Why is it important to understand cultural differences?

Employees’ cultural backgrounds can give employers insight into their habits and behaviors in the workplace. Even more important, employers can begin to understand the reasoning behind these habits and behaviors.

Understanding how diversity impacts people at work can help you mediate conflicts and provide relevant motivation to individual employees. You can help people from underrepresented groups feel respected by supporting their culture. When you educate others in your workspace on how to behave respectfully at work and work together efficiently, you cultivate a welcoming work environment for everyone.

Types of cultural differences in the workplace

Culture combines various elements from people’s upbringing, history and community. This means many characteristics can cause cultural differences in the workplace. A diverse workplace has people of different ages, experience levels, religions and economic backgrounds. Some key cultural aspects that impact employee behavior at work are discussed in more depth below.

1. Generational

The outlook and values of one generation often vary from others. Generational differences may be affected by more than age, including the economy when someone was growing up and the social or political beliefs of that time.

A person’s generation can impact their ideas about:

• Professionalism
• Collaboration
• Communication
• Leadership
• Work ethic
• Workplace culture

Generations you may see in your workplace include Baby Boomers, Gen X, Millennials and Gen Z. Although the people within a generation will never be identical, you may see some common trends.

For example, Baby Boomers tend to be loyal employees who hope to have a long-term career in a single workplace. On the other hand, Millennials highly value work-life balance and seek growth, regardless of whether that comes from within their current company or from outside. Gen Z is known to be outspoken and push for change where they believe it’s needed, while Gen X tends to adapt and go with the flow instead.

2. Ethnic

Ethnic, racial and national backgrounds can significantly impact communication, leadership and initiative in the workplace.

For example, some cultures are naturally more direct about communication, including offering praise or voicing concerns. Countries generally adhering to direct communication styles include the United States, Australia, Germany and Canada. Other cultures tend to be indirect about communication and believe it rude to relay negative information directly. Countries that generally follow indirect communication styles include Japan, China, India and Saudi Arabia.

Initiative is another place where ethnic and cultural differences may show in the workplace. Some countries and cultures expect employees (or those in a “lower” position within the workplace) to defer to leaders and wait to be given opportunities. On the other hand, some cultures believe employees should take the initiative and hustle to be recognized or even outright ask for better opportunities.

3. Religious

Religious affiliation strongly impacts people’s values, which can affect their workplace behavior and priorities. Religion can influence what people perceive as ethical behavior, which generally includes traits such as honesty, fairness, integrity and understanding. Some ethical behaviors are subjective and may vary to align with the fundamental principles of a person’s religious beliefs. In turn, this can influence decision-making in the workplace.

People have the right to express their faith, so businesses need policies that respect people’s beliefs while upholding fair standards of conduct for clients and customers. A well-defined code of business ethics can help so long as it’s written in a way that doesn’t infringe on anyone’s right to religious freedom.

4. Educational

People with different educational experiences have different types of cultural capital that they use to solve problems and approach situations in the workplace. Secondary schooling isn’t the only way to receive educational experience, and many people receive their education through on-the-job experience, including internships or apprenticeships.

The way someone gains their experience can affect how they approach problems. Since many employers hire based on education or equivalent work experience, people with drastically different education levels may work on the same projects and implement unique methodologies to achieve the same results.

Examples of how cultural differences impact the workplace

Cultural differences in the workplace can manifest in several ways, depending on your team members’ environment and unique backgrounds. A few common cultural diversity examples are outlined below.

Dress code

Culture and generation often impact how people dress. For example, many Sikh men wear a turban as part of their religious commitment. Some dress code restrictions on headwear can infringe on their right to religious expression. Younger generations tend to value personal expression and may prefer dressing more casually at work, while older generations tend to value conformity and traditional professional dress more.

Feedback

Cultural differences can also show up in the way employees give or receive feedback. For example, in China, it’s uncommon for employees to criticize their workplace superiors. Someone who moved from China to America may not be as free with feedback to those above them and, as a result, may be less outspoken in group conversations.

Communication

The way people communicate can vary based on their cultural backgrounds. For example, those with European backgrounds tend to be more direct with what they mean and value eye contact during discussions. Native American cultures, in contrast, may use indirect communication to be polite and find eye contact disrespectful.

Teamwork

Employee ideas about teamwork and individualism can also show up in the workplace. Some people were raised to be independent and problem-solve on their own, while others rely on collaboration and community to be successful. For example, Gen X and Gen Z are both characterized by being more independent, while Millennials and Baby Boomers tend to be more team-oriented.

Strategies for approaching cultural differences

Once you recognize cultural differences, you can take steps to proactively manage their impact. A few strategies for approaching cultural differences include:

• Learning about your employees: Take time to learn about the unique experiences of each of your employees so you can research their cultural norms and accommodate them. Feel free to ask respectful questions if you don’t understand something, but make it clear your purpose is to ensure reasonable accommodation.
• Hosting diversity training: Being exposed to cultural diversity examples through proper training helps equip your employees with the necessary strategies for working with people who are different than them. In turn, you’ll create a more understanding, welcoming environment for everyone.
• Acknowledge holidays and celebrations: Each religion, culture and country has different holidays and special celebrations. Take your time to acknowledge these whenever possible, and be understanding when an employee needs one of these days off.
• Keep conversations professional: Avoid using slang in professional discussions since colloquialisms aren’t always understood. Practice active listening, and ask clarifying questions if you don’t understand something. Be open to the other party asking questions, too.
• Create an accepting dress code policy: Many offices require traditional business wear. While it’s OK to expect employees to dress professionally, remember to accept necessary changes as needed for religious exemptions.
• Have an open-door HR policy: Ensure everyone feels welcome to speak with human resources when they feel their cultural differences have been infringed upon or need accommodation. Also, ensure that nobody is punished or reprimanded for speaking up.

Having a diverse workplace has many benefits, but it also comes with unique challenges for managers. By being purposefully inclusive and educating yourself and your employees, you can create a welcoming environment for everyone.

FAQs about cultural differences in the workplace

How do you identify cultural differences in the workplace?

Tracking demographics as part of your data analysis efforts can help identify cultural differences in your workplace. Demographics such as gender, race, age, ethnicity and languages spoken are good tracking choices. However, many of these questions must be voluntarily answered so as not to violate non-discrimination laws.

How can you create a culturally diverse team?

Changing your hiring practices to look for cultural additions, or “culture add” in candidates rather than just looking for people who are cultural fits can help promote cultural diversity in your workplace.