Manajemen Konflik Antar Budaya di PR Agency Multinasional

Abstract

Abstract. In the context of globalization and cross-border collaboration, cultural differences pose significant challenges to organizational communication, including within multinational Public Relations (PR) agencies. This study examines how intercultural conflicts are managed in the work environments of Vero Indonesia and Vero Thailand, two branches of a multinational PR agency in Southeast Asia. The study aims to identify conflict resolution strategies, employee adaptation patterns, and solutions to intercultural communication barriers. A phenomenological approach was employed to explore the subjective experiences of employees influenced by cultural values such as kreng jai, power distance, and uncertainty avoidance. A qualitative method was applied through in-depth interviews with three informants from both countries. The findings indicate that cross-cultural communication conflicts more frequently emerge as subtle coordination disruptions—such as message misinterpretation, differences in work pace, and variations in authority structures—rather than through open confrontation. Employees address these challenges through synchronous communication, output visualization, observation of communication styles, and cross-branch coordination escalation. Self-adaptation is understood as a process of developing empathy and professional flexibility, while cultural diversity is perceived as an organizational strength that enriches cross-border collaboration.

Abstrak. Dalam konteks globalisasi dan kerja lintas negara, perbedaan budaya menjadi tantangan nyata dalam komunikasi organisasi, termasuk di industri Public Relations (PR) agency multinasional. Penelitian ini mengkaji bagaimana konflik antar budaya dikelola di lingkungan kerja Vero Indonesia dan Vero Thailand, dua cabang agensi PR multinasional di Asia Tenggara. Tujuan penelitian adalah mengidentifikasi strategi penyelesaian konflik, pola adaptasi karyawan, serta solusi terhadap hambatan komunikasi antar budaya. Pendekatan fenomenologi digunakan untuk menggali pengalaman subjektif karyawan yang dipengaruhi nilai-nilai budaya seperti kreng jai, power distance, dan uncertainty avoidance. Metode kualitatif diterapkan melalui wawancara mendalam kepada tiga informan dari kedua negara. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa konflik komunikasi lintas budaya lebih sering muncul sebagai gangguan koordinasi halus—salah interpretasi pesan, perbedaan ritme kerja, dan struktur otoritas—ketimbang konfrontasi terbuka. Karyawan mengatasinya melalui komunikasi sinkron, visualisasi output, observasi gaya komunikasi, dan eskalasi koordinasi lintas cabang. Adaptasi diri dimaknai sebagai pembelajaran empati dan fleksibilitas profesional, sementara keberagaman budaya dipandang sebagai kekuatan organisasi yang memperkaya kolaborasi lintas negara.