In an increasingly diverse workplace, we often expect our managers to be adept at dealing with conflict created by cultural difference, and handling sensitive issues around gender, religion, and sexual orientation.
However, as any good manager will tell you, these issues can be challenging, especially when there has been limited training in these areas.
How your managers, and staff, deal with these concerns, and worked-based tensions in general, will depend upon their ability to understand, and empathise with, people from different economic, social, or religious backgrounds to their own.
By increasing cultural awareness within your workforce, you can avoid HR liabilities, reduce conflict, and encourage increased communication, productivity, and accountability.
Of course, there are instances when dynamic conflict can offer an opportunity for increased understanding, leading to personal growth, but it is worth considering how the following cross-culture training strategies can assist the creation of well-informed managerial teams who can monitor, mediate, and manage any culture tension within the workplace.
Cross-Culture Training and HR
Workplace tensions often arise due to some seemingly small misunderstanding. By building a managerial team, well versed in intercultural communication, and comprehension, you can avoid these small issues growing into something larger, and more problematic.
It is vital that there are formal procedures in place within your HR, and company infrastructure, that all employees are aware of, as this formulates corporate confidence since staff recognise that there is a strategy in place to deal with their concerns.
Ensure that all new staff are informed of all procedures for complaints, that documents are in place for resolutions, and any arbitration is well documented and recorded.
Consider initiating a programme for incoming staff that includes cross-cultural awareness training, as this will help to raise mindfulness, while reducing the possibility of conflict.
Company Wide Cultural Awareness Training
It is undeniably worth investing in a company-wide cultural awareness training programme that includes employees, and managers, at all levels of the company.
This type of training course can be tailored to suit your company, your requirements and your staff.
It will ensure that your message of respectful cultural co-operation is understood (without the need to single out any particular individual or group), while also delivering the knowledge of diversity and understanding within the workplace.
The responsibility to ensure that any culture gap is bridged between employees, is usually the duty of a trained manager, however, by encouraging all employees to undergo cross-culture training you can ensure that difference (in culture, gender, religion etc), are respected, and staff should also be mindful of systems in place within the company that are there to protect individuals, build trust, and support mutual communication.
Once your workforce recognise that they are employed by a company which welcomes diversity, in all its forms, they will communicate that outwardly to potential clients, prospective employees, and are likely to want to work towards greater harmony, productivity, and efficiency.
Cross-Culture Training and Managerial Skill
When employees feel they are working toward a common objective, and that they have the unequivocal support of their team leader, they are more inclined to be respectful, hardworking and considerate.
The balance and motivation that arises from having a manager trained towards producing team excellence, is profound. The benefits generated by this include, increased co-operation, productivity, communication, and resilience.
There is also less chance that small conflicts escalate into larger problems that require the intervention of HR, as employees trust their managers, or team leaders, to deal with the problem and fond a fair, effective resolution.
Managers who are trained in intercultural communication are able to handle potential issues discreetly, and with sensitivity. They understand the techniques required to diffuse tense situations, and have earnt the respect of their team.
By actively contributing to, and encouraging, your staff to undertake soft skills training such as, cross-culture awareness, you will show that you support, and understand, the needs of your employees, and that you are prepared to invest in building the best team possible.
Cultural diversity in the UK workplace is a growing phenomenon, as can be seen from recent research that shows the rise of ethnic minorities within the workforce.
In order to ensure that your business is able to cope with the needs of this changing workforce, it is necessary to plan ahead, and invest in training that reflects your commitment to this change.
Find a well-respected training company that offers adaptable cultural training courses that can be tailored to your requirements, and that also offers other ‘soft skills’ courses which can lead to improved communication, management, global business dealings, and sales.
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