Cross Cultural differences in the workplace

The concept of Corporate Culture refers to a company's vision, values, goals, beliefs, attitudes and approaches in how it conducts business and manages its assets, in particular Human Resources.

A specific Corporate Culture reflects business objectives and strategies but, at the same time, should be receptive and proactive and adapt to changes and trends not only in the marketplace, but also in society at large.

Sometimes Corporate Culture in an organization is strongly associated with external qualities such as age, gender, race or ethnicity: if one has the right external characteristics she/he is accepted and can belong. In such Corporate Cultures there is little room for others to gain access and contribute to their fullest and the company limits its potential to grow its customer base and service a broader market.
In today's Canadian businesses, as part of a knowledge-based economy in an increasingly competitive global marketplace, the nature of the workplace has changed dramatically, reflecting more and more our multicultural society. Canadian Corporate Culture needs to change accordingly, becoming more adaptive and increasingly focused promoting and encouraging access, acceptance, participation and contribution.

And it is for that reason that cultural awareness and understanding cross-cultural differences in the workplace is crucial for a multicultural workforce to maximize its potential and for employers to fully benefit.

A Corporate Culture that embraces diversity to its full strength as an unlimited source of learning opportunities to improve services, products, better address their customers' needs and expand its horizons will definitely achieve an invaluable competitive business advantage.

In order to implement a successful ethnically and diverse Corporate Culture, it is important to avoid:
- Stereotyping, or generalizing about a particular ethnic group while ignoring individual differences. Often, differences between people within any given ethnicity, culture, country of origin, race, religion or gender are greater than differences between groups. Education, experiences, personality and values greatly determine individual attitudes and behavior.
- Discrimination or giving differential treatment to an individual based on her ethnicity, race, gender, age or religion.
- Cultural blindness or ignoring differences, being insensitive, non-accepting and even pretending that differences do not exist.
- Ethnocentrism or the inability to accept another culture's view, and believe and act as "my culture is right/my culture is the best".
- Cultural imposition or belief that everyone should conform in every aspect all the time to the culture of the "established majority".
On the other hand, for business executives, directors and particularly for HR managers willing to accomplish and successfully manage a diverse workforce that is sensitive to cross-cultural differences, it is recommended to:
- Have an open mind, be culturally-sensitive and willing to learn and expand their knowledge of other cultures.
- Be aware of language for meaning, avoid idioms, jargon and colloquial expressions that may lead to wrong interpretations, misunderstandings and conflicts.
- Respect cultural differences while embracing newly learned enriching experiences.
- Develop a clear process to promote collaboration on goals, responsibilities and accountabilities, as well as to encourage two-way dialogue for the purpose of building mutual understanding, trust, confidence and ultimately a better work environment and performance.

In today's Canadian business world, it is imperative to have a high level of personal and professional commitment to building a positive work environment, where everyone feels welcome, accepted and is willing to work together as a team to the best of their abilities, for the success of the company.

Dr. Yamil H. Alonso, Program Coordinator, The Brampton Board of Trade, Skills Without Borders. For more related information, visit www.skillswithoutborders.com.

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