The UK is becoming increasingly diverse, especially London.
People of various races, cultures and ethnicities make up larger and larger percentages of UK residents, which is why many employers are looking to make their organisations more inclusive.
There are several ways to do this, such as:
Hiring Diverse Employees
Managers who realise that their pool of staff is predominately white should not replace them with employees from other cultures.
Instead, focus your efforts when hiring new candidates; although you should never hire a person simply because of their background, consider if you have gravitated to hiring a certain type of employee in the past and expand your search to other types if that is the case.
There are many benefits to having a diverse organisation, as people from different countries and cultures bring unique perspectives, strengths and skills that will benefit your company.
Offer Diversity Training
If you are bringing on new hires from other countries, or already have a diverse staff, you can make your firm more inclusive by offering diversity training.
Individuals from different cultures may have different ways of looking at the world, different nonverbal skills and various ways of verbally expressing themselves – all of which can cause issues with others.
For example, respect for elders is very important in certain Asian cultures, but not as valued in the UK.
An Asian employee may feel disrespected if a younger employee of a different heritage doesn’t address them as they see fit.
On the other hand, a certain gesture that is appropriate in one country may be offensive in another, and so on.
By providing a few hours of diversity training each month you can teach your staff and yourself about people from all walks of life, lessening the apprehension of the unknown and promoting understanding and respect.
Celebrate Diversity
A great way to embrace diversity is to celebrate it!
Each culture and religion has its own holidays, which you can celebrate in the office.
You can ask your staff members to alert you to holidays they celebrate, and then ask them to decorate the workplace, prepare traditional food and drinks, play traditional music, and explain the meaning of the occasion.
By recognising cultural holidays, you will teach your team members about their colleagues’ traditions, promoting unity and communication!
Thanks again
Mark Williams
Head of Training and Development
Updated on: 17 October, 2016
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