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125 Examples of Communication Culture

John Spacey, updated on July 20, 2024

A communication culture is the set of communication norms, expectations and characteristics that prevail within a workplace culture. This includes the style of communication that dominates within an organization or team and other factors such as values and methods of communication. Communication culture can also involve cross-cultural communication and other communication challenges such as cross-functional communication. The following are common examples of a communication culture.

Communication Style

The prevailing or expected style of communication within a culture. Communication style includes opposites such as formal or informal, direct or indirect, transactional communication and relationship building that are common within the culture.

Communication Values

Principles that a culture recognizes that guide communication. These can related to fairness, ethics or the general effectiveness of communication. For example, the principle of courage in communication whereby you express brave ideas without fear of criticism.

Communication Climate

The general communication atmosphere within a culture. For example, a sales team that is competitive and slightly adversarial.

Communication Channels

The methods of communication that are commonly used within a culture. For example, a firm with a culture of face-to-face meetings versus a company with remote teams that rarely or never meet in person.

Communication Types

A workplace typically handles many types of communication and may adopt a different style and channel for each. For example, a firm that is friendly and patient with customers but its internal communications tend to be adversarial and political.

Cultural Communication

Communication between people from different backgrounds within a workplace. This commonly occurs within global companies or firms that have global partners and customers. Cultural communication can also apply to subtle differences in background such as cross-generational differences in communication norms and values.