Cultural diversity can lead to strong organization and awe-inspiring brainstorming sessions. Just as likely as the positive affects of integrating people from diverse backgrounds are the inevitable cultural clashes that test the validity of the company ethics policies and the resolve of management to maintain a respectful workplace. It's useful to be aware of possible cultural challenges that have the potential to lead to conflicts.
Each industry has its own culture that includes both a work ethic element and a coping system for dealing with external parties, such as national and international policies. As the legal and ethical climate changes, established companies struggle to adjust existing workplace policies to comply. As policies change, employees must alter practices, and some of these practices may have become habitual over the course of decades. Just as a smoker finds it difficult to give up cigarettes, employees struggle to change work habits.
Twenty years ago, dress codes were often stringent and required men to wear suits and women to wear skirts or dresses with sheer stockings. Now, many companies place less emphasis on apparel, especially in positions where employees spend little or no face time with customers. With a more relaxed dress code, employers face clashes with employees who push the line of what is generally accepted as appropriate work apparel, as well as how clothing such as short skirts, shoulder-baring sundresses and bare legs may be interpreted by customers and employees from cultures with more restrictive dress codes.
The majority of today's workers fall into three generations. The generation of workers born between the mid-40's and the mid-60's are Baby Boomers. This generation is made up of workaholics who tend to measure their worth by the number of hours worked. Generation X employees were born between the mid-60s and the late 70s. While their parents were company-oriented and concerned with productivity, this generation is apt to show loyalty to the people they respect and value communication within the company over sacrificing family time to put in more work hours. The youngest generation of workers is known as the Millennials. They seek opportunities for personal fulfillment and recognition from their employers. Employers struggle to meet the needs of all three generations in a manner that is fair and satisfying.
Sexual Orientation and Gender
Whenever men and women come together, the differences between how the genders process information and communicate comes into play. Combine this communication challenge with growing attention toward sexual harassment prevention and occasional cultural clashes are inevitable. Sexual harassment issues are not limited to interaction between men and women. As more people openly admit to homosexual preferences, employers must also monitor interactions between same-sex workers to ensure that gender interaction is not interpreted as unwanted attraction.
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