Globalization and the proliferation of technology in workplaces have led to the establishment of virtual teams. The growth of virtual teams is projected to continue. 

A June 2021 Harvard Business Review article states that “89 percent of white-collar workers ‘at least occasionally’ complete projects in global virtual teams (GVTs), where team members are dispersed around the planet and rely on online tools for communication.”

Similarly, the 2022 Bureau of Labor Statistics Report stated that 34% of U.S. workers were in remote work. 

A critical and largely overlooked issue during virtual meetings is the lack of knowledge and comprehension of cultural disparities among team members. According to Andy Molinsky at Brandeis University, “American companies have been ‘global’ for a very long time now. But many people inside companies still misperceive and misunderstand cultural differences.”

 Often, the organizers of virtual meetings prioritize technical and scheduling issues while overlooking the impact of cultural disparities, a phenomenon referred to as cultural blindness.

What is Cultural Blindness?

Cultural blindness, a social and psychological concept, refers to a lack of awareness and recognition of cultural differences within groups. This oversight leads to the imposition of the dominant group’s values, beliefs and modes of conduct onto others. 

This concept is best explained by an example of racial color blindness, where individuals argue they don’t see race, so they treat people of all races in the exact same way.

Likewise, cultural blindness enforces a standardized set of values and behavioral expectations on all team members, disregarding their cultural diversity, ethics, and beliefs. 

Cultural blindness happens when individuals or organizations highlight the commonalities and uniformity of team members while neglecting their differences. They adopt standardized policies, inadvertently and unintentionally promoting and perpetuating cultural blindness. 

Factors Affecting Cultural Blindness 

A lack of comprehensive scientific data makes it difficult to quantify its effect. Yet, a few research studies have analyzed this issue and drawn some generalizations. 

• Supervising Virtual Teams: Effectively supervising and communicating with virtual teams can be challenging because of their diverse social, cultural and ethical backgrounds. 
• Challenges in Establishing Trust: Building trust is vital to successful partnership and team building. Cultivating trust among team members who might not have face-to-face interactions can be challenging.  
• Ethnocentrism and Implicit Bias: The tendency to view one’s culture as superior and stereotyping others can create misgivings and hinder productivity. These issues are prevalent when teams based in their home country attempt to impose their viewpoints and operational approaches on members from other locations. 
• Communication Challenges: Team members from diverse backgrounds may have specific verbal and non-verbal communication preferences. Thus, it may be problematic for others to understand the subtleties of their colleagues’ communication styles and actions. 

Overcoming Cultural Blindness in Virtual Teams

Effective collaboration within virtual teams can be achieved, and cultural blindness can be addressed, by applying the following strategies:

• Incorporate Inclusive Rather Than Task-oriented Leadership: In their Harvard Business Review article, Bourke and Titus highlight that leadership accounts for up to a 70% difference in sense of inclusion. The primary characteristics of inclusive leadership are visible commitment, humility, awareness of bias, curiosity about others and cultural intelligence. 
• Build Intercultural Competence: Virtual team members must acknowledge and respect that diverse communication styles, values and beliefs of individuals from other cultures impact the dynamics of cross-cultural teams. 
• Manage Time Zone Variations: In addition to being mindful of time zone disparities when scheduling virtual meetings, it is essential to consider the specific days of the week employees work, their work hours and the holidays they observe.
• Deal with Conflicts: Handling conflicts in a culturally diverse workplace can present multiple challenges. Conflicts can be prevented by conducting regular team meetings, providing opportunities to express concerns, creating shared online workspaces and celebrating collective achievements. 
• Implement Cross-Cultural Training: The primary aim should be to encourage cultural sensitivities, appreciation, empathy and respect for diverse perspectives while minimizing the risk of cultural insensitivities in team building and collaborative efforts. 
• Enhance Communication: Virtual teams often struggle with communication due to the lack of face-to-face interactions. Misinterpretation of messages, delays in responses, and difficulty in building rapport are some of the common issues.  

There are multiple challenges in virtual teams. Embracing cultural diversity enhances teamwork and produces innovative and productive solutions. Ultimately, by prioritizing cultural awareness, organizations can forge stronger connections, build trust and unlock the full potential of global collaboration in the virtual age.