Accommodating Arabs: Exploring Overseas Filipino Health Workers' Communication Strategies for Effective Intercultural Communication

Abstract

Saudi Arabia is one of the biggest beneficiaries of the Philippines’ migrant healthcare workforce. Within Saudi-based healthcare organizations, Overseas Filipino Healthcare Workers (HCWs) interact with Saudi HCWs in a process known as intercultural communication. In line with this, the study sought to understand how Overseas Filipino HCWs use accommodation strategies in multicultural healthcare organizations in Al Khobar, Saudi Arabia to facilitate effective intercultural communication with their Saudi coworkers. Using Geert Hofstede’s Cultural Dimensions Model and the Communication Accommodation Theory as a guide, the study used the phenomenological qualitative research method as its research design. Data were collected from eight (8) Filipino HCWs through semi-structured online interviews and analyzed using Paul Colaizzi’s Seven-step Descriptive Phenomenological Technique. Findings revealed that Filipino HCWs perceive differences between Filipinos’ and Saudis’ cultural values and mindset, which manifest in their interactions in the form of linguistic and cultural barriers. Then, they overcome these barriers using the appropriate language, sound, or action-based accommodation strategy, which leads to both interpersonal and intrapersonal outcomes. Hence, these findings demonstrate that Filipino HCWs undergo a process when facilitating intercultural communication: they evaluate cultural differences, encounter communication barriers, overcome barriers through accommodation strategies, and reap the outcomes.