SOURCE

OF CULTURAL
BARRIERS

OVERCOMING
CULTURAL
BARRIERS
 SOURCE OF
CULTURAL BARRIERS
 LANGUAGE
When employees speak different native languages,
barriers on the basis of culture can arise. They could have
trouble expressing particular thoughts or understanding
the subtleties of idioms and linguistic clues. Even among
speakers of the same native tongue, minute variations in
our speech patterns and modes of expression might lead to
miscommunication.
 PREJUDICE
Prejudices can cause us to ignore
someone or think we already know
what they will say. Lack of
paraphrasing and questioning
abilities can cause
misunderstandings while
responding.
 SYMBOLS AND SIGNS
Symbols and signs can be challenging as
well. Those from different cultural
backgrounds might not comprehend these
ideas. A person might not comprehend a
specific symbol used by another culture or
the meaning behind a person's actions.
 BEHAVIORS AND BELIEFS
Communication is also hampered by cultural
differences in beliefs. One illustration is the variance in
cultural acceptance levels. Religion, politics, and
epistemology all have an impact on these reasons.

Conflict and obstacles across cultures can result from

the diversity of people's religious and spiritual views.
Also, the way that different cultures view time varies.
 "US" VERSUS "THEM"
(ETHNOCENTRISM)
Ethnocentrism can result in contempt or
hate for other cultures, which can lead to
miscommunication and conflict.
Ethnocentrism judges all other cultures in
comparison to our culture or that of our co-
culture, which it presumes to be superior to
or more significant than others.
OVERCOMING
CULTURAL
BARRIERS
 ENSURE CLEAR AND POLITE
COMMUNICATION

Clear and polite communication reduces the

chances of surprises, crises, and
confrontation. Both employers and employees
should take diversity and cultural difference
into account while drafting communication
material.
 LEARN ABOUT DIFFERENT CULTURES

Asking polite questions about each other’s cultures

and expressing willingness to learn about different
cultural backgrounds can foster workplace
relationships. It is important to create a culture of
inquiry where asking questions is encouraged.
 WORK TOWARDS
ACCOMMODATING CULTURAL
DIFFERENCE
According to Equality Challenge Unit, implicit or
unconscious bias happens by our brains making
incredibly quick judgments and assessments of people
and situations without us realizing. And the only way to
accommodate cultural difference is to recognize
unconscious bias.

 SHARE KNOWLEDGE

knowledge sharing and collective

contribution produce creative outcomes.
Knowledge from different cultural
TOTAL EARNINGS
Presentations are communication
backgrounds
tools that can be and
demonstrations.
used as experiences stimulates
cultural inclusion and results in innovation.
 EMPLOY DIVERSITY TRAINING
Another way to overcome cultural barriers is to
ensure there is an inclusion of people of different
cultural backgrounds in the workplace. Diversity
training can potentially foster inclusive work
culture, encourage teamwork and leadership,
create new opportunities, and thereby create a
positive work culture.

 THANK YOU
FOR LISTENING!

GROUP 7