Strengthening Remote Collaboration through Cross-Cultural Communication Training

Background

Our client is a fast-growing company offering an open-source headless content management system, with headquarters in San Francisco and a fully remote, globally distributed workforce.

The People Operations Director, based in Poland, approached us to support internal communication across their diverse team. Her goal was to foster greater empathy among employees and help them adapt to one another’s preferred communication styles in a remote-first environment.

The Challenge

With employees located in over a dozen countries across Europe, North America, South America, the Middle East, and Africa—and nationalities spanning more than 20 countries—this team reflects a broad spectrum of cultural backgrounds, perspectives, and communication norms.

Key considerations included:

• Employees do not use email or phone calls; all internal communication happens via Slack
• Online meetings always require video to be switched on, to enhance visibility and connection
• A strong desire to align communication behaviours with the company’s values, encouraging inclusion, respect, and psychological safety

Our Solution

We designed and delivered a tailored Cross-Cultural Communication training programme for 75 employees, divided into three cohorts. Each cohort participated in two interactive online sessions of two hours each.

Session 1: Understanding Cultural Dimensions of Communication

• The Iceberg Model of Culture: surfacing unseen cultural influences on behaviour
• Human Universals: finding common ground as a basis for empathy
• Understanding Perspectives: developing self-awareness and recognising how we are perceived
• Using Global English: promoting clarity and inclusiveness in written and spoken communication
• Cultural Communication Styles: exploring high vs low context, direct vs indirect styles, and non-verbal cues

Session 2: Building Trust and Managing Remote Discussions

• Establishing Rapport Remotely: techniques for connection and trust-building
• Respectful and Sensitive Communication: balancing clarity with cultural awareness
• Active Listening and Inclusion: strategies to ensure all voices are heard
• Handling Disagreement Constructively: managing difficult conversations in a collaborative way
• Practical Integration: work-related case studies, links to company values, and personal action planning

Outcomes

• Increased awareness of cultural influences on communication
• Improved ability to adapt communication styles for clarity and respect
• Shared best practices for effective collaboration using digital tools
• Personal action plans to embed learning into day-to-day communication

Client Feedback

The People Operations Director described the training as “insightful and highly relevant,” highlighting the practical, real-world focus and the opportunity for employees to reflect and grow together. Participants left with new strategies and a stronger foundation for inclusive and effective global collaboration.