IDEXX LPD COMMUNICATION AND INTERNATIONAL CULTURE
Based on my observation during 6 first weeks, I realized that employees in IDEXX communicate in an informal, casual, comfortable and honest way. IDEXX LPD, especially the LPD Marketing team is so international and working hybrid, with employees based over over the world. I feel I belong to this working environment and am enthusiastic to tell as well as express my opinion any time I would like. I have no difficulty communicating with other colleagues since their English is good and they make me feel that they are here to listen to me, give me chance to make mistake and improve for the better!
Communication tool: Outlook (formal), Teams (both formal and informal, meetings), Sharepoint (documents), Intradexx (the intranet)
1. High and Low Context Communication: explicitness and directness vs implicitness and indirectness of communication
IDEXX exactly belongs to the Low Context Communication style which means that messages are conveyed using explicit language and detailed explanations. The communicator provides all the necessary information to ensure that the message is easily understood by the recipient. In fact, IDEXX’s employees come from different countries all over the world, including individualistic societies and collective societies, so everyone is trying to communicate as clearly and concisely as possible.
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My close colleagues, Angel (Indonesian) and Kristina (German), are a great example of a low-context communicator. Whenever they assign tasks, they always makes it clear what needs to be done and the division of responsibilities. Since Kristina is working totally remotely (from German), she always expresses her expectation in words and in a call with me. I can also comprehend her messages based solely on words/ texts/ comments in the documents, which are direct, detailed and understandable enough. Sometimes, she shows her (dis)satisfaction via non-verbal communication, especially facial expression when she tries to explain as much and detailed as possible to me in the meeting when I proposed the idea for the dinner theme for IDEXX Bern visit. That being said, I can totally get her advice and feedback without any confusion. Another example is my communication with Marta (Polish). Most of the time, when I ask her a question, she will answer me about what she knows and make sure I understand her until the conversation ends, which happens both face-to-face and through text.
2. Fast and Slow Messages: fast versus slow speed in which messages are decoded
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Messages are fast-decoded among our team, or at least among me and other colleagues that I worked with. For example, the my department work closely with the Sales team. We are working, sharing and updating with each other to complete a specific campaign/ event. Tasks are discussed and divided in the meeting. By this way, we can know who to contact when we need help or further information. We always use Outlook for any updates. Personally, I work almost with Angel and Marta, so we can have a quick call whenever we want to ask, update and report anything. Fast message helps me save time to finalize my task since I first deeply understand what my colleagues expect from me, which is the leveraging step for my next one, researching the right source and completing the task with flying colors.
3. Fast and Slow Information Flow: compartmentalized controlled/planned information flow (slow) versus free (fast) information flow
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Although messages and solutions are fast conveyed, IDEXX’s information flow tends to be compartmentalized, controlled/ planned. On my first day at work, I received the laptop without any accessories (mouse, headset, and extra keyboards), which needed to be approved by my manager (Matthijs) before I could pick them up.
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In general, information within IDEXX can flow downward, from high-level managers to team leaders, then team leaders will share instructions or information with lower-level employees; or upward, such as I report my accomplishments directly, to my close colleagues (Kristina, Angel and Marta) and they will report to my company coach (Matthijs) or I can also report directly to him.
4. Action Chains: difference in steps required and sequence of steps needed to reach a goal
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At IDEXX, I learned how different cultures approach tasks through what’s known as “Action Chains” - the steps and sequence required to reach a goal. For example, colleagues from Germany or the Netherlands often follow a direct, structured approach with clear steps and quick execution, whereas I come from a background that values more context and indirect communication. This sometimes caused mismatches in expectations, especially when I didn’t update progress frequently. To adapt, I adjusted my workflow by breaking tasks into clearer steps, proactively communicating updates, and setting regular check-ins with colleagues like Angel and Marta. This helped me align better with their working style and improved team collaboration.