Increasing cultural sensitivity & acceptance in the workplace

We all know cross-border employee mobility is complex. And, it's no surprise that it's more than moving an employee from A to B. Things like immigration, taxes and new cultures are all elements included in the complex world of international relocations and assignments.

When filling job requisites with new or internal talent, companies are often focused on the skillset of the talent and the overall company needs (rightfully, so!). However, it's imperative to not forget about cultural training when relocating employees and families into new locations. Oftentimes cultural differences that are not presented upfront, can have negative impacts on the employee experience once they arrive and begin working and living in their host country.

The return on investment of providing cultural training to support employees navigating communication and interactions with their peers in the new office, and to support spouses and partners that are now managing their lives in a completely new environment will go a long way in achieving the company’s goal for the move. 

In this article, there are some excellent takeaways to help reduce cross-cultural communication barriers, create an infrastructure for celebrating diversity and learnings that promote and expand a mindset that make employees successful.

For more, check out Understanding Cultural Differences.