A special intercultural situation arises in the context of an appointment in a public authority. In communication between the client and the authority worker, both have different roles. These can be characterised by an asymmetrical power relationship:
The public authority employee has expert knowledge and decision-making powers. The client on the other hand is a layperson. He/she often does not know the specific procedures and regulations and is dependent on the decision of the employee. A decision can be of great importance for him/her. In some cases, this even leads to the client's communication being accompanied by uncertainty or even fear. As a result, those affected sometimes react with speechlessness or react differently than the authority employee expected. A lack of language skills can also be an obstacle. This can be reinforced by legal wording and other technical language. The knowledge and skills of public authority employees and the client differ. While the client knows his/her case, the authority worker has expertise. The employees know the laws and procedures as well as their own room for manoeuvre. The client, on the other hand, is confronted with technical terms and the written form of the documents.
The asymmetry of power as well as the "official language" can be particularly challenging for the clients, especially for people whose native language is not German. They make it difficult to convey important information and make communication more prone to misunderstandings.
How can the authority's employees meet the challenges and break down barriers?
Technical terms can be avoided or explained in conversation. In addition, in direct contact with the client, gestures and facial expressions can be used consciously. At the same time, it is helpful to pay attention to these in your counterpart. They often reveal whether the subject matter was understood by the recipient. If there is uncertainty as to whether this is the case, the content can be repeated or a question can be asked. In addition, there are working guides that can support the conversation with visual material.
On the webpage "Leichte Sprache" [Plain Language] we present various publications that show you different ways in which language can be made easier for the sender to understand.
People from different countries of origin have had different experiences with authorities. Arbitrariness, threats and bribery can also be part of their experiences. Being aware of this can prevent possible confusions. It may be the case that clients are not aware of the legal regulations and procedures of the authority. This can make communication difficult. By explaining their procedures to the client, public officials can prevent misunderstandings and disagreements.
What makes for successful communication?
Public authority employees and clients pursue different goals. The public authority employee wants to provide a service as efficiently as possible in accordance with applicable regulations and laws. The clients pursue a specific concern. Achieving this can come with enormous pressure for them. Their further life path may even depend on the fulfilment of the request
Both staff and clients want to achieve their specific goals. But not every request can be fulfilled. Successful communication can nevertheless be ensured if the two parties treat each other with respect, friendliness and understanding. It is important for clients to be given sufficient time to present their concerns and explain their situation. Non-German native speakers sometimes suffer from inhibitions due to their language difficulties. You can find out how staff can support clients to overcome inhibitions on our webpage on "migration-sensitive counselling". At the same time, authority employees expect understanding for their work and compliance with deadlines and instructions (e.g. bringing certain documents, providing the requisite information). It is therefore necessary for both sides to be responsive to each other and to take the appropriate amount of time to consider the facts. This can reduce the overall workload and minimise stress.
Measures to improve communication also serve the "intercultural opening" of an institution. This includes the provision of interpreters, multilingualism of the authority's staff and information materials. These measures are also assigned to the field of diversity management.
*In some institutions, such as the job centre and the Employment Agency, the term "client", which is used in the business world, is commonly used.