This weeks lesson felt particularly relevant because the company that I work for is rapidly expanding globally. Because I work in Human Resources, we are the first stop in getting teams assembled in those countries and getting feedback from those teams and other advisers regarding benefits, compensation, etc. Because in doing so, I work directly with our HR lead in those countries, its particularly important that we establish and maintain global synergy. That being said, we don’t always maintain that and it can be a struggle finding common ground in lieu of our cultural differences. In looking for ways to do so, I found a few helpful tips:

– be culturally aware: It may sound obviously but taking the time to learn the fine nuances of the culture that are working with makes all the difference. In doing so, it helps to understand where your counterpart is coming from plus gives yo a competitive edge in terms of cross cultural knowledge.

– take the idea of “win-win” to heart: keep in mind that there doesn’t have to be one “winner’; both sides can win without sacrificing who the are.

– retain your own identity: lastly, be flexible but also be sure to preserve your own identity and ideas. After all, your experiences and social norms are one of the pieces that you bring to the table from your “group”. Make sure that you are thoughtful and know compromise but maintain your own identity.

By incorporating some of these ideas into our collaborations with other HR professionals in our sister countries, I believe that our business will be stronger if we are able to utilize these tips when doing so and maintaining an overall sense of cultural synergy.

Citation:

Dealing with Cultural Differences in International Business

http://tamkjournal-en.tamk.fi/dealing-with-cultural-differences-in-international-business/

Errors in communication is something that happens within friendships, romantic relationships, workplace interactions and pretty much every other interaction we have with another human. And that’s why it’s so important to try to avoid these errors and be as clear as possible.Based on the referenced Kruger, Epley, Parker and Ng 2005 study from our reading, sending emails and how well tone was denoted in those emails wasn’t always as clear as we think it is. Luckily though, this type of miscommunication isn’t common outside the workplace; can you imagine having as much written communication with a romantic partner as you do with a colleague? The even finer nuances of navigating a romantic relationship could be completely misconstrued. Although I guess with the influx of texting, that still happens – thank goodness for emojis!

All that being said, egocentrism, or the ability to take on a different perspective, is one of the main issues with communication and can occur whether it be over anticipating how well you can interpret an email or a verbal conversation. In addition to egocentrism, there are a few common errors in communication that can occur in ANY type of relationship:

• Unclear Language: using words like “always” or “never” tells the listener that the speaker is over assuming and could even be condescending by talking about them as facts. Instead using the phrase, “It feels like…” better tells the story that what you are about to say is your opinion only.

 

• Mismatched Cues: this occurs when say, your body language and the verbal cues you are giving do not match. It would be like saying “thanks you so much for picking me up from school” but with a big frown on your face while saying it.

 

• Poor Listening: There is a such thing as “active listening”. Being able to pay attention to the person you are interacting with is as important as being a clear communicator as well.

Citations:

3 Communication Errors We Make All the Time & How To Fix Them

https://psychcentral.com/blog/3-communication-errors-we-make-all-the-time-how-to-fix-them/

 

It feels like lately I’ve been hearing the word “diversity” everywhere, particularly in the cosmetic company where I work. The inclusion of diverse perspectives, ideas and traditions seems to have exploded in the retail cosmetic industry as of late, with offering geared not only to different skin types, but also in the inclusion of a wide variety of shades. Add to that the growing need and popularity of Corporate Social Responsibility committees as well as new initiatives to bring more diversified marketing into play and we’ve opened up a whole new world. And lastly, the heart of a company – its employees – has also received some resuscitation as of late with recruiting geared towards including more people of color and women in their workforce.

There are many benefits for consumers and employees, who benefit directly, either by being recruited or by feeling satisfied by having (at last!) a representation of self in ads and other marketing campaigns. But an even bigger piece of this is how much the company itself benefits, especially in the long term.

There are a variety of ways where change can be seen and felt:

• Recently released reports show that consumers feel more connected to a diverse brand
• It’s been demonstrated that a diverse workplace fosters innovation by bring together people from different upbringings, cultures, job history, etc.
• A recent Gallop poll concluded that gender diverse teams had a higher revenue rate than those with little gender diversity

Feeling like your own workplace could use a diversity boost? There are things you can do to get the ball rolling.

• Get engaged in workplace diversity
• Get to know the women on your team and/or consider mentoring a female team member
• Make introductions to people in your network

With all of these initiatives going on and people willing to step outside of their comfort zone to support a more diverse workplace, it’s not just the companies that will succeed by global mindset about the world as a whole.

 

Citations:

Why Diversity Is Crucial For Success in Retail

https://www.monster.com/career-advice/article/why-diversity-is-crucial-to-success-in-retail

Diversity At Work Is Essential, And It’s Everyone’s Responsibility

Jocelyn Mangan – https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbeshumanresourcescouncil/2017/10/05/diversity-at-work-is-essential-and-its-everyones-responsibility/

Hi everyone,

My name is Amber and I’m currently located in San Francisco, CA but grew up in the D.C. Metro area and miss it terribly. I’m currently working for a private skincare company as their Employee Benefits Manager. I love what I do and am super focused on gaining as much experience and knowledge as possible to push myself up the corporate ladder. As we expand globally, it’s been exciting and rewarding to be able to consistently learn and challenge myself. I feel incredibly fortunate as this is something that many less dynamic companies cannot provide for their employees. Long term, I hope to gain more employee relations experience and advance within HR. As of now I only have limited leadership experience but as I advance within my career, have been trying to transition from being admin/subject matter expert and instead start viewing my position within the company from a broader, operational lens.

In my personal life, I spend most of my time trying every new restaurant that pops up and I like to consider myself a professional “brunch-er” – I’ve been known to hit up multiple brunches in one day! Something else I’m interested in is campaign politics. I’ve worked on a number of local and national political campaigns ranging from County Supervisor to Attorney General to Presidential and love the fast-paced environment.

Looking forward to working with everyone!