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Language diversity in multinational teams can enhance communication but also presents significant challenges, including miscommunication and social categorization. Non-native speakers often face discrimination, affecting their confidence and productivity, while cultural differences further complicate interactions. To mitigate these issues, organizations should implement effective language training, consider inclusive language policies, and explore innovative solutions like AI translation tools.

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Tilahun Eirku
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9 views2 pages

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Language diversity in multinational teams can enhance communication but also presents significant challenges, including miscommunication and social categorization. Non-native speakers often face discrimination, affecting their confidence and productivity, while cultural differences further complicate interactions. To mitigate these issues, organizations should implement effective language training, consider inclusive language policies, and explore innovative solutions like AI translation tools.

Uploaded by

Tilahun Eirku
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Language diversity profoundly shapes communication and influences the

performance of multilingual teams. With the increase in number of


multinational work environments in recent years, foreign language use and
language-related challenges in multilingual teams have increased
significantly. Language diversity, though beneficial if managed well, can also
be the source of many challenges in multinational workplaces. It can create
miscommunication and hinder the overall performance of teams. Moreover,
the base operational efficiency is further constrained by the social distancing
between departments. Various studies have also mentioned that linguistic
background can serve as a source of power in which the employees with the
working language of the organization as their native language are given
higher privilege. They influence groups more than non-native speakers and
they often dominate important workplace activities such as discussions and
decision making.

These acts of segregation and the belief of good communication skill as a


sign of intelligence marginalize individuals with sub-par proficiency of the
language hindering their ability to contribute to the organization and their
personal professional development. This language-based discrimination can
significantly reduce self-confidence, motivation, job satisfaction and overall
productivity in the marginalized workers. Language variations can also
interact with cultural differences in numerous ways to shape organizational
culture. However, insufficient communication on how to handle those
variations can be a source of yet another workplace friction affecting teams.

One of the interactions between language variation and culture is the level of
directness in communication. High context cultures rely on subtle social
cues, physical context, and additional non-verbal cues to convey meaning
and communicate. On the contrary, low context cultures prefer to use
language to express ideas and direction in a clear and logical way. As a
result, what might seem direct and effective to one culture might come off as
offensive and rude to another.

Additionally, language diversity is the major source of social categorization


within organizations because of the solid psychological barriers it creates for
communication. Multi-lingual teams are often accompanied by the formation

of linguistic sub-groups (Hinds, Neeley and Cramton, 2014). These


potentially divisive differences make it difficult for the teams to create a
common identity, impacting knowledge sharing and team cohesiveness
(Cohen & Kassis-Henderson, 2012). In a TED Project on the influence of
language diversity on knowledge sharing in global teams, it was
demonstrated that low common language usage was one of the factors that
contributes to a silo mentality. For this reason, researchers always stress on
measures to handle language differences in multinational organizations.

The lack of fluency has shaped how most non-natives are perceived as well.
The repercussions of this biased perception are deep cut. Non-native
speakers tend to be perceived as less credible, making them feel that their
skills and ideas are unvalued. This also shapes power dynamics in
hierarchical organizations aggravating the issue. Regardless, when
organizations manage these challenges and proactively assign solutions to
communication disputes, they can enjoy the core benefits of creativity,
innovation, and rich global insights. Practically, this can be by implementing
effective language training sessions, assigning an inclusive common
corporate language, integrating cultural sensitivity. From the perspective of
leadership, managers could also implement top-down commitment and make
lasting changes.

However, recent research contributes to findings that challenge the


dominant corporate culture. These studies demonstrate that the assumption
English will continue to be the work language of multinational corporations
and prescribing that employees should become more proficient in English
might not be realistic or fair to most organizations where employees are
majorly non-English speakers. Hence, considerations must be made for other
language models, and whether a single corporate language is always in the
best interest of communication and fairness must be questioned. Moreover,
there is a lack of research that evaluates the psychological cost associated
with language-based discrimination such as decreasing levels of self-
confidence, increasing stress in employees, and threatened sense of identity.
The role of AI enhanced translation software, real-time transcription, and
cross-linguistic collaborations need to be explored in depth. It is detrimental
that firms understand the importance of integrating real and useful solutions
instead of quick fixes.

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