Day: 30 October 2018

When working at an environment that is home to people from diverse backgrounds, it is important the workplaces know these cultural and individual differences in order to have programs or diversity. A means to bond rather than wedge a divide between them. It might not seem like much. A harmless holiday celebration without negative impacts on others but these little celebrations of one culture could be a sign of spreading disgruntlement.

Some adoptable strategies:

Weekly meetings – not simply a chance for a wonderful work-related update, but also gives a chance to talk and know if there have been issues. This maintains a line of communication with employees.

Call out unacceptable behaviour – if you see someone taking an opportunity to put down someone else based on something they do not have any control over (e.g., race, sex, gender, age, skin colour, hair type, and so on), then call them out on it. If the management does not see it and correct it, then it could perpetuate.

Encourage your employees to report potential instances of workplace discrimination – this perpetuates a healthy employer-employee relationship and creates an environment where employees feel heard, respected, and treated with dignity.

Try encouraging acceptance of all cultures by having a team potluck lunch/dinner – it will encourage them to know each other and one another’s their culture, and provide a chance to bond over something that has worked like a charm for centuries: food.

It is difficult to change cities, maybe start a new job in a new field, a career away from home, or have other woes, no matter what problem one might face, non-acceptance by fellow workers could be the worst of them all. Imagine spending 8-9 hours in the company of fellow coworkers who do not accept you probably silently judge you as well.

It is important for the management to step up and bridge the divide between the employees and let acceptance seep into the core of the company’s structure. Once it’s a part of the foundation, the company will emerge stronger than ever.

This article was written by volunteer blogger Riya Prem Raaj and edited by volunteer editor Scott Douglas Jacobsen.