Help! Businesses are going global!
THIS PLEA may sound contradictory in itself. After all, everything seems hunky-dory as markets expand big-time and cross international frontiers too. Even the most die-hard pessimist cannot find anything heart-rending in this propitious, win-win scenario.
Well, engrossed as they are in the mêlée to capture global markets, many organisations fail to see that they are taking on board a diverse workforce too. In fact, the world has become a small place, what with people belonging to different races, ethnicity, religion and nationality working together under one roof. The sanguine situation turns hostile as diverse people literally step on each other's toes setting the stage for clash of cultures, which could translate into discrimination lawsuits.
This is just the tip of the iceberg as companies blindly send executives on overseas assignments only to see them return before the scheduled time, dejected by the inevitable cultural differences. This is corroborated by recent surveys, which state that one in seven people invariably fail in their international assignments.
So, is there hope for diversity to flourish or will this fad die a slow death?
Well, as the legendary adage goes, `In the midst of every difficulty, lies great opportunity'. The odds stacked against an organisation could be turned around to its advantage by arming the employees with the requisite competencies to rise to the challenges. As Roosevelt Thomas, executive director of the American Institute for Managing Diversity in Atlanta, says, `The goal of managing diversity is to develop our capacity to accept, incorporate and empower the diverse human talents'.
Intensive diversity training programmes and workshops that celebrate multiculturalism are the order of the day. And, an inclusive workplace strategy involves a two-pronged approach.
On the home turf
Cross-cultural training helps combat the complexities of a modern-day diverse world where a seemingly harmless ethnic joke acquires discriminatory connotations and could invite the wrath of the law too. When divergent viewpoints on everything, from completing tasks, solving problems and resolving disputes, could potentially throw a spanner in the works, holistic and customised training can help reconcile the striking differences in communication, reasoning and relationships.
It augments people's awareness, understanding and appreciation of cultural differences so that they work and live harmoniously. The hands-on training, laced with real-world examples, helps them overcome their prejudices and stereotypes thereby building rapport, trust, respect and unity.
Testing foreign waters
Employees on international assignments need extensive training and support so that they do not commit any cultural faux pas. It also helps them overcome the teething troubles that have to be surmounted while working in a foreign country. A proactive diversity initiative should not only encompass the foreign-bound employee, but his family too.
A typical sojourner training plan involves a diagnostic session with the employee and his family to ascertain their cross-cultural effectiveness and formulate a personalised strategy to enhance their adaptability. Such customised counselling improves their understanding of the new people, surroundings, business culture, customs, values and practices in the destination country. Survival tips build cultural flexibility helping them adjust and adapt to the alien business and living conventions.
Finally, diversity-compatibility is a vital soft skill that increases employee knowledge of and sensitivity to diversity issues thus synthesising them into a harmonious whole. Therefore, organisations can employ a diversity professional (trainer or consultant) to arm their workforce beforehand.
THIS PLEA may sound contradictory in itself. After all, everything seems hunky-dory as markets expand big-time and cross international frontiers too. Even the most die-hard pessimist cannot find anything heart-rending in this propitious, win-win scenario.
Well, engrossed as they are in the mêlée to capture global markets, many organisations fail to see that they are taking on board a diverse workforce too. In fact, the world has become a small place, what with people belonging to different races, ethnicity, religion and nationality working together under one roof. The sanguine situation turns hostile as diverse people literally step on each other's toes setting the stage for clash of cultures, which could translate into discrimination lawsuits.
This is just the tip of the iceberg as companies blindly send executives on overseas assignments only to see them return before the scheduled time, dejected by the inevitable cultural differences. This is corroborated by recent surveys, which state that one in seven people invariably fail in their international assignments.
So, is there hope for diversity to flourish or will this fad die a slow death?
Well, as the legendary adage goes, `In the midst of every difficulty, lies great opportunity'. The odds stacked against an organisation could be turned around to its advantage by arming the employees with the requisite competencies to rise to the challenges. As Roosevelt Thomas, executive director of the American Institute for Managing Diversity in Atlanta, says, `The goal of managing diversity is to develop our capacity to accept, incorporate and empower the diverse human talents'.
Intensive diversity training programmes and workshops that celebrate multiculturalism are the order of the day. And, an inclusive workplace strategy involves a two-pronged approach.
On the home turf
Cross-cultural training helps combat the complexities of a modern-day diverse world where a seemingly harmless ethnic joke acquires discriminatory connotations and could invite the wrath of the law too. When divergent viewpoints on everything, from completing tasks, solving problems and resolving disputes, could potentially throw a spanner in the works, holistic and customised training can help reconcile the striking differences in communication, reasoning and relationships.
It augments people's awareness, understanding and appreciation of cultural differences so that they work and live harmoniously. The hands-on training, laced with real-world examples, helps them overcome their prejudices and stereotypes thereby building rapport, trust, respect and unity.
Testing foreign waters
Employees on international assignments need extensive training and support so that they do not commit any cultural faux pas. It also helps them overcome the teething troubles that have to be surmounted while working in a foreign country. A proactive diversity initiative should not only encompass the foreign-bound employee, but his family too.
A typical sojourner training plan involves a diagnostic session with the employee and his family to ascertain their cross-cultural effectiveness and formulate a personalised strategy to enhance their adaptability. Such customised counselling improves their understanding of the new people, surroundings, business culture, customs, values and practices in the destination country. Survival tips build cultural flexibility helping them adjust and adapt to the alien business and living conventions.
Finally, diversity-compatibility is a vital soft skill that increases employee knowledge of and sensitivity to diversity issues thus synthesising them into a harmonious whole. Therefore, organisations can employ a diversity professional (trainer or consultant) to arm their workforce beforehand.
PAYAL AGARWAL
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