5 Types of Miscommunication in a Multicultural Workplace (And How to Fix Them)

Miscommunication in the workplace isn't just frustrating—it's expensive. According to a study by the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), companies with 100,000 employees lose an average of $62.4 million annually due to inadequate communication. For smaller businesses, the impact is equally significant when measured as a percentage of revenue and employee productivity.

In Canada's increasingly diverse workforce, where 23% of the population is foreign-born and multilingualism is common, the risk of miscommunication is amplified. Having bilingual and multicultural employees brings tremendous benefits—diverse perspectives, expanded market reach, and enhanced creativity. However, it also introduces complex communication challenges rooted in cultural differences, language nuances, and varying communication styles.

The good news? Most miscommunication is preventable. By understanding the common types of miscommunication in multicultural teams and implementing practical solutions, you can transform potential confusion into productive collaboration. This guide explores five critical communication breakdowns and provides actionable strategies to prevent them.

What is Miscommunication and Why is it Amplified in Diverse Teams?

Miscommunication occurs when individuals or groups connect, but some participants don't fully understand what has been said or written. The message sent is not the message received—and often, no one realizes the disconnect until significant time has passed or problems have emerged.

What makes miscommunication particularly challenging in diverse workplaces is that it frequently goes undetected. Conversations, projects, and even strategic initiatives can continue for weeks or months with team members operating under completely different understandings—each believing they're on the same page.

High-Context vs. Low-Context Communication: The Cultural Foundation

To understand why multicultural teams face heightened miscommunication risks, it's essential to grasp the concept of communication context developed by anthropologist Edward T. Hall:

High-Context Communication: Common in cultures like Japan, China, France, and many Latin American countries. These communicators rely heavily on:

• Implicit messages and reading between the lines
• Non-verbal cues, tone, and body language
• Shared cultural understanding and relationship history
• Indirect expression, especially when delivering negative information

Low-Context Communication: Typical in Canada, the United States, Germany, and Scandinavian countries. These communicators prefer:

• Explicit, direct messages with clear meaning
• Written documentation and verbal clarity
• Minimal reliance on contextual cues
• Straightforward expression, even when disagreeing

When high-context and low-context communicators collaborate without cultural awareness, miscommunication becomes almost inevitable. The examples below illustrate how these differences manifest in real workplace scenarios—and how to bridge the gap.

5 Common Types of Miscommunication & Practical Solutions

1. Unchecked Inferences: Focus on Facts, Not Assumptions

What happens: You draw your own conclusion based on a fact, but your inference may be completely inaccurate. This type of miscommunication occurs when we fill in gaps with assumptions rather than seeking clarification.

Example:

Fact: It's annual review time in your company.
Fact: Your supervisor has been smiling and joking with you all day.
Inference: You will be getting a raise.

It's easy to see how this inference could lead to serious confusion, disappointment, and damaged trust if it proves incorrect. The supervisor's good mood might stem from entirely unrelated circumstances—a personal achievement, positive feedback from their own manager, or simply having a pleasant day.

Cultural dimension: In some cultures, maintaining harmony and positive relationships is paramount, leading supervisors to display warmth regardless of the message they'll eventually deliver. In other cultures, a serious demeanor before difficult conversations is the norm.

Solution:

• Ask, don't assume: When something seems implied, seek explicit confirmation. "I appreciate the positive atmosphere. Can you share what to expect from my performance review?"
• Separate facts from interpretations: Train yourself and your team to distinguish between observable facts and the stories we create around them.
• Create a culture of clarification: Make it psychologically safe for employees to ask clarifying questions without seeming incompetent or challenging authority.
• Document key decisions: Follow up verbal conversations with written summaries to ensure alignment on important matters.

2. Semantic Pitfalls (Word Confusion): Clarifying Ambiguity

What happens: Common words carry multiple meanings, and in multicultural environments where English may be a second or third language for team members, semantic confusion multiplies exponentially.

Examples:

Scenario 1: "Janette was sanctioned for proceeding on the project without the proper sanction from her manager."

Here, "sanction" has two opposite meanings in the same sentence—she was penalized (sanctioned) for acting without approval (sanction). For non-native English speakers or even native speakers reading quickly, this creates significant confusion.

Scenario 2: Ralph noted his team's "invaluable contribution" to the project. Some team members, particularly those whose first language uses similar prefixes differently, believed Ralph thought their contribution was "not valuable" rather than "extremely valuable."

Cultural dimension: Business English contains numerous idioms, euphemisms, and words with Latin or Greek prefixes that function differently than similar words in Romance or other language families. What seems straightforward to a native English speaker can be genuinely ambiguous to skilled multilingual professionals.

Solution:

• Choose clarity over cleverness: Use simple, unambiguous language. Replace "invaluable" with "extremely valuable" or "essential."
• Avoid business jargon and idioms: Phrases like "let's circle back," "move the needle," or "low-hanging fruit" can confuse international team members.
• Provide context and examples: When using terms that might be ambiguous, add clarifying details.
• Confirm understanding: After delivering important information, ask recipients to summarize their understanding in their own words.
• Create a team glossary: For specialized terms or frequently misunderstood words, maintain a shared document with clear definitions and examples.
• Invest in business language training: Professional business English courses help non-native speakers navigate these semantic challenges while improving overall communication confidence.

3. Differences in Perception: Acknowledge Cultural Gaps in Recognition

What happens: You and the person you're communicating with interpret the same situation completely differently based on cultural values and expectations around recognition, hierarchy, and group dynamics.

Example:

Jagruta knew that Adi was working hard on the new project and wanted to acknowledge his dedication. She singled him out during the weekly company meeting and presented Adi with a plaque honoring his dedication to the company.

While Jagruta felt this was a thoughtful gesture of gratitude, Adi was deeply embarrassed. Coming from a collectivist culture that values group harmony over individual recognition, he felt uncomfortable being singled out instead of the entire project team receiving acknowledgment. He also worried his teammates would resent him, potentially damaging the collaborative relationships he'd carefully built.

Cultural dimension: Recognition practices vary dramatically across cultures:

• Individualist cultures (e.g., Canada, US, UK): Public recognition of individual achievement is valued and motivating
• Collectivist cultures (e.g., Japan, China, Korea, many Latin American and Middle Eastern countries): Group recognition is preferred; singling out individuals can cause discomfort and team friction
• Hierarchical cultures: Recognition should flow through proper channels and respect status differences
• Egalitarian cultures: Recognition can come from peers and is less tied to formal hierarchy

Solution:

• Learn individual preferences: Ask team members directly how they prefer to be recognized—publicly or privately, individually or as part of a team.
• Offer options: When recognizing achievement, consider multiple approaches: "I'd like to acknowledge your excellent work. Would you prefer recognition at our team meeting, or would you like me to send a note to you and copy senior leadership?"
• Balance individual and team recognition: When highlighting individual contributions, also acknowledge the team's collective effort.
• Invest in cultural awareness training: Cross-cultural training programs help managers understand these nuances and adapt their leadership style accordingly.
• Create recognition guidelines: Develop team norms that respect diverse cultural preferences while maintaining your organization's values.

4. Missed Non-Verbal Cues: Reading the Silent Language

What happens: You miss or misinterpret non-verbal signals someone is conveying, leading you to completely misread their message, emotions, or intentions. Non-verbal communication—including eye contact, gestures, posture, personal space, and tone—varies significantly across cultures.

Example:

During negotiations, Hans spoke in a direct tone and made steady eye contact with Pei. She was not accustomed to this communication style and felt as if Hans was being aggressive, confrontational, or even disrespectful in his approach. Pei's discomfort caused her to disengage from the conversation, which Hans interpreted as disinterest or lack of preparation.

Cultural dimension: Non-verbal communication rules differ dramatically:

Eye contact:

• In North American and many European cultures: Direct eye contact signals confidence, honesty, and engagement
• In many Asian, African, and Latin American cultures: Prolonged direct eye contact can be seen as disrespectful, aggressive, or inappropriate, especially with authority figures

Personal space:

• North Americans typically maintain 45-120 cm for professional conversations
• Latin American and Middle Eastern cultures often prefer closer proximity
• Northern European and East Asian cultures may prefer greater distance

Gestures:

• A thumbs-up, OK sign, or beckoning gesture can be positive in some cultures and offensive in others
• Nodding doesn't always mean "yes"—in some cultures, it simply indicates "I'm listening"

Solution:

• Learn before you engage: When working with international colleagues or clients, research their cultural norms around non-verbal communication.
• Observe and adapt: Pay attention to how your counterparts use eye contact, gestures, and space, and adjust your behavior accordingly.
• Verbalize the unspoken: In multicultural settings, don't rely solely on non-verbal cues. State your intentions explicitly: "I want to make sure we're aligned on this approach."
• Address discomfort directly: If you sense someone is uncomfortable, acknowledge it: "I notice you seem hesitant. Is there something you'd like to discuss?"
• Provide cultural training: Equip your team with cross-cultural communication training that covers non-verbal differences and provides strategies for navigating them.
• Create inclusive meeting norms: Establish team agreements that accommodate diverse communication styles, such as "We value both verbal and written input" or "Silence doesn't mean agreement."

5. Indirect vs. Direct Communication Styles: The Cultural Divide

What happens: When you speak in a certain way to a person, they interpret it through their cultural lens regarding directness, which can completely alter the message's meaning or obscure your point entirely. This is perhaps the most common and consequential type of miscommunication in multicultural business settings.

Example:

Marco was trying to convey to his manager Mila that his team was behind on the project deadline. Mila, coming from a low-context Canadian business culture, asked directly: "Will the team have the project completed by Friday?"

Marco, from a high-context French business culture where direct refusal is considered impolite and relationship-damaging, felt extremely uncomfortable saying "no" outright to his manager. Instead, he spoke in a roundabout way while avoiding eye contact: "We are working very hard on this. The team is quite dedicated."

Mila, unfamiliar with high-context communication patterns, interpreted Marco's response as confirmation that the project would be finished on time. When Friday arrived without the completed project, Mila felt misled and questioned Marco's integrity. Marco felt he had communicated clearly and was frustrated that Mila hadn't understood the obvious implication.

Cultural dimension: This miscommunication stems directly from the high-context vs. low-context divide:

High-context communicators (like Marco):

• Use indirect language to maintain harmony and save face
• Expect listeners to read between the lines and understand implications
• Consider direct negative responses to be rude or confrontational
• Provide context clues (avoiding eye contact, hesitant tone, emphasis on effort rather than results) to signal problems

Low-context communicators (like Mila):

• Value explicit, clear communication and consider it respectful and efficient
• Take statements at face value without looking for hidden meaning
• View indirect communication as unclear, evasive, or even deceptive
• Expect direct answers to direct questions

Neither style is superior—they're simply different cultural approaches to maintaining professional relationships and conveying information.

Solution:

• Bridge the gap explicitly: If you're a direct communicator working with indirect communicators, recognize that phrases like "We're working hard," "It's quite challenging," or "We'll do our best" may actually mean "No, we cannot meet this deadline."
• Create psychological safety: If you need direct answers, first establish that honest, direct communication won't damage the relationship or result in negative consequences: "I need to understand our realistic timeline. Whatever the answer is, we'll work together to address it. Can you tell me candidly whether Friday is achievable?"
• Adapt your style: If you're an indirect communicator in a direct culture, practice being more explicit, especially about problems or limitations. If you're a direct communicator, learn to listen for subtle cues and ask follow-up questions.
• Use the "scale" technique: Instead of yes/no questions, ask: "On a scale of 1-10, how confident are you that we'll meet Friday's deadline?" This provides more nuanced information and feels less confrontational.
• Provide multiple communication channels: Some people find it easier to be direct in writing than in face-to-face conversations. Offer options: "Would you prefer to email me an update on the project timeline?"
• Invest in intercultural communication training: This is perhaps the most critical area where professional training pays dividends. Berlitz's business language service teaches teams to recognize and navigate these differences effectively.

Beyond Language: Berlitz's Solution for Cultural Competence

As you can see from these five examples, miscommunication in multicultural workplaces stems from more than just language barriers—it's rooted in deeply ingrained cultural values, communication styles, and unspoken assumptions. The cost of ignoring these differences is measured not just in dollars lost, but in damaged relationships, missed opportunities, decreased employee engagement, and compromised business outcomes.

The good news? Cultural competence is a learnable skill, and investing in it delivers measurable returns:

• Reduced project delays and errors
• Improved team collaboration and morale
• Enhanced client relationships and market expansion
• Increased innovation through effective diverse perspectives
• Stronger employer brand in competitive talent markets

How Berlitz Canada Can Help

At Berlitz Canada, we've been helping organizations bridge cultural and linguistic divides for over 145 years. Our comprehensive solutions address both the language skills and cultural awareness your team needs to thrive in Canada's multicultural business environment.

Our services include:

Cross-Cultural Training Programs
Customized workshops that teach your team to recognize and navigate the five types of miscommunication outlined above, with practical strategies for your specific industry and business context.

Business Language Training
From business English courses to French language training for Canada's bilingual marketplace, we provide the language skills that enable clear, confident communication.

Corporate Communication Solutions
Comprehensive programs that combine language training, cultural awareness, and communication best practices tailored to your organization's needs.

Take Action Today

Don't let miscommunication cost your business another $62.4 million—or even a fraction of that amount. The examples in this article represent everyday scenarios that your team is likely facing right now. By learning to identify these miscommunications and their root causes, you can prevent the lost time, damaged relationships, and missed opportunities they create.

Ready to transform your team's communication effectiveness?

Call us at 1-855-865-0548 or complete our contact form to discuss how Berlitz Canada can help you leverage cultural differences and similarities to create a successful, thriving workplace where everyone communicates with clarity and confidence.

Visit one of our language schools across Canada or explore our virtual training options. With Berlitz Canada, miscommunication becomes clear communication—and your diverse team becomes your competitive advantage.