On the opposite spectrum there's the experience I had at a Japanese company as a fluent but not native person. All communication happened in public, and I was made fun of whenever I had to ask clarifying questions. The entire team would see this and got the impression that I was hard to work with since asking questions can be seen as rude in Japanese, and the Japanese staff would understand things the first time around.
I wasn't disagreeing with you. I agree culture is the most important factor regardless. Maybe doing work in the open can exacerbate a toxic culture, but idk it was just one experience.
So you know, both cases happen.