Tips for Managing
a Diverse Workforce
- Acknowledge and allow for differences. People’s
expectations and behavior are influenced by their
background as well as their own unique style of working
with others.
- Create an understanding of differences in individual
behavioral styles by using one of the widely accepted
assessment tools that place people in one of four
behavioral dimensions. Each of us has a unique way
of working and interacting with others. For example,
some people interrupt when others are talking, if
one is aware of this she will learn to listen and
wait before responding. Also, others will become more
forgiving since they know it is not intentional rudeness.
- Create a common ground for communication by conducting
training that specifically delineates dimensions of
cultural differences and how these differences affect
our everyday work. For example when an Anglo manager
assigns a task to a Hispanic employee, do both of
them have the same understanding of what is expected?
Do you understand differences between delegating,
motivating and evaluating employees from different
backgrounds?
- Create a more inclusive corporate environment by
examining your organization’s values to determine
if it is biased toward a certain point of view. For
example, if most of your employees are engineers,
are marketing employees at a disadvantage? Or does
your corporate environment value direct and assertive
behavior? In this case you might view some of your
Asian and Hispanic employees negatively since their
original culture encourages the opposite behavior.
- Make clear that the purpose of understanding other’s
cultural values is not to learn to accommodate them
or to change them, but to create an environment for
better communication where everyone is put to use
based on their strengths and qualifications.
- After you understand the differences, focus on
similarities. The human heart is the same all over
the world. We have similar wants and needs although
we might express them differently. Make your corporate
culture more inclusive, and it will be the bond of
respect and affection, motivating employees to work
with commitment and passion.
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