How to Develop Cross-Cultural Awareness in the Workplace

Learning about culture makes you open to new ideas.

Developing cross-cultural awareness in the workplace helps your company succeed by encouraging employees to become aware and accepting of other cultures, customs and practices. Rather than being offended by a customer that does not wish to shake hands or refuses to look you in the eye, the employee will learn to think twice about the meaning of social cues. This will help you to create a more powerful workforce that is sensitive to the needs of the customer.

Things You'll Need

• Email program
• Videos

Instructions

1. Set up email exchanges with business professionals from other countries. The goal of the emails should be to connect with other professionals and create a dialogue in the interest of performing better relations between countries.

2. Create opportunities for a guest speaker interview. Have a member from a different culture within your company discuss ways in which his customs can be integrated into the workflow to create a more effective and accepting community. Ask for volunteers and do not single any one person out. Encourage a discussion of different customs between co-workers.

3. Show videos that discuss the customs of the particular customer base that you follow. Diversity training should not be seen as a waste of time. Showing videos of other cultures will help employees become familiar with an unfamiliar community and will help make them more tolerant of individuals.

4. Initiate an exchange program with members from different countries that work for your company. This will provide an opportunity for employees to become aware of different cultures and bring a fresh perspective to the company's daily operations.

References

• Education Resources Information Center: Developing Cross-Cultural Awareness: Learning Through the Experiences of Others