04/ 30/ 2008
by Pamela Mills-Senn
Just imagine a workplace where everyone comes from the same background, speaks the same language, and has similar habits, behaviors and values. Such a clone-like environment would prove deadly to any small business, since diversity is essential for innovation, creativity and energy. Fortunately, today's workforce is more diverse than ever, and consequently, so are the opportunities for conflict among employees because of these differences.
Obviously, intolerance of (or even simply misunderstanding) the differences between people—whether they are caused by disparities in culture, religion, sexual orientation or something else—creates tremendous problems for small business owners, and not just in terms of fostering disharmony, lowering productivity and increasing turnover. Clashes between employees over cultural or lifestyle differences, if allowed to fester, can leave companies legally vulnerable to discrimination and/or hostile workplace lawsuits.
The problems occur when people look at differences as being wrong, rather than being interesting, says Lee Gardenswartz, a partner with the Los Angeles-based management consulting firm Gardenzwartz and Rowe. As she explains, people tend to use themselves as the standard by which to judge "correct" or "incorrect" behavior. This ethnocentrism (the belief that one's own culture, group, etc., is superior to another) is pervasive and global—and almost impossible to escape.
Although many folks argue against the concept that they're culturally influenced—and the "I'm my own person" school of thought is, in fact, a culturally-induced belief system—the reality is, culture impacts and influences us all.
"It can really be looked at as a sort of behavioral software that provides each of us with rules on how to operate and approach life," Gardenswartz says. "Culture's influence on us is largely unconscious. Most of us don't think about it until we bump up against someone else's cultural software that's different from ours."
According to Gardenswartz, one of the most divisive cultural differences in the workplace today is communication, especially where it concerns language (the "if they'd speak English, everything would be fine," syndrome).
"People often revert to their language of origin when stressed, and this can make English-speaking coworkers feel like they're being talked about," says Gardenswartz, explaining why emotions run so high on this subject.
Non-verbal communications can also be problematic. Consider facial expressions. Someone born and raised in the U.S. may see a smile as friendly, but to someone from Korea, it can indicate stupidity. Or, for a Middle Eastern man, a woman's smile can be construed as a sexual overture. Gestures are also open to interpretation. For example, in some parts of South America, the "OK" sign is actually an obscene gesture in American culture. Eye contact can also have different meanings. As an employer, you might see direct eye contact as a sign of interest and attentiveness, and lack of eye contact as signaling evasiveness or disinterest. But for others, such as many Asians or Native Americans, direct eye contact indicates disrespect.
For small business owners, managing a diverse workforce requires a bit of a balancing act. You might think treating everyone alike is the best way to approach this. Not so, says Verna Myers, principle of Verna Myers and Associates, a diversity management consulting company based in Newton, Mass. Although there are occasions when you want to do this, such as when it comes to giving employees feedback about their performance, there are times when differences must be acknowledged. She suggests that small business owners:
- Challenge their assumptions. Make sure you're not committing the error of thinking that because something isn't an issue for you, it's not an issue for someone else.
- Recognize that people's day-to-day experiences and concerns are often radically different. People aren't the same and by denying differences and avoiding discussion of them, you sacrifice empathy and understanding.
- Make your environment inclusive. Strive to create a workplace where employees can comfortably discuss their differences, rather than one that pretends differences don't exist.
For example, says Myers, when sending someone out of town on business, you shouldn't automatically assume that a gay man will be comfortable in every area of the country, or that an African American employee may not share similar concerns. When it comes to assigning certain tasks, consider how certain employees might feel about them, and ask him or her to express their concerns. "The point is not to withhold an offer, but to openly discuss the situation," Myers says.
But frequently, because they're fearful of saying something wrong, those in charge avoid these kinds of issues, and as a result end up restricting their interactions with the employee as well. The employee may read this as the boss not liking him, or that she doesn't have the same advantages as Mary down the hall, and begins to feel excluded from the company. Continue in this vain and companies not only risk becoming irrelevant, says Myers, they can compromise their ability to attract the best and brightest from many different walks of life. There are people who want diversity, she says, and purposely seek out companies who hire with this in mind.
