Question: Another challenge that comes with virtual communication is the issue of dealing with cultural differences that may arise during online communication with people from different
Another challenge that comes with virtual communication is the issue of dealing with cultural differences that may arise during online communication with people from different backgrounds working for one organisation. Another challenge is the fact that many organisations are international and have to contend with new issues ranging from navigating different time zones to managing productivity and interpreting non-verbal cues. All these obstacles can have a significant impact on team cohesion and performance. This may lead to problems related to coordinating communication remotely, as teams may be spread across various time zones, making it difficult to harmonise company operations. For example, if one team member works from Belgium while other members live in Texas, the time difference could affect how quickly team members respond to messages. In some cases, this difference could mean that while some team members are starting their day, others may be going to bed. Different time zones affect not only messaging but also meeting schedules. Consequently, managers must learn to adapt to these changes or risk letting the business suffer.Communicating effectively across cultures is another issue that is exacerbated by virtual communication. Non-verbal communication poses a particular challenge as non-verbal cues may be interpreted differently by people from different countries across the globe. Communication experts share the same sentiments that most communication is non-verbal, which poses a problem in virtual communication. For example, during physical interactions, someone can quickly detect how a person feels, but that could be difficult when you must interact virtually. For example, it is difficult to see that all participants are actively listening during an online meeting. It is easy to detect that the person is looking around or bored in a physical meeting, but it may be hard to detect how people are feeling or doing during virtual meetings. Since communication is vital to business productivity, learning to communicate virtually is crucial in today's world. Therefore, Investec will embark on various initiatives to assist its employees on how to work virtually with people from different cultures and countries. Some of these initiatives include training, workshops, policy development, and team-building activities. The primary focus of these ventures will be intercultural, multicultural, and cross-cultural communication.In your analysis of this case study, compare the terms "remote work", "virtual communication" and "digital communication".
Step by Step Solution
There are 3 Steps involved in it
Get step-by-step solutions from verified subject matter experts
