03 Jun, 2021
Coach Tony – Communication in an international, multi-generational workforce. As a member of the generation that once owned black-and-white TV’s and used a fax machine, I have witnessed plenty of changes in workplace culture across multiple areas of the world. In my career, I’ve had the opportunity to work and live in different countries, and always found that learning the local/company culture was a big part of the job. In one specific position as a plant manager, I worked with people of 17 different nationalities on the shop floor. This was a great learning experience for me as I developed strategies and concepts that allowed our diverse team to function coherently and effectively. Below are some of the main things that should be taken into consideration when working with a multicultural team. Let culture be culture and accept opinions and differences, but make sure when a person enters your company, expectations are clear and well-communicated. Offer training programs to those who aren’t comfortable with the predominant language used. Respect the needs that exist in other cultures, as long as they don’t harm anyone or the business. Communicate the company’s culture in the interview process. Treat everyone individually, not as a collective group. Respect everyone, but be authentic and honest if changes need to be made. Listen (to everyone). Have social events where people are encouraged to share traditions and foods. These can be amazing team-building opportunities. In conversations with my peers, I often hear the workforce isn’t up to date. For example, people mention there are no CNC technicians for a machining company. My typical follow-up question is this; “Did you check to see if qualified candidates for this position lived in the area before the company moved there?” If not, this suggests that either the company did not do the due diligence in site selection, or a third party was doing the site selection without fully understanding the company's requirements and workforce needs. In the ideal situation, an educated workforce should be ready to hit the ground running! For more advice on how to work with multi-cultural teams or your other business needs, reach out to CHV Group today!