Fostering Intercultural communication

With modern technology, intercultural communication exists in various forms. It exists in both digital and analog world. For instance, communication between two cultures can take place via e-mails, SMS, or direct face to face conversations. However different cultures have non identical systems in relaying messages effectively, what may seem as a norm to one culture, might be just the opposite to the other. For instance, in Singapore, we greet one another with a wave or handshake, sometimes if we are extremely close to someone, with a hug. However in France, greetings are often accompanied by a kiss on the cheek, also known in french as "faire la bise". Now imagine if a french tried greeting a Singaporean in the same manner, some people would find this action as a invasion of privacy, while others would be shocked by this and not know how to react.

In the workplace,  knowing another's cultural differences and expectations might just be the key to sealing a deal, or forming a new relationship with a co-worker. It nails down from physical actions such as a handshake or greeting, to online communication,  such as replying an email or SMS. Replying an email is culturally dependent, while swear words in an email are a general "no-no" in most cultures, some culture accept the use of slangs or informal greeting. Some may deem acceptable to reply a question with a simple "yes" or "no", whereas some require a detailed response.

Language used in communicating plays an important role in both offline and online intercultural exchange. English is no doubt the most widely used language for most countries, and is accepted as an international language, however most people do not have the proficiency in english. Some people who does not have a strong command in the english language often misspell words or read slowly. They often struggle to read an email, and when replying, misspelling or omitting a word might cause serious misunderstanding, resulting in miscommunication and delays.

Individuals have to keep an open mind to minimise chances of miscommunication between different cultures. The workplace can provide training to their employees and implement rules and regulation when communicating with people from other cultures.