Exploring Indonesian Student Interns’ Motivation and Communication Strategies in English-Mediated Workplace Interactions in Taiwan

Abstract

International internship programs expose International internship programs place students in multilingual workplaces where effective communication requires both language competence and adaptive communication strategies. However, limited research has examined how Indonesian student interns navigate English-mediated workplace communication in Taiwan. This qualitative case study investigated the motivations and communication strategies of five Indonesian student interns from the hospitality, food service, and manufacturing sectors. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and analyzed using Braun and Clarke’s thematic analysis. The findings revealed four major themes: (1) intrinsic and extrinsic motivation to communicate, (2) communication barriers in multilingual workplaces, (3) communication strategies, including code-switching, translation applications, gestures, and support from bilingual coworkers, and (4) communication development through increased confidence, language growth, and workplace adaptation. The findings indicate that successful workplace communication depends not only on language proficiency but also on learners’ motivation and their ability to employ flexible communication strategies. This study contributes to the literature on English-mediated workplace communication and international internships while offering practical implications for preparing students for multilingual professional environments.