applied in equal manner to domestic cultural differences like
ethnicity as well as gender and to international differences like those who are related with
nationality or world region.
There are mainly two type of intercultural communication i.e., verbal communication and
non-verbal communication. Here, verbal communication includes words which use for
communicating message as well as in non-verbal communication gestures will use for
understanding messages in effective manner (Özdemir, 2017). Along with this, spoken as well as
written language both are part of verbal communication and these will consider at high level in
intercultural communication. Moreover, cultural factors have their wide impact on verbal
communication because sometimes people will not ale to write or speak receiver language.
Utilisation of dialects, words, accents, slang and many more can be different as per own cultures.
In same manner, non-verbal consist communication which occurs without words such as facial
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expressions, hand and body movements, utilisation of objects, eye contact, clothing and many
more (Baker, 2018). With the assistance of these message can get clear or can give different
message also.
Explain workplace diversity
Diversity in workplace is related to organisation which intentionally employs staff
members comprised of individuals of varying religion, gender, race, age, sexual orientation,
ethnicity, education as well as several other attributes. Moreover, employing diverse staff require
business firm to create such culture which respect conflicting opinions as well as promotes
dignity of every member for workforce (Guillaume and et. al., 2017). In addition to this,
diversity within workplace result in plethora of benefits from both internal as well as external
perspectives. Moreover, when company hire people from diverse backgrounds, culture and
nationality then they will bring fresh array of perspectives to there table. Although, workplace
diversity result in several advantages such as better problem solving as well as increasing
productivity. Along with this, workplace diversity results in innovation within organisation for
gaining competitive advantages. Apart from this, it is important for an organisation to hire
diverse workforce because it result in several benefits for them such as gaining competitive
advantages at global level, fact based decision making, creative and innovative thinking as well
as cross cultural understanding.
Describe briefly at least three advantages of a diverse workforce
Diverse workforce means that company hire employees from distinct background and
they are different in term of varying religion, gender, race, age, sexual orientation, ethnicity,
education as well as several other attributes. In addition to this, diverse workforce have several
advantages within an organisation explanation of these are as follows :-
 Global level competition – There are Millions of Americans who employed by foreign
owned companies (Ng and Sears, 2020). It is important for each and every company to
employ people who represent diverse population as well as view point for competing on
this world stage. Because diverse employees always come with something innovative in
market which help company in gaining competitive advantages at global level.
 Fact-based decision making – By several studies it has been founded that diverse groups
keep their focus on facts while taking any decisions. They also look latest approaches of
thinking, examine and re-examine facts for remaining objectives for making effective
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decisions for business firm. In addition to this, Non-homogeneous group are more able or
capable in comparison of homogeneous group for identifying their biases and work for
keeping them at bay while taking important decisions of business (Davis,Frolova and
Callahan, 2016). In simple term it can be said that, fact based decision making help in
deciding anything related to business firm in more effective manner.
 Creative and innovative thinking – If each and every single employee think same old
when it come to approaches of products, marketing, distribution, sales as well as
management. In addition to this, when each and every people approach problems and
challenges from distinct perspectives company will be able to discover more creative
solutions. According to the research it has been determine that diversity result in
enhancing innovation as well as improves market growth in better manner within
business environment.
 Cross-cultural understanding – Homogeneous groups may simply get along better within
enhancing diverse world, cross-cultural understanding results in creating better working
environment as well as better world (Hossain and et. al., 2019). Instead of relying on
crutch of old world prejudices as well as misconceptions diverse workforce result in
enhancing internal climates as well as external outcomes for business firms.
CONCLUSION
After going through overall discussion it has been concluded that, intercultural
communication is important part of business environment because organisation working within it
must have proper understanding about distinct culture so they will able to serve their customers
in effective manner. In addition to this, workplace diversity is also essential because with the
assistance of it company can hire people who are from different culture and background. This
will help them in serving their customers within more effective manner and result in
accomplishing desired goals and objectives.
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REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Piller, I., 2017. Intercultural communication: A critical introduction. Edinburgh University Press.
Özdemir, E., 2017. Promoting EFL learners’ intercultural communication effectiveness: a focus
on Facebook. Computer Assisted Language Learning. 30(6), pp.510-528.
Baker, W., 2018. English as a lingua franca and intercultural communication. The Routledge
handbook of English as a lingua franca. 25, p.36.
Yang, P., 2018. Developing TESOL teacher intercultural identity: An intercultural
communication competence approach. TESOL Journal. 9(3), pp.525-541.
Rubtsova, A., 2019, March. Socio-linguistic innovations in education: productive implementation
of intercultural communication. In IOP Conference Series: Materials Science and
Engineering (Vol. 497, No. 1, p. 012059). IOP Publishing.
Oetzel, J. G., 2017. Effective intercultural workgroup communication theory. The International
Encyclopedia of Intercultural Communication, pp.1-5.
Henderson, S., Barker, M. and Mak, A., 2016. Strategies used by nurses, academics and students
to overcome intercultural communication challenges. Nurse Education in Practice.
16(1), pp.71-78.
Eguchi, S. and Asante, G., 2016. Disidentifications revisited: Queer (y) ing intercultural
communication theory. Communication Theory. 26(2), pp.171-189.
Guillaume, Y. R. and et. al., 2017. Harnessing demographic differences in organizations: What
moderates the effects of workplace diversity?. Journal of Organizational Behavior.
38(2), pp.276-303.
Ng, E. S. and Sears, G. J., 2020. Walking the talk on diversity: CEO beliefs, moral values, and
the implementation of workplace diversity practices. Journal of Business Ethics. 164(3),
pp.437-450.
Davis, P. J., Frolova, Y. and Callahan, W., 2016. Workplace diversity management in Australia.
Equality, Diversity and Inclusion: An International Journal.
Hossain, M. and et. al., 2019. Do LGBT workplace diversity policies create value for firms?.
Journal of Business Ethics, pp.1-17.
Online
Journal of intercultural communication,1999.[Online].Available
through<http://www.immi.se/intercultural/>
Journal of Intercultural Communication Research,2020.[Online].Available
through<https://www.researchgate.net/journal/1747-
5759_Journal_of_Intercultural_Communication_Research>
Journal of international and intercultural communication, 2020.[Online].Available
through<https://www.tandfonline.com/toc/rjii20/current>
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