Intercultural stressors and team innovative behaviour: the role of coping strategies in multicultural workplaces

Abstract

Purpose This study aims to examine the effect of intercultural stressors – stemming from racial discrimination, language barriers and cultural value conflicts – on team innovative behaviours in multicultural workplaces. It also explores the way the employees cope with these intercultural stressors to enhance their innovation behaviours. Design/methodology/approach Quantitative methodology was deemed to be suitable based on the deductive nature of the study. Structural equation modelling was conducted on data collected from 540 randomly selected participants from different European countries through an online questionnaire. These participants primarily work in multicultural teams in construction industry, providing a diverse sample for analysis. Findings The results revealed a significant negative relationship between intercultural stressors and team innovative behaviour, confirming the direct effect of stressors on team outcomes. However, problem-focused coping did not mediate this relationship, as there was no significant association between stressors and problem-focused coping, nor between problem-focused coping and innovation. On the other hand, emotion- and relation-focused coping strategies were found to play the role of a mediator, helping teams overcome the negative effects of intercultural stressors. Practical implications Organizations can enhance team innovation by highlighting the importance for the employees of being culturally knowledgeable and sensitive, in addition to promoting emotion- and relation-focused coping strategies among employees to manage intercultural stressors. Practical steps include fostering open communication about cultural challenges and creating supportive environments that emphasize relationship-building and emotional support among team members, as well as providing cultural sensitivity training to employees. Originality/value This study adds to the limited literature on how intercultural stressors influence innovation in diverse teams, highlighting the critical role of coping strategies. The findings offer empirical support for the importance of emotion- and relation-focused coping, particularly in multicultural settings, and extend the discussion on how teams can maintain innovation amidst cultural challenges. Keywords Intercultural stressors, Team innovative behaviour, Problem-focused coping strategy, Emotion-focused coping strategy, Relation-focused coping strategy