Human beings are creatures of habit. We like to know what to expect and what is expected of us and we don’t really welcome changes to our routine. This tendency is at odds with the fact that businesses need to evolve constantly if they want to stay competitive. A change management strategy is essential.
Psychologists agree that it is human nature to resist change. Some see it as a chance for growth and new opportunities. Most of us see it as a time of instability that causes anxiety and confusion which is never good for productivity. Within a multicultural workforce there may be individuals who are especially affected by the threat of change.
You need a change management plan. If you consider the people who work for you a key to your business’ success, or failure, it just makes sense that you would want to guide them through changes so that they can continue to be valuable assets.
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March 13, 2009
If building a winning team is difficult, building a winning multicultural team may seem impossible. It’s not. But the team leader does have to consider the different communication styles, language and ideas about teamwork that come with cultural diversity.
Any team functions best in an atmosphere of openness; it’s critical for a multicultural team. Team members need to be comfortable talking about differences and it’s the team leader’s job to create the necessary atmosphere by being open-minded and willing to discuss issues as they arise. One sure way to prevent a team feeling from developing is a “boss” who doesn’t want to listen to his or her team members.
Your winning multicultural team’s first discussion should be about what is meant by “team.” Team concept is different across cultures. Some cultures, like Hispanic and Asian, are traditionally very team-oriented. Team members work together and everyone shares decisions, every step of the way.
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March 16, 2009
Is your employee incentive program limited to handing out Christmas cards in bulk that have the company name stamped inside rather than a signature and contain a gift certificate for a turkey?
This example may seem ridiculous but it still happens. There are many reasons why that approach doesn’t work and, frankly, is insulting to your employees. Read on for advice on motivating your multicultural team.
1. Get personal. Research shows that the best motivator is a boss who takes a sincere interest in his or her employees. People from many cultures are more motivated by a warm, “family” atmosphere than they are by monetary incentives.
2. Communicate. A truly effective multicultural team is one that openly discusses the project, outcome goals, and concerns. When team members are asked their opinion and given some control over their assignments they will be motivated to be successful.
3. Customize. The Christmas card/turkey certificate incentive sent out en masse is very impersonal and could even be offensive to multicultural team members who don’t celebrate Christmas. Find out what holidays they do observe and customize the incentive. An office fiesta for Cinco de Mayo could be fun.
Other ideas for non-monetary incentives include:
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March 27, 2009
Imagine you came into work this morning and found your desk moved from its spot by the window. Now you’re facing a wall by the elevator. Your reaction? Some might be okay with it; most of us would be confused. Why were you moved? Is the boss trying to get rid of you?
If the boss had used a change management approach you’d know what was going on and you wouldn’t waste your morning asking questions and trying to get over the shock caused by the change.
Now imagine that you are new to both the organization and the country. Within a multicultural workforce there may be several people coping with many challenges. Hopefully your organization has a program to help with language barriers and culture shock. Mentoring a newcomer with someone who “knows the ropes” is one effective strategy.
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March 30, 2009
It’s important to have a change management plan, especially for a multicultural workforce, but who creates the plan and who carries it out?
Change management plans are carried out by a team. Even a small business needs more than one person “on board” for change to be successful.
The change management team is the group of key people who come up with a strategy for change. Someone from each department should be on the team. The team’s main role is to manage the “people” aspects of the change. This team will make sure that important information gets communicated to everyone.
Remember that communication is very important for a multicultural workforce. Have information booklets printed in the languages used by your multicultural workforce. Then have small group discussions with a translator present to answer questions and address concerns. Members of the team will be the “go-to” people for everyone else; they are the ones who keep up the momentum when challenges arise.
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