Surrounding yourself with a diverse group of people opens your mind to new experiences and different ways of life. Not only do we believe exposure to cultural differences to be good, there is an abundance of statistics that indicate people who travel and expose themselves to diversity are happier and more successful.
What you might not know, is this same cultural exposure can also be a great way to improve the workplace, increase company morale, and facilitate growth among your employees.
Inclusiveness Is a Cornerstone of Happiness
The research on diversity in the workplace actually began with studies into the impact cultural differences had on the individual. Studies showed that individuals who are exposed to diversity, new ideas, and other cultures are more satisfied with their own life, than those who do not have these experiences. The research became so persuasive on this topic, that psychologists determined that contact cultural differences was important for an individual’s well being.
These findings were next applied to communities. It didn’t take long for researchers to find that diverse communities were happier. As well, these communities have a higher degree of tolerance, are better at sharing and offering community support, and more likely to be vocal about social issues. Finally, diverse communities are actually healthier, mentally and physically, than homogenous ones.
All of this information on individuals and communities can translate to the workplace.
Cultural Differences Spur Personal Growth
The ability to work abroad is a privilege that not everyone has an opportunity to enjoy. Luckily, there are ways to facilitate a cultural experience, right in your workplace. Simply having a culturally diverse group of people on your marketing team or in your sales department can enrich the experiences of every individual in the business and better their work environment.
Workplace diversity is an easy way to learn about a culture and specific country first-hand, even if employees have never set foot in the actual place. For example, when you travel you have the opportunity to grow intellectually and personally through the people you meet and the place you chose to explore. Often as you travel these experienced help you redefine what makes you happy. An employer can create the same impact by diversifying the workplace.
Opportunities For Career Development
Working with international employees benefits both the company and the employee hired. The employee offers a new and diverse outlook on a situation coming from a different country with different customs and expectations. This can spark creativity throughout the entire company and have tremendous benefits for the company as a whole.
The company allows the employee to get a new and global experience they could not get in their home country. The experience the employee gets will give them an advantage that will set them apart from their peers in the future when looking for jobs. As young adults working abroad is a great way to get a head start in their careers and leave them with fond memories and understanding of a different culture.
Cultural Differences Spark Innovation and Productivity
When your employees are happy, the workplace environment becomes happier. Sales may improve due to productivity, and innovation may be boosted. Hiring someone from another country can also help facilitate innovation within an organization.
Simply because of the cultural differences they have, they may be able to tackle a problem in a unique way no other person in the office may have thought of. They may also have new and creative ideas that worked for a local company that may not have reached the country they’re currently in yet.
With diversity come new ideas and new schools of thought on how to deal and better situations. Research suggests that a more diverse environment creates a more inclusive tone, which can help employees feel more comfortable voicing new opinions and create a happier setting overall. A study done by McKinsey showed “Companies in the top quartile for racial and ethnic diversity are 35% more likely to have financial returns above their respective national industry medians.”
Nothing gets a team motivated like a new idea they want to present to their company that can better the bottom line and the operations as a whole. No great and new idea is sparked without a diverse group of individuals with different backgrounds.
Find Your Happiness
It’s important to have a happy and healthy environment to work to facilitate growth and innovation and improve the organization. Visit skills360.com to learn more about how you can do just that.
