In the second part of Ogo Ogbata's series on engaging people of diverse ethnicities, she looks at ways companies can inspire confidence in employees of all ethnicities.
Initial pleasantries aside, how can managers get the best out of today's ethnically diverse workforce? We all know that socio-cultural differences can cause conflict in the workplace - leading to bullying and withdrawal, frequent short-term absence as well as reduced productivity. During recent discussions with one of my career coaching clients, I noticed that she was reluctant to apply for work at a certain company despite the good rates of pay advertised. When I cut through the superficial excuses, this client confessed that she didn't want to work in that particular organisation because the staff was predominantly Polish. She worried that she would feel isolated and discriminated against despite being white and English. Her fear is very real and so far it is taking a lot to change her point of view. Which begs the question, 'How do managers tame stereotype and prejudice within their teams?' 'How do they boost and balance team morale so that 'ethnic minorities' don't feel insignificant and the dominant culture doesn't feel threatened by so called 'positive discrimination?'
"Management may need to be trained on the peculiarities of said cultures and taught how to break down this newfound knowledge into accessible chunks before cascading it to their teams."It all boils down to effective communication and education. Companies with a sizeable number of Asian and African employees may need to learn afresh about those cultures (preferably from trainers who hail from those cultures as opposed to those who have merely gleaned their knowledge from condescending textbooks). Management may need to be trained on the peculiarities of said cultures and taught how to break down this newfound knowledge into accessible chunks before cascading it to their teams. For example, it may be helpful to learn that in many parts of Africa, raising one's voice during a discussion and gesturing with the hands (even tapping the other party on the shoulder or arm) is more expressive than aggressive. On the other hand, staring a superior (read boss) straight in the eye is considered not forthright but rude. Age is another landmine for those of African or Asian origin hence what some may see as casual office banter could unintentionally cause offence amongst differing age groups. Equally, the non-English workforce may need soft skills training that expose the nuances of the host culture e.g. the impact of body language and the need to be less expressive in certain public situations. Knowledge dispels fear. Had the afore-mentioned organisation found ways to encourage integration between the dominantly Polish workforce and the rest of the employees, it wouldn't repel ideal job candidates despite a generous advertising spend.
The 'bottom line' demands contribution from across the board. Break-out and brainstorming sessions are an excellent opportunity for companies to discover and engage in-house talent rather than fritter away time on amusing games. For example, if a company is struggling to attract new customers, trainers can help devise interesting and interactive ways for employees to solve this 'hypothetical' problem rather than asking attendees to spend half an hour tossing balls across the room. Global perspective can be engaged via effective questioning techniques e.g. 'How does issue XYZ manifest in a different country or continent? How would this problem be solved differently in your native culture? What can be done differently here?' Appraisals and personal development plans should take each individual's cultural background into consideration and encourage employees to take robust responsibility for creating positive change both for themselves and the organisation they work for. Jobs are now a scarce commodity after all.
So, think about your own organisation. Have you got the right mix of people? Are you inspiring confidence in employees of all ethnicities? Is there conflict as a result of socio-cultural disparity? Are you maximising in-house talent and creativity? It's never too late to do things differently...
Previous articles:
How to engage people of diverse ethnicities in today's global economy: Part 1
Ogo Ogbata provides training, coaching and consulting services via her company Creativity and Sense Limited. Author of the business book titled 'Creativity and Sense: Discover Purpose, Inspire Your Team and Turn Passion into Prosperity!' she is passionate about helping professionals and organisations to make the most of their creativity and overall potential. Find out more about her and her work at: www.ogoogbata.com and www.creativityandsense.com
