16th April 2025
What is more impactful in intercultural communication – what you say or how you say it? And how does culture affect the way we share and receive information?
In today’s globalized world, businesses are navigating diverse cultural landscapes more than ever, and this requires a new set of communication skills. Corporate intercultural communication refers to the exchange of information between individuals or organizations from different cultural backgrounds in a professional setting. It requires not only linguistic proficiency but also a recognition and appreciation of cultural values, business etiquette, and social norms.
How does culture impact effective communication?
Complex cultural subtext is effective in allowing communities to communicate smoothly and quickly within their group. However, these unspoken elements of language can become tangible blockers when doing business across borders and between diverse groups. As Dr. Christopher McCormick, Chief Academic Officer at EF Corporate Learning, puts it,
"Communication within and between global teams can often go wrong despite our good intent. People are influenced by cultural values and expectations that affect how we perceive and understand each other."
It is therefore essential for business leaders to explore how different cultures communicate to ensure that meaning is correctly conveyed, and positive relationships are maintained. Besides looking inwards and studying the cultural behavior within their organization, there are multiple frameworks that help leaders identify how distinct cultures share information, their expectations for feedback, and their business relationship style.
For example, one lens that helps businesses to define cultural communication expectations relates to how much context a speaker or listener relies on. High-context cultures prioritize indirect communication, non-verbal cues, and shared context. Low-context cultures prefer direct, explicit communication with less dependence on implied meaning.
This can create subtle yet significant barriers. Communication in low-context cultures might appear blunt or impersonal to those from high-context cultures, while the indirect communication style of the latter can frustrate those who expect clear and straightforward information and feedback. Building trust - a key objective of interacting - may also become a challenge; low-context employees look for communicated competence and results, while their high-context teammates prioritize communicating face-to-face and personal connection.
Regional divides or headquarter blind spots may also arise if these variations are overlooked. For instance, English-speaking countries lean towards low-context communication styles, which – as the global language in business and of many US headquarters – may lead to low-context expectations at a business level. This could alienate employees from high-context cultures – more prevalent in regions like Asia and the Middle East.
Taken alongside countless other cultural nuances – as Dr. Christopher McCormick discusses in depth in the below video – these implicit cultural differences can hinder team collaboration, client relations, and even employee engagement. To overcome these challenges, cultural intelligence – the ability to understand, appreciate, and adapt to different cultural communication styles – is crucial. This is where HR leaders play a pivotal role.
Strategies to reconnect cultures in the workplace
To address the pitfalls of cross-border communication, cultural intelligence needs to be embedded throughout the entire workforce, fomenting company-wide mindfulness and learning around culture. Here are three strategies to help HR leaders apply this in practice to unlock the potential of cultural diversity:
1. Embed language training as a cultural tool
Communicating with cultural intelligence involves adapting language to the context. This level of nuanced communication requires a baseline of linguistic proficiency that many employees lack: our research found that only a third of English learners are able to communicate ‘independently’ – a level required for business scenarios like negotiating, leading, or presenting. As such, up to two-thirds of international teams could be held back, unable to adapt their communication to the cultural context. Company-wide assessments can offer specific insights into language skills gaps at the organizational level and enable the personalization of language programs to address these.
2. Adapt L&D to the cultural context
Learners’ cultural background may impact their preferences when it comes to learning delivery, so L&D programs should be adapted to reflect this. For instance, learners from low-context cultures may gravitate toward structured, data-driven content, while those from high-context cultures may respond more positively to storytelling and experiential learning. Custom training programs that are scalable across multinational businesses can ensure learners are taught in a culturally attuned way.
3. Leverage technology for global communication
As our recent EdTech review explores, technological advancements, including the rise of AI, are rapidly reshaping how global businesses communicate today. AI-driven translation, virtual classrooms, and communication tools are helping professionals navigate diverse business environments with greater confidence and accuracy. In this changing landscape, HR and L&D leaders hold an instrumental role in empowering their workforce through the right tools and guidelines – to create great communicators, rather than replacing human communication.
Turning cultural complexity into a strategic advantage
Today, and with a view to the future, the ability to communicate across cultures with sensitivity and agility is not just a skill – it’s a strategic advantage in the global marketplace.
Through targeted, culturally-specific language training and technological tools, companies can turn cultural complexity into a strength – driving collaboration, innovation, and long-term growth.
Watch on-demand: Building a global learning culture
For more on how culture impacts on communication and learning, hear from Dr. Christopher McCormick, Chief Academic Officer at EF Corporate Learning, on how HR and L&D professionals can build a global learning culture. Watch the full recording of his session at our Global Summit 2025 here.
Video chapters
[00:00] The complexity of the future of learning
[01:42] The 'horses of change'
[05:01] Certain uncertainty
[06:53] What is holding us back?
[08:32] Emerging trends in learning
[11:56] What interferes with global engagement in learning?
[14:59] Intercultural communication - how language fluency and culture affect participation and engagement
[19:35] What can HR and L&D leaders do about this? Using research frameworks to tackle cultural difference
Interested in learning more about how to unlock the power of language learning?
