Cross Cultural Communication in the Workplace
Cross cultural communication and examples of racial discrimination. How to communicate appropriate messages and the effect it has in the workplace.
Any person who has been discriminated against understands the need for effective cross cultural communication in the workplace.
When people feel that they are over looked or mistreated at work because of their race, it can be difficult for a company to really correct the problem. Employees are supposed to work together to further the company, but a race related offense can usually cause division.
If someone feels wronged, they will usually be supported by members of their own race. Likewise, the person who did the offending, will be supported by members of their race. Once this happens, the workplace becomes a tense and unstable environment. The last thing employers want is for race riots to erupt in the office. Although some offenses cannot be avoided, responsible employers should take the time to educate their employees on the subject of race relations.
A great way to break the ice when it comes to cross cultural communication is to hire many different types of people. If a person is qualified for the job, it doesn't matter what their ethnic background is. Employers shouldn't feel like they have to make an announcement every time they hire someone from a different race. Actions speak much louder than words, and if office members notice that the office is becoming more diverse, that is a great way to improve cross cultural communication without having to say a word.
Employers should try to refrain from hiring different races for stereotypical positions. This will only add fuel to the discrimination fire. Businesses who hire many different races, will actually gain a more diverse clientele. People who might not have ever considered using the services of that business might become patrons just because they felt that they were welcome. The employees are the face of the company, and the face of every company should be many different colors.
Some race related offenses are accidents that are a result of a lack of understanding different races. For this reason, 
some companies like to form cross cultural communication committees to help people learn about different cultures. If it is decided that this type of committee is best for your company, those who are in charge of it should try to remain as unbiased as possible.
This type of committee would be useful for people who truly have questions about different races and cultures, but they don't really know who to ask. It is a good idea to refrain from sounding judgmental and suspicious of those who have questions about different cultures. If employees feel that they will be judged because of their curiosity, they will stop asking questions, and effective cross cultural communication will never be obtained.
Also see these links induction and orientation, diversity, retrenchment/termination.
Companies should not be naive and assume that everyone who discriminates against another race does it by accident. Every incident that deals with discrimination should be treated as a serious offense. Employees should be made aware of the fact the the company has a zero tolerance policy regarding discrimination. Once a discrimination offense is reported, it needs to be handled immediately and the proper punishment should be enforced. This type of punishment varies greatly depending on the company and the offense and could range from layoffs, to suspension to docking wages.
Since many people discriminate against others because of fear of the unknown, focusing on improving cross cultural communication may help to eliminate some of that fear and lead to better race relations.
Diversity - Examples racial discrimination
Examples of racial discrimination in the workplace -
Examples of racial discrimination in the workplace and 6 goal setting suggestions to prevent discrimination. Read more
Meeting icebreakers
Icebreaker games and icebreakers for small groups are excellent to use in the workplace as a way in which to help the team get to know each other and feel more comfortable working together. Read more
Other issues to consider in the workplace:
- cultural differences in communication
- promotion and marketing communications
- business case communication study
- nonverbal communication cues
- types of verbal communication
- enhance team building through communicating
- emotional intelligence in effective communication
- barriers to effective business communication
- business management organizational development consulting
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