Working together, worlds apart: teamwork in multicultural contexts

They say innovation brings chaos, but out of chaos comes order — and that is exactly how teamwork unfolds in my BBA classes. At Haaga-Helia, teamwork plays a central role in our teaching approach, and we strongly focus on it in our curriculum. We encourage our students to work in multicultural teams in the classroom to ensure they are prepared for real-world situations.

What may seem like a challenge is an opportunity to grow — a blessing in disguise. Experiencing diversity in teams is an opportunity to grow, learn, and build better teams. In this article, I highlight the main challenges our students face in multicultural teams and possible solutions to overcome them. Based on my practice as teacher, I have observed cultural clashes within teamwork, making it crucial to address these differences effectively.

Cultural clashes are real

Our multicultural group of students has different worldviews, and they see things differently. In multicultural teams, this is seen as the biggest challenge: the differences in opinions, ways of working, understanding of things, prior education, perceptions and orientation to time (Meyer 2014). These differences may cause misunderstandings. Furthermore, the way people communicate across cultures also creates misunderstandings.

For example, a Swiss team member’s interaction with a Japanese team member requires cultural awareness, understanding, and sensitivity. While the Japanese team member avoids conflict and values harmony, the Swiss team member is straightforward and values direct communication. Almost always, some European students express concerns about the docile nature of Southeast Asian students, particularly when it comes to contributing ideas and speaking up in team discussions.

One cause of frustration may also be due to different time orientations. Students from Northern Europe see time differently compared to, for example, Mediterranean or Latin American cultures. Team members who do not do their work by the deadline can frustrate their peers. The understanding of punctuality is different across cultures. Tardiness can cause frustration and be seen as unprofessional for Northern European students.

Occasionally, Northern European students express frustration that some South Asian peers may struggle with taking initiative or following instructions as expected, requiring them to repeat what the teacher has already explained. In South Asian cultures, students receive more direct guidance from their teachers, which can sometimes be seen as a more structured approach to learning.

Some other challenges that I have encountered with my students, which may or may not stem from different cultural understandings, are inflexible or laid-back attitudes. At times, too ambitious students micromanage their teammates’ work and rewrite their work, causing disagreements and negatively impacting the teamwork. Different grade goals can also be a source of frustration for our students, as not everyone is willing to put maximum effort into teamwork. Such challenges can slow down the team’s progress and create frustration among the team members.

Handling the differences

Having identified these cultural clashes, it is crucial to address the differences to ensure successful teamwork. In almost all my courses with teamwork, the first session is dedicated to helping students understand the nature of deliverables and forming teams. Team formation must be done without haste. The teams should make team rules and discuss acceptable and unacceptable behavior. Students should discuss their learning styles, communication styles, decision-making styles, and expectations about punctuality, and identify the key behaviors that will lead to effective teamwork. My students are expected to put this information in writing.

Working efficiently in teams requires building patience and flexibility. Students should handle issues with maturity and communicate efficiently with difficult team members. Assuming that there is only one right way to work is not the correct approach to handling conflicts. Being flexible and open to new ideas makes a team stronger. Lastly, team members should show appreciation for each other’s unique abilities, as every culture enriches the team in its own way and offers something worthwhile.

The power of diverse and multicultural teams

Students assume that working in homogeneous teams makes achieving their goals easier, but real learning happens in diverse, multicultural teams. In multicultural teams, students do not just complete their projects, they also gain skills for life. They learn essential traits and new perspectives that do not show up in homogeneous teamwork. They learn the skills of a future business leader — emotional intelligence, perceptiveness, communication skills, flexibility, and adaptability (Cavusgill, Knight & Riesenberger 2020). Working in multicultural teams builds skills that extend far beyond the classroom.

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