Cultural Awareness - An Hr Perspective
By N.A Johnson, Wed Dec 7th
The use of cultural awareness training has increased rapidly inthe majority of global companies over the last decade. My experience working in global companies in which effectivecross-cultural functioning was critical, involved the devotionof considerable time and energies to ensuring that culturaltraining needs were identified and accommodated as necessary. This commitment to bridging cultural gaps represents aperceptible shift in attitudes amongst British company globalthinking. This is a shift from the prevalent subconscious (andsometimes not so subconscious) driver, which existed in previousyears. Thinking typically held that the way in which the Westdid business was the norm to which to strive and thatnon-western citizens should assimilate into our own particularmode of cultural thinking as opposed to vice versa.
Little effort was truly made to understand the culturaldifferences between countries. This thinking was graduallymoulded and changed by the realities of the failure of suchthinking – including ineffective team functioning, lack ofproductivity and general dissatisfaction amongst crossculturally functioning staff. It also become apparent that thefinancial costs of failed cross-cultural initiatives could bereadily assessed and had a tangible impact on the financialbottom line. It is also interesting to note that the view that culturalawareness is unnecessary within other western groups has alsochanged. Commonality of language can sometimes be an impediment asopposed to an advantage as it disguises the differences ofthinking and approach, which may underlie whole strands ofbusiness practice. When dealing with countries with obvious‘differences’ in respect to language, religion, values andbehaviours etc., then individuals more readily accept the needto understand the motivations of the other party. Whenmulticultural
differences arise between western groups however,conflict within approach is often attributed to the ‘ineptness’/ ‘stubbornness’ of the other party. When such attitudes becomeingrained within teams, then self fulfilling prophecy may kickin and poor relationships become the norm – affectingproductivity and hence financial gain. Recent experiences of running cultural awareness sessions for aUK team dealing on a regular basis with the US proved invaluableto overcoming a number of issues which had become entrenchedinto the operating behaviours of the teams. The sessionsheightened awareness within the team of operating differencesand helped to generate an understanding of why these differencesexisted within the groups. It also presented the teams with anopportunity to understand the potential frustrations that theirUS colleagues may have had with their UK peers in respect totheir own personal approach to managing meetings, negotiations,making decisions, resolving issues etc. Involvement in awareness programmes across a range of diverseissues is proving invaluable in resolving numerous poorperformances in international business and in enhancing day today HR practices; for example: •Expatriate assignments, management, training and benefits•Production of international relocation guides and relatedsupport materials •International company and office relocations•International recruitment •Corporate mergers and acquisitions•Training and development •Policy development Clearly from an HR, and hence a business perspective, culturalawareness has been critical to the success of global companieswith the progression of strong acceptance within businesses forthe need to enhance cultural awareness through diverse culturalinterventions. About the author:After many years as an HR manager for some of the world'sleading internationla companies, N.A. Johnson now works as anadvisor for London based firm Kwintessential as an advisor on HR& cross cultural management issues. |
