Cross-cultural communication is something we’re good at here in Australia. Census results tell us that more than 75% of residents identify with an ancestry other than Australian, with 2% having Indigenous backgrounds, 30% born in another country and 8.5% born in non-English speaking countries. Then here are the 200 plus languages we speak, ranging from Chinese to Australian Creole.
We might be diverse, but there are common facts that most Australians can agree upon. Our fantastic weather, amazing beaches and love of sports like rugby and surfing serves to unify most of us, even when we don’t seem to have anything else in common. As Bill Bryson famously said of his visit to Australia, “the people are immensely likeable, cheerful, extrovert, quick-witted, and unfailingly obliging…They have a society that is prosperous, well-ordered, and instinctively egalitarian.”
When you start working with a Virtual Assistant who might be based in another country such as the Philippines, you may find that your communication struggles a little at first. Many clients who hire a Virtual Assistant through VAssistme Australia tend to come back to us with similar experiences, not realising at most issues come more from cultural misunderstandings more than anything else.
With this trend in mind, we’ve compiled a list of solutions to some of the most common problems you might experience when communicating with your new Virtual Assistant:
Your Problem: “My Virtual Assistant isn’t proactive”
Do you feel like your Virtual Assistant only ever does what is strictly asked and never seems to take the initiative to do something by themselves? The Philippines has more of a reactive culture in the workplace, as opposed to a proactive one we encourage here in Australia. ‘Pakikisama’ is a common cultural trait of Filipinos which emphasises going with the flow and being agreeable. This doesn’t mean that they avoid innovation or change, it just means that when it comes to communication, they would rather do the job you ask and get it right rather than offer suggestions or step outside the box.
Our Solution: Talk more
All it takes is a simple conversation to help your Virtual Assistant understand that you want them to take the wheel more often. Explain to them that you operate at different time zones and therefore they cannot wait for your approval on everything. Make it clear for them with a list of things they can proceed with, even without your feedback and a list of things you want to personally sign off on. Remember that we allow you to monitor your Virtual Assistant’s screen remotely so you can check up on them if you have any concerns about specific processes.
• Your Problem: “My Virtual Assistant doesn’t communicate with me enough”
We often forget that Australian workplaces tend to encourage a flattened hierarchy and communication across all employee levels. In the Philippines, many workplaces still operate on a rigid formal structure with communication trickling from the top to the bottom and not vice versa. Your Virtual Assistant will assume you aren’t interested in making small talk or communicating often, only that you will give instructions to be followed, or that their feedback would not be considered. This can cause them to bottle up their frustrations and problems and make communication levels worse.
Our Solution: Set the tone
It’s up to you to set the tone of the relationship you will have with your Virtual Assistant. They will take cues from how you interact with them to match your behaviour, as Filipino culture prizes the principle of ‘Bayanihan’, which emphasises working together towards a common goal. If you are worried that your Virtual Assistant may be unhappy about something, set up a weekly meeting specifically to deal with any workplace concerns. You can also encourage that they email you their concerns as this alleviates that feeling of “confronting the boss” and encourages a considered flow of ideas.
Your Problem: “My Virtual Assistant doesn’t like me”
If you feel like your Virtual Assistant is being rude, we often need to remind Clients that most Filipinos are actually polite to a fault which can come across as rudeness. In fact, the nation has been nominated as one of the most polite countries in the world. The Filipino word ‘tampo’ can describe the perceived rudeness in Filipino culture. This word, which has no English equivalent, describes withdrawing and expressing unhappiness in a culture that strongly discourages expressions of frustrations or anger, by merely being silent or unresponsive.
Our Solution: Break the Ice
Break the ice with your Virtual Assistant by asking about their families, and avoiding controversial topics such as religion or politics. Sharing anecdotes about your own family can also go a long way to thaw out a chilly conversation. Filipinos are accustomed to sharing personal details such as age and marital status as a means of making conversation, so don’t take it as rudeness if you are asked these questions. Family is deeply ingrained in the Filipino culture so encourage as much talk as possible to develop your relationship with your VA.
Getting to know your Virtual Assistant is a learning curve that will turn out to work in your favour. Take each curve a day at a time and you’ll soon find you have a lot in common with them, after all!
