Exploring perspectives of cultural differences in the workplace

Communication is a key component to the success of multicultural teams. Misunderstanding of nonverbal behaviors is a problem that results in communication breakdown, potentially reducing team efficiency and productivity. The conceptual frameworks of culture, communication, and cultural dimensions informed this research, exploring how organization leaders can understand Nigerian nonverbal language contributing to cultural intelligence, enhancing productivity, and communication in the U.S. workplace. The question guiding this phenomenological research focused on strategies organization leaders and managers may implement to understand Nigerian nonverbal behaviors that could influence workplace productivity. Semistructured face-to-face interviews with 20 Nigerian immigrant professionals in Georgia provided the data about lived workplace experiences. Using Moustakas's modified van Kaam data analysis techniques, data were compiled in two primary themes and subthemes using Excel; the two themes were effective communication and increasing team productivity. Ninety-five percent of this study's participants ascribed nonverbal behaviors to culture, and 85% of the participants revealed cultural conflict affected their productivity. This study's findings revealed that a lack of effective communication resulted in conflicts, low employee morale, missed opportunities, reduced productivity, and lack of trust. The results of this study may contribute to positive social change by enabling organization leaders and managers to improve communication and team participation and to support organizational initiatives on cultural assimilation among multicultural business teams and leaders, resulting in increased productivity.