Introduction

A powerful personal story that expresses the difficulties and an unintended consequence of an event or action, especially an unwelcome one of communication barriers. It is particularly in a multicultural setting which is highlighted in the article. The emotional and professional effects of misunderstandings, office politics, practices and cultural differences are all skillfully communicated.

The incident was shared directly by the affected individual on their social media account. We’re presenting it here exactly as she described it. Since it’s a real-life story, it will good not to mention the names of the country, individuals, or company involved.

A True Incident of Communication Gap

My personal journey highlights just how challenging it can be to adapt and communicate effectively in a completely new environment. I found a part-time job as an international student in a restaurant where I was not able to speak the local language well. I thought that my preparation, practices and dedication encourage me to continue this job and I thought that my readiness would be sufficient. However, it turned out that overcoming linguistic and cultural obstacles presented me difficulties that I hadn't expected.

At the end of 2024, I had a new experience that helped me better understand the importance of communication. I was a student pursuing a master’s degree in a region near the Baltic Sea, close to Finland and Sweden. To cover my living expenses, I worked part-time in a restaurant similar to KFC or McDonald’s. Although I spoke English fluently, it wasn’t my native language. I was only familiar with the local language’s alphabet and able to spell out words. But I don’t know the words meaning. It is noted that this region focused high value on their native language, and if one’s career wasn’t tied to English, the local people didn’t see the need to learn it.

Most of my colleagues were local residents or from neighboring countries, and everyone spoke the local language—except me. This created challenges when it came to understanding instructions and suggestion a workplace where everything was written in the native tongue. Despite that, I managed to learn a lot by observing others, asking questions, using gestures, and depending on translators. By my fourth month, I had adapted reasonably well in this environment.

In late December, my higher manager sent me a message through another supervisor who is in basic English speaker. This supervisor had very limited English skills, struggled with passive voice, narration, English words and often misunderstood complex sentences. Although we sometimes shared light conversations, communication which wasn’t always smooth.

There are around nine to ten days of public holidays from the end of December to the first week of January. The restaurant therefore required workers who were capable of managing all duties on their own, someone who was adaptable and knowledgeable in all fields. Since hiring more employees would require paying double wages, they were unwilling to do so. Employers, of course, don't publicly acknowledge this. Actually, the law required double pay on public holidays, so the higher manager wanted everyone to be well-prepared. While I was comfortable with two sections—frying and preparing rolls—I wasn’t familiar with the third section (packaging chicken and handling cash) and the fourth section (making burgers). This was partly due to workplace politics. Some colleagues didn’t want me to become proficient in these tasks, fearing it might reduce their work hours or lead to other changes in their responsibilities.

When the supervisor delivered the higher manager’s message me that I needed to learn all tasks or I wouldn’t be allowed to work during the holidays, in this case I replied him that I was eager to learn. However, I explained that I rarely had the chance to work in the third and fourth sections, as senior colleagues handled those areas. I also mentioned that I didn’t want to upset my senior colleagues, since I had learned much from them. Unfortunately, the supervisor misunderstood me due to lack of his English knowledge. He didn’t ask me to clarify, and instead reported back to the higher manager that I wasn’t willing to work in those sections.

Later, the manager approached me with criticism, saying the director believed that I was slow at work and lacked sufficient skills. This was surprising for me, as the manager had previously observed and praised my dedication. Totally I was shocked. Apparently, the earlier misunderstanding had created this negative impression. But, some of my colleagues even defended me, raised the question why the higher manager was saying I am not performing well. Then the higher manager replied them, it was the director’s opinion, not her. It is noted that it was not actually director. It was she. Because when the supervisor who is basic English speaker told her about my comments then she could not take it well and simple. And, that’s why she urged me about my work.

Eventually, the supervisor who misunderstood me came back and apologized. He admitted me that the situation will become risky for me because the management now viewed me negatively. At that moment, I realized the whole problem stemmed from a communication gap. My concentration had been lost in that time, leaving me to face the consequences.

Two days later, at night, I was sending my weekly schedule to the higher manager via the social platform chat box. Usually, I send her my schedule at the end of the week in both English and the local language as text so she can understand it easily. During that conversation, I mentioned what I had told the supervisor earlier about learning the work. She acknowledged that I was doing well at my job.

So, this was a situation caused by miscommunication.

Conclusion

The victim’s last comments were it - Ultimately, the experience involved more than merely finishing a shift or picking up a new skill. It made me realize how crucial it is to communicate clearly wherever you are. I also realized that if miscommunications are not resolved right away, they might happen into more serious issues. Even if it wasn't always simple for me, this circumstance allowed me to develop in unexpected ways, and I sincerely appreciate that.