Rethinking Interaction in Culturally Diverse Workplaces

Business communication tools like Microsoft Teams, Slack, and Zoom have revolutionised how employees connect. Real-time communication is now possible across locations and time zones and these tools have become essential to the rise of hybrid work. While they enable communication, they don’t always guarantee it.

That's because communication isn't just about having access. It's shaped by invisible structures: social hierarchy, cultural expectations and unspoken rules about when, how and to whom it feels appropriate to speak.

Take Japan, for example, a culture where social awareness is deeply embedded in workplace behaviour. There is a concept of "reading the air" (空気を読む), which refers to sensing the unspoken context of a situation and responding appropriately. In this environment, even sending a message on Teams could feel intrusive, especially when directed at someone senior. They may be in a call, deep diving into focused work or have more urgent matters to deal with.

The hesitation isn't inefficiency, but a form of consideration and respect.

In such settings, tools like employee location apps, showing who is sitting where in the office, can help lower the barriers of social interaction. They reduce the need to send a message just to check if someone is in, and they allow employees to gauge availability without interrupting.

In cultures where hierarchy and social awareness are deeply embedded, this kind of passive visibility supports more considerate communication. When a client recently questioned the value of this - "Why not just ask?" - it highlighted the common assumption that communication is always easy, direct and culturally neutral.

Of course, the goal is to create an atmosphere where people feel empowered to reach out to anyone. Change takes time, and thoughtful design of both the physical and digital, can help bridge the gap. Recognising how cultural nuances shape workplace experience is the first step to building environments that are not only functional but inclusive.