Studies show that 52% of people perfer to work with people like themselves. This begs the question, "What about diversity in the workplace?" Since most of us cannot choose who we will have to communicate with at work, how do we navigate through the complexities of a multicultural workplace? The top 4 diversity issues that cause problems are:
1. Language Differences
2. Differences in Values and Etiquette
3. Tone of voice
4. "Clustering" (hanging out with others from similar backgrounds)
Post an example of how a difference in one of these areas has caused a misunderstanding due to diversity. Offer some suggestions on how you think communication between people from diverse backgrounds can relate better to each other.
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Tone of voice and language differences really do start problems ha ha. I really can't stand when people start speaking other languages in front of me. It's almost like me or the group Im with that doesn't know the language isn't supposed to hear something and that really bugs me. If you know a language we all speak, SPEAK IT. This is more directed at people that speak something besides spanish. It's funny when people say certain things in spanish because I'm Panamanian and like calling them out on stuff they shouldn't be saying. ;) Tone of voice can be whack sometimes because I know I've gotten in arguements over it at the bar. It's one thing to ask for help and another thing to say someone isn't doing something. If things don't get corrected, words might get exchanged in a harsh manner ha ha.
ReplyDeleteI once worked at a Ford dealership when I was younger. There one of my associates in our department ( the new car make ready dept ) was from India. Well he was an incredibly sweet human being and everybody like and respected him. Even though his job was the least impressive job of all. He did janitorial work and all he did was clean up work. Well one day after about a year after he began working there, our department received notice that everyone's favorite co-employee had taken a position with another company. We were all sad to see him go because he was beloved for his beautiful demeanor by almost everyone at the dealership. Well to make the story short, it turned out that our friend was a "physicist," who had been working there only until he could secure a position as the respected scientist he truly was. On the other hand there was a salesman there also who was very rude to fellow sales employees. One day the owner got fed up with his bad attitude. So that day he took the guy who earned about $5,000.00 a week outside, and he proceeded to point up at the name on the dealership. The owner asked him to tell him whose name was on the front of the building. When the guy told him that it was the owners name, the owner replied, "your exactly right, now go and pick up your last paycheck!" True story, a bad attitude always equals bad results in life!
ReplyDeleteumm... i can think back to high school there was this one girl from germany who was so rude to everyone !! she wouldnt even say excuse me if she bumped into you and she would not hold the door for anyone coming behind her.. and many mnay other things... well nobody liked her and she didnt have any friends but people would just say oh shes like that because she comes from Germany and she doesnt have any manners and blah blah blah... well i dont think it has anything to do with nationality or diversity! i think the truth of the matter was that the girl just didnt have any matters and her parents ought to teach her some..( well maybe at that point it was too late) but anywho.. i think if you are rude you are rudeno matter what nationality or customs etc..and if you are raised well ..no matter where you come from it shows. Also even if you werent raised to say thank you and excuse me etc, you surely notice peole around you and if u were any nice or had any manners you would emulate their example. thats that.....
ReplyDeleteperfect example: i had just started a new job and misunderstood one of the NEW procedures we were directed to follow. one of my co-workers, who was in no way, shape or form superior to me, took it upon herself to "counsel" me on the mistake i had made. she approached this "coaching session" first by demanding a reason for why i had performed the task this way without ever letting on that i wasn't in compliance with the guidelines (i thought i was following the correct procedures and couldn't understand why she was grilling me). as her tone became more condescending i became increasingly adjitated and to avoid any further conflict, got up and walked away from the situation. this co-worker proceeded to literally yell across the room at me stating that i needed to "quit with the attitude!". i was livid! normally i would have beat her @$$ down right where she stood, but i needed my job and didn't want a misdemeanor on my record, so i just sat in my seat fuming. other co-workers brought the confrontation to our supervisor's attention because apparently this woman and acted the same way towards a few other people previous to our run-in. she was repremanded for her actions, but our relationship never recovered. i "hated" her for the remainder of the 3 years that i worked for the company, even after i had transferred to a different department. to this day, if i were to ever see her again, there would be some consequences and reprucussions...seriously!
ReplyDeleteI work with a lot of mexicans and they like to grab my ass and at first it made me uncomfortable but now I don't even notice it. I guess it's a sign of affection, kinda like a nickname. Or I might just have a really cute but.
ReplyDeleteI think differences in values or ettiquette is huge. I've seen alot of times at work people coming in for lunch with other people from their office or work and one person in the group will totally embaress the whole group with bad manners. Gotta admit though sometimes its funny to watch... but i think how someone treats their server at a restaurant says alot about a person as far as their etiquette and values go for suuure
ReplyDeleteI'm a shy person, and I very rarely make an attempt to be friendly or strike up a conversation with someone I have never met before. I generally tell people this when I first meet them, because if not I come across stuck-up or, frankly, as a bitch. At my last job I worked as a team leader (middle management), but because I had worked there for about a year before I got promoted, I had already had a good rapport with all of my co-workers. Mind you, this was a very small business. The owner then decided to bring back two girls who had worked there before I had ever started. The tension between them and me was all a big misunderstanding. Because of my shyness, or personal etiquette, I did not make an attempt to get to know them. They perceived this as jealousy on my part, because they had worked there first. They began calling in sick on the days I worked, leaving me shorthanded. On one occasion where I worked with only them and one other person, there was complete silence ALL day. I thought they disliked me because I was given a promotion over one of them. Eventually, we talked it out, and came to the conclusion that it was all a big misunderstanding. Had I just initiated a conversation, it probably wouldn't have ever escalated to the point that it did, but you live and learn.
ReplyDeleteworking in the work place is made for me with the people I work with. I had a great job with a great group of guys we would help each other with all of the weekly tasks. Our commander will call for an update on Thursdays and we usually ended up getting Friday off because we had all of the work done. IT is the only job I ever had that I looked forward to going to. the next job I had I dreaded going to each day but since I was working for high ranking officers I had no say you have to love the military.
ReplyDeleteI enjoy meeting and working with people different than me. I find that it is one area in life where you can learn so much. For the most part, I tend to get along with everyone I work with. In retrospect, people who are perceived as shy, lonely, or mean-faced curiously intrigue me. Due to this, I usually make a strong effort to befriend them; I guess I like a challenge. From what I understand this type of person is the exact opposite of how I am perceived. Usually these efforts have resulted in very good friendships or very positive acquaintances.
ReplyDeleteHowever, there was one instance where it did not play out this way at all. I was 21 and a newly appointed Assistant Manager at a bookstore. We had a few part-time employees, all who were 15 plus years older than me. Most of them adjusted well to having a younger “boss”, except for Gordon. Along with this, he was a general all-round, stuck-up, demeaning, egotistical, “my shit don’t stink” individual. Mind you, that was his description of himself. His physical features displayed this personality perfectly. His nose literally stuck up, his brows were always leering, and his smile was always a snarl. Always given people the benefit of the doubt, I made the effort of trying to get past his condescending nature, in hopes of finding a generally good person. Unfortunately, I never did. This developed into numerous conflicts regarding customer complaints, employee complaints, to downright sabotage. It got so bad at one point, I remember just walking out and giving my boss the ultimatum, it’s either me or him. My boss adjusted the schedule where we would never have to work together. In the times where we had to cross each other’s path, we avoided each other and never spoke during the remainder of our working relationship.
Well, I've never had a job, but this one time I went to a bakery to buy cookies and the counter woman spoke nothing but Spanish and I really couldn't tell her what I wanted (I tried), so I had to point out the items I wanted.
ReplyDeleteWhen time came to pay, I had no idea how much to give her since she spoke so fast. I paused, replaying what she said in my mind, and came up with an amount. She did say "Thank you," in English, so now I'm wondering if she really knew what I was saying to her.
Well I'm in Mary Kay but I haven't had any cultural differances or ethnicity issues. Mainly because I don't really run into any differant ethnicities or anyone who doesn't speak english... guess i would have a prob... so I prefer people who are like ME! (because I'm so adorable)
ReplyDeleteIn my personal experience, I feel that tone of voice is the biggest cultural difference that can warp communication between cultures. Some cultures sound much more angry when they communicate than others, and that can lead to communication problems. My friend Ed's dad is from China, and the first time I met him he started yelling at Ed, I thought we were in trouble for something but found out later that is just how they speak to each other.
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