In today's globalized world, where every company has access to international markets, having a diverse workplace makes perfect sense.
In fact, diversity has been proven to not only be good for business, but good for the bottom line.

A study published by the American Sociological Review earlier this year stated that organizational diversity can positively affect profit margins and market share. In the findings, companies reporting the highest levels of racial diversity brought in nearly 15 times more sales revenue and held claim to larger customer bases than companies with lower diversity numbers.

While striving for diversity at work is applauded, it does present some challenges. Employers who manage a multicultural work environment may be unsure of the most effective way to communicate with a diverse group of employees and wonder how to bring out the best in them to the benefit of the entire organization.

Here are seven cross-cultural communication tips for managers ready to move beyond any cultural or language barriers that may be preventing them from building good work relationships with valuable employees:

Train all employees early and often to avoid confusion.

During new employees' initial orientation as well as in ongoing training, explain the mission and goals of your organization along with company policies and procedures. No matter the cultural background of the employee, it is always important to clearly outline and define your expectations at the beginning of a new working relationship and to continue reinforcing that message regularly and consistently.

Accept that all new employees experience culture shock to some degree.

Starting a new job is overwhelming for everyone, but for employees coming from an entirely different culture, especially when English is a newly learned language, it can be even more difficult. To minimize the stress, employers should offer their empathy and understanding along with a generous amount of flexibility until the employee feels more confident and comfortable.

Know how your people prefer to receive communication.

Some people are more likely to trust information that comes from an immediate supervisor, such as a foreman or a workgroup leader, rather than a figurehead they do not yet trust or have a direct relationship with. Analyze your audience's needs before deciding the best way to distribute company-wide communications.

Avoid jargon, slang and colourful metaphors in memos.

Memos are commonly sent using phrases as "rally the troops," "cross the goal line" or "let's get on the bus." But to someone who interprets the language literally or does not use the same metaphors, slang and colloquialism can be confusing. In a multicultural work environment, it is important to keep written communication clear and simple.

Always practise good etiquette.

Minimize the chance of a misunderstanding by erring on the side of proper etiquette. For instance, North American workers tend to like a boss who can break the ice with a joke or kid around to create camaraderie. But in other cultures, work is serious business and so professionalism and protocol are of the utmost importance. The solution is to be friendly, but curb the one-liners and well-intentioned sarcasm in favour of respect and decorum.

Be the first one to bridge the communication gap.

Not everyone feels comfortable establishing a rapport with the boss, let alone coming to them for advice or help, in fear that it may appear disrespectful. If this is the case, having an open-door policy is useless. Instead, use your managers to gather feedback and report any ideas or issues brought forward. In a smaller work environment, do not wait for your people to come to you. Go to them and ask for their opinions and answer their questions.

Mentors can help build long-term relationships.

Every employee has the same opportunity to be an important contributor, although it may take extra encouragement. Effective peer mentoring, whether one-on-one or in a group, can help build a safe, accepting work environment that welcomes input from everyone. It also allows people to develop a sense of belonging, an interest in their professional development and an avenue for career advancement. That creates a win-win for everyone.

-- With reporting by Barbara Chabai

John McFerran, PhD, CMC, F. CHRP, is founder and president of People First HR Services Ltd. For more information, visit www.peoplefirsthr.com

RESEARCH:

http://hbswk.hbs.edu/archive/3266.html

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/03/090331091252.htm

http://www.diversityworking.com/weblog/?p=35

Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition September 26, 2009 G2