Mutlitcutural WorkforceEssay Preview: Mutlitcutural WorkforceReport this essayThe Benefits of a Multicultural WorkforceThe purpose of this paper is to forecast possible cultural changes inside Worldwide Telecommunications, Inc. It will be proven that a multicultural workforce will benefit teamwork and communications within Worldwide Telecommunications, Inc. The twenty-first century may best be remembered for the globalization of large companies and closer interpersonal relationships among a multicultural workforce. Cultural changes are imminent; however, educating personnel towards cultural competence, teamwork, and communication will amount to huge profits for a large company and richer personal experiences.
The globalization of telecommunications and industry poses many important challenges for organizations to remain competitive. “At the same time it is recognized that in a multicultural society there is real value in organizations diversifying their workforce and encourage knowledge sharing” (Al Mousa & Jones, 2006, p.119). The very basis of Worldwide Telecommunications, Inc. is to be able to communicate globally to diverse ethnic, linguistic, and cultural populations. Traditionally, American business did not experience multiculturalism. However, corporate executives recognize that there is a growing trend toward culturally diverse workforces, which leads to success (Cox, 1993). It is important to focus on the challenges and opportunities associated with a multicultural workforce.
In a recent poll, 81% of respondents said that it is somewhat or very important to hire employees of different races, cultures, and backgrounds in the workplace, as stated by The American Council on Education. Implementing a diverse workplace is becoming a goal for most employers because they do not want to be perceived as discriminating against other cultures or races. Affirmative Action laws have been put into place to force companies to become more diverse. There are exorbitant costs associated with failure to provide a supportive social environment for diverse populations – for example, law suits. Legislation acts were established to safeguard the rights of individuals to retain their cultural and ethnic identity and to be treated equally in employment (Singh, 2003).
Creating a more diverse workplace has its negatives and positives. Diversity is defined as acknowledging, understanding, accepting, valuing, and celebrating differences among people. It is imperative to recognize and value the uniqueness of oneself and others on the basis of race, class, ethnicity, gender, culture, age, sexual orientation, religion, language, socio-economic status, and physical and mental ability (D’Netto, Smith & Da-Gama-Pinto, 2000, p.78).
Disadvantages of a Multicultural WorkforceWithin a multicultural workforce, there may be differences in culture, regional dialects, and life experiences, which are potential barriers to effective communication. On the negative side, some employers may decide that implementing a multicultural workplace may mean having employees in other parts of the country whom are usually paid less. Customer services are a great example of this. Unfair hiring practices force jobs away from our society and also cause a language barrier issue when one needs to call customer service.
For women of multicultural backgrounds, the trauma of immigrating to a new society is accompanied by difficulties of combining salaried employment with their domestic responsibilities, which their customs have demanded of them. In a study conducted, it was found that two-thirds of immigrant women had never even worked outside of their home (Alcorso, 2007). This can be difficult for employers hiring women of various cultures.
Another problem associated with employing women in a multicultural workforce is that of sexual discrimination, as discovered by an American insurance company when it hired a large number of male and female employees from a variety of racial and ethnic backgrounds. Communication between men and women of other cultures is very different from that of the United States. In many cultures, women are seen as second-class citizens compared to men. Many resource managers received complaints from migrant women who believe the migrant working men disrespects her. This created animosity in their work environment and created ongoing problems for managers attempting to keep peace in the workplace (Lindberger, 2007). The Equal Opportunity Commission Act and the Affirmative Action Act require organizations to have policies and procedures to promote equal opportunity employment. Depending on the size of the company, you are required to hang a poster in highly visible areas.
Advantages of a Multicultural WorkforceThere is a need to develop strategies to explore the benefits of a multicultural workforce. There are many advantages of a multicultural workforce: 1.Globalization, 2.economic benefits, 3.multiple language abilities, 4. cultural awareness, 5. cross-cultural communication skills, 6. Foreign travel, and 7. new skills and new information. Globalization is necessary for large companies to remain competitive. The existence of Worldwide Telecommunications, Inc. depends on communication globally. Having a multicultural workforce in the United States will improve communication and knowledge between the global branches and Headquarters. Better communication leads to increased productivity within the corporation, as studies have identified that multicultural workteams lead to improved decision making, creative brainstorming, innovation, and group efficacy (Cox, 1991).
Multiple Language abilities exist in a multicultural workforce; it is beneficial to have employees at Headquarters to communicate with people around the world, both linguistically and culturally. Different dialects exist in many languages. On the positive side, having employees in the office that are bilingual promotes easier communication which is key in the workplace. Employees need to be able to relate to and communicate with its vendors, clients, perspective clients and colleagues. Trying to land an important sales deal requires teamwork and each person on that team that has a different background makes the team more marketable. The work does not just fall on one person. One is not stating that the team should be completely mixed,
This approach also depends on how you are using the product. For an office, it does not matter if you specialize in an industry or not as the employee is a single person to the employer. The manager will have to communicate with all people and make them their manager. An example of this would be getting the customer support on their business or something where they will need help to resolve and fix customer issues within their team. They will need to be able to communicate with you in a way that gives you a better understanding and more flexibility. By this point, we also think we will be using more flexible types of products and the products will be less impactful to the current employee. This doesn’t just mean we will be adding more technology and new customers to the company so we will be using things that we already have. It also means that there will be people who will need to work more to be able to make use of product. We will have a more efficient design in our technology, and less confusion and competition.
There is also the need for diversity, so that employees who are different can understand each other and be able to make informed decisions for their team. This should be done without changing the quality of the product.
This type of approach will also require us to consider the differences between employers and their employees. Having the customer and company understand each other and understand each other’s strengths is valuable for those who need a consistent and honest attitude. We use to make sure employees know each other all the time and make sure they communicate what we want them to hear, and how we work together is important. We will also be using more diverse products and the product will be less impactful to the current employee.
Employers also need to think about whether and how the product will be unique by having different people in the business.
We will also be able to have employees who are different from each other at the same time.
This approach also depends on how you are using the product. For an office, it does not matter if you specialize in an industry or not as the employee is a single person to the employer. The manager will have to communicate with all people and make them their manager. An example of this would be getting the customer support on their business or something where they will need help to resolve and fix customer issues within their team. They will need to be able to communicate with you in a way that gives you a better understanding and more flexibility. By this point, we also think we will be using more flexible types of products and the products will be less impactful to the current employee. This doesn’t just mean we will be adding more technology and new customers to the company so we will be using things that we already have. It also means that there will be people who will need to work more to be able to make use of product. We will have a more efficient design in our technology, and less confusion and competition.
There is also the need for diversity, so that employees who are different can understand each other and be able to make informed decisions for their team. This should be done without changing the quality of the product.
This type of approach will also require us to consider the differences between employers and their employees. Having the customer and company understand each other and understand each other’s strengths is valuable for those who need a consistent and honest attitude. We use to make sure employees know each other all the time and make sure they communicate what we want them to hear, and how we work together is important. We will also be using more diverse products and the product will be less impactful to the current employee.
Employers also need to think about whether and how the product will be unique by having different people in the business.
We will also be able to have employees who are different from each other at the same time.