If you believe that one of the keys to business success is through cultural understanding, then this blog is for you. While staying true to your own culture, working with others who may be different from you is essential. A robust cultural mindset helps companies recruit talented employees and remain competitive in today's global marketplace. Read on to learn more about why being culturally aware is key!
As companies strive to maintain profitability, they are increasingly becoming interested in cultural behaviour to recruit and retain talented employees across diverse backgrounds. A positive cultural mindset, which encourages an appreciation of different cultures, benefits companies on several levels.
While a multicultural workforce offers many advantages to the employer, such as improved employee diversity and flexibility, organisations must be aware of specific cultural and behavioural traits that could pose problems or lead to misunderstanding among co-workers. For example, in Japanese corporate culture, it is considered polite for employees not to assert themselves in the workplace. This differs from Australian business culture, where employees are expected to be assertive and ask questions if they do not understand something.
Cultural differences require companies to not only be aware of these behavioural traits, they should also take steps to promote cultural understanding among their employees. However, to foster a culturally aware workforce, there must be opportunities for employees to learn about different cultures so that they can adapt and 'pace' according to their roles at work.
Understanding Cultural Behaviour in the Workplace
To understand how cultural behaviour can affect a workplace, one must first look at some of the benefits of a culturally aware workforce. A diverse workforce can bring many advantages to employers. For example, employees with different cultures bring new ideas and attitudes to the workplace that can help solve organisational problems. Furthermore, diverse perspectives can help improve performance and creativity by promoting innovation.
In addition to providing advantages to companies, an understanding of cultural differences is essential when recruiting talented employees. By having an honest discussion about culture in the workplace with prospective candidates, an organisation can more easily determine whether they are a good fit for the company. In turn, candidates can decide whether or not they are a good fit within the organisation.
Differences in Cultural Behaviour
When it comes to recruiting and retaining talented employees, understanding behavioural norms across cultures is vital. In some cases, cultural differences may be extremely subtle. For example, in some Asian countries, it is considered polite for a team member to take notes on behalf of their boss during meetings. In some Australian workplaces this would be unthinkable, due to the distraction and perceived impoliteness. Companies must be aware of these subtleties in order to avoid communication issues rooted in misunderstanding.
In addition to being aware of subtle cultural differences, companies need to understand other cultures' various customs and behaviours. Furthermore, due to the social pressure on employees not to speak up in public settings, a business may have difficulty attracting and retaining high-performing employees who are accustomed to being vocal and assertive in the workplace.
Therefore, there must be honest discussions with prospective candidates about the company's expectations regarding cultural behaviour. This is particularly true of organisations that recruit internationally. A company may also need to provide its employees with cultural training to help them understand how to conduct business in other countries, since some countries have strict regulations regarding business practices. For example, in some countries, it's often expected that an employee will to negotiate their salary before accepting a job offer. In other countries, however, it's considered shameful to negotiate one's salary.
Cultural Awareness amongst teams in the Workplace
Employees must be mindful of other cultures, given the benefits of a culturally aware workforce. A multicultural workforce can create a positive environment for all employees and help ensure that every person is valued. Effective training programs can help improve an employee's cultural awareness by providing individuals with the skills necessary to work effectively with others from different backgrounds. By understanding cultural differences, companies can avoid many problems that may otherwise arise in the workplace, but promoting a tolerant and curious corporate culture.
In conclusion, being culturally aware benefits both the employee and the company. A company that is culturally aware can provide many advantages to an organisation. For instance, cultural awareness enables organisations to recruit better and to retain highly skilled employees from diverse backgrounds. Furthermore, a multicultural workforce can help improve performance by promoting diversity, innovation, and creativity. Understanding cultural differences is also beneficial when recruiting because employers can find out what the prospective employee's expectations are before hiring them.
To learn more about fostering cultural behaviour in your teams, enquire about our Window on Work Values Profile workshop HERE.