Send us your e-mail for free newsletter:
| Home |
| About Us |
| Programs |
| Products |
| Profile |
|
Clients/ Testimonials |
|
Articles (Free) |
|
Newsletter (Free) |
| Contact Us |
 |
|
|
Strategies for Employers with Immigrant Employees
Today's U.S. workforce is becoming increasingly diverse as immigrants help meet the skilled labor shortage. With these new employees, however, can come difficulties in communication and understanding. How can employers best utilize the talents of their multicultural employees and still adhere to the organization's management philosophies?
The answer is the same as it is for all employees: get them involved. When employers are honest and straightforward with their employees about the company's needs, and the organization's recognition of the employees' needs, invariably employees respond positively. Through communication methods employees can learn how their own contributions are crucial to the company's success and, therefore, their own success. Involvement connotes trust, and trust is a requirement of many immigrants. Until immigrants feel they can trust their employers, they may be reluctant to reveal their thoughts, which can impede productivity. Where mutual trust exists, positive relationships can occur and a harmonious productive working environment can ensue benefiting all concerned.
How do employers create an environment of trust? This can be more complicated than with American-born employees who have become accustomed to living in a culture of candor.
The American individualistic way of life is the opposite of what many immigrants have experienced. Most cultures outside the U.S. are group-oriented, in that the group's welfare takes priority over that of the individual. Examples of the "group" may be the family, company or country. Group-oriented cultures are hierarchical in nature and authority is clear-cut, often patriarchal.
When American employers empower their employees by giving them more responsibility, expecting to hear if something goes wrong, they may not be taking into account that in the immigrants' lexicon the boss is supposed to be in charge; the employee would never think of embarrassing the employer or superseding the employer's authority by criticizing an organizational decision or procedure.
A developmental method often used successfully is to have a representative from the employee's "group" act as an intermediary between the immigrants and the employer. With such an intermediary, the immigrants are likely to be more candid voicing their concerns and contributing their own suggestions for solutions. As the immigrants' trust levels increase--which will result only if the employer responds constructively to immigrant concerns--immediate supervisors eventually can assume the intermediary role. This win/win strategy leads to immigrants working at their full potential and employers reaping the rewards of a satisfied productive workforce.
___
Author Judith A. Starkey is President of The Starkey Group, Inc., a Chicago consulting and training firm providing multicultural strategies. For more information see www.StarkeyGrp.com.
For permission to reproduce this article contact StarkeyGrp@aol.com or the address below.
Contact Us:
Judith A. Starkey, President
The Starkey Group, Inc.
3180 N. Lake Shore Drive, Suite 17G
Chicago, Illinois 60657-4867 USA
Phone: 773 348 0421
Fax: 773 348 3683
E-Mail: jas@StarkeyGrp.com or
StarkeyGrp@aol.com
Website: www.StarkeyGrp.com
MultiCultural Strategies
We respect your privacy and will
not reveal your identity without authorization.
See our Products for more info.
Copyright © 2011 The Starkey Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved.