What are the most effective ways to engage employees from different cultures?

No matter what background a person comes from, people are still basically people. Treat them with respect. I'd been tasked with supervising the temps we hired to do our filing. I quickly realized that these people had no idea how to file or a basic concept of the alphabet. Instead of talking myself to death, I made ABC cards and taped them on the wall of the filing room in order - just like we had in kindergarten. This simple thing was a huge help to those temps we hired.

A few years ago we had a Vietnamese client hire us to probate her husband's estate. She spoke very limited English. I tracked down a highly skilled, court approved Vietnamese interpreter who not only attended the probate hearing (remotely) but also attended meetings we had with the client via Zoom. The client was so grateful, she sent our firm a "thank you" basket of goodies.

It's important to make your clients, no matter who they are, feel relaxed and confident in your abilities. When I meet with clients I try to read cues they send as to how serious they are or how stressed they are regarding their family situations. I try to calm them by relating a story about another client (no names) or a personal story that relates to their concerns. Then I assure them we'll handle anything they need.

Provide a multiple channels and opportunites for employees to provide feedback: - Some cultures are reticent to speak up in a formal meeting so provide opportunities for one-on-one or written feedback - Employees who speak languages other than English may prefer written communication which gives them time to read, digest and consider how they respond - Some cultures value harmony and avoid conflict. They may not voice their concerns, especially if the change is being championed by their manager. Leaders should build trust over time to encourage these employees to share their views in a safe space

Agreed! Establishing trust poses a significant challenge, particularly for individuals originating from vulnerable backgrounds or those who have endured adverse experiences when expressing their opinions.

One thing we initially ask our clients is how they prefer communications from us. A lot of our clients are elderly so they prefer phone calls, while younger clients seem to prefer emails. Either way I assure the clients that they can contact me at any time if they come up with other questions or can't remember what I told them.

You can also establish forums or affinity groups where employees from similar cultural backgrounds can come together to share experiences and ideas. These spaces can offer support and a sense of belonging.

Plan out cultural celebrations for the year. Take into account: - cultural composition of your team - ensure these celebrations include opportunities to share and learn about these cultures - ensure celebrations are inclusive: use Lunar New Year instead of Chinese New Year to recognise Vietnamese and Korean employees who also celebrate the new year - do not assume that employees of the culture will be willing to share and talk in a public forum

Celebrate cultural holidays and events. This is a great way to show your employees that you value their cultures and traditions. You can also use this as an opportunity to learn more about different cultures.

As we celebrate diverse cultural holidays, we close our offices. We inform our clients that we will be closed for Juneteenth, Dies Y Seis de Septiembre, Channukah, Christmas, Thanksgiving, Cinco de Mayo, Indigenous People's Day, etc.

Yes, you can also provide regular training on cultural awareness and sensitivity to help employees understand and appreciate each other’s backgrounds and perspectives.