Publish at October 03 2017 Updated September 27 2023
In a context of globalization and multicultural integration, do we have all the tools we need to develop synergy with others? Should we prioritize certain approaches, depending on the community and the situation? Is it up to us?
The international market has progressed at an accelerating pace, leaving us no choice but to adapt to the changes affecting our society and our jobs.
The massive influx of immigrants has caught everyone off guard, adding to the discomforts and difficulties experienced with members of ethnic groups.
While a survey of some 2,000 managers revealed the importance of demonstrating intercultural competence for professionals whose ambition is to succeed in their careers, working in foreign countries, managing multicultural teams and working in multicultural environments is a daily reality.
Cultural intelligence has become a key skill among different employment groups, having to deal with multicultural colleagues, customers or students. People with this skill are better able to understand and adapt to different contexts, making it easier to work with ethnic members.
This competence refers to communication in all its forms and its interpretation by the interlocutor, taking into account cognitive, physical and motivational dimensions.
Managing diversity is an important issue, because it is perceived as much as a source of conflict, demotivation and dissatisfaction, as a means of generating new, more creative resources and demonstrating flexibility in the face of socio-economic change.
Beyond reflecting on the way an ethnic member functions, as well as on his or her perception of authority; money; time; nature; etc., we can only claim to know the other person by questioning the reasons behind his or her reflexes and reactions, in order to reduce misunderstandings.
The Ministère du Travail, de l'Emploi et de la Sécurité sociale (Ministry of Labour, Employment and Social Security) has taken various measures to promote the integration of immigrants and visible minorities into the workforce. Legislation has been enacted to prioritize and help target groups to be fairly analyzed, in order to encourage hiring. Organizations are subsidized to meet the special needs and qualifications of this clientele. Courses on ethnicity have been added to teaching programs, so that teachers can acquire knowledge about the particularities of these groups among their students and facilitate identity management. Since these courses have only recently been added, many teachers have not taken them.
Are all these measures enough to achieve multicultural integration in the workplace? To ask the question is to answer it.
The three-step method is a simple method that provides tools for interacting with your interlocutor. It involves stepping back, observing and diagnosing.
Although coaching is a highly successful training method, with an 85% increase in skills retention, there are a number of aspects that need to be taken into account if it is to be effective. It can be very useful for preparing people for overseas assignments; mobilizing intercultural individuals or groups; helping managers or teachers to improve their know-how with ethnic members.
A coach with solid intercultural skills could be a major asset to the success of multicultural integration in the workplace.
There are other aspects to consider about ourselves, such as our prejudices; our stereotypes; our expectations; our impressions and perceptions that refer to our experiences. These biases can influence the behavior and success of the method used.
There are other methods, but the ones presented in this article are the most common.
Although the three-stage method can be presented as an informative tool to help people develop intercultural intelligence in the workplace on their own, it can also be presented in a way that encourages mobilization around individual and group synergy. Communication around this objective is a key element of this method.
Although coaching can be offered in a group setting and presented as strategic training, it can also be used to intervene in specific or critical situations.
Beyond everyone's differing opinions on immigration and multicultural integration, it's up to each individual to make choices and decide on the method he or she intends to use when dealing with people from other ethnic groups.
Chicha, Marie-Thérèse. Managing diversity: the close interdependence between equity and efficiency (September 29, 2017). www.portailrh.org/effectif/fichedemo.aspx?p=324165
Early, C.; Mosakowski, E. Cultural intelligence, Harvard Business Review (October 2004).
Émond, Marie-France. To announce change in a mobilizing way (September 26, 2017).
http://www.portailrh.org/expert/ficheSA.aspx?p=678063
Emploi Québec (n.d). Managing cultural diversity. www.education.gouv.qc.ca/enseignants/formation-des-enseignants/formation-continue/programme-de-soutien-a-la-formation-continue-du-personnel-scolaire/projets-soutenus-par-le-ministere/gestion-de-la-diversite-culturelle/
Emploi Québec (n.d). Programme d'aide à l'intégration des immigrants et des minorités visibles en emploi (PRIIME). www.emploiquebec.gouv.qc.ca/citoyens/integrer-un-emploi/programmes-dintegration-a-lemploi/programme-daide-a-lintegration-des-immigrants-et-des-minorites-visibles-en-emploi-priime/
Entreprise Québec (n.d.). Gérer une entreprise multiculturelle. www2.gouv.qc.ca/entreprises/portail/quebec/infosite?x=3169424730
Gervais, Lisa-Marie. La diversité culturelle au programme des futurs profs (October 28, 2016). www.ledevoir.com/societe/education/483345/education-la-diversite-culturelle-au-programme-des-futurs-profs
Houde, L. Le coaching dans un contexte de diversité culturelle (February 23, 2016). www.portailrh.org/expert/ficheSA.aspx?f=109163
Sauquet, M.; Vielajus, M. Pour une démarche d'intelligence interculturelle (May 2014). http://docs.eclm.fr/pdf_annexe/IntelligenceInterculturelleArticleTribuneFondaMars2014.pdf
St-Onge, J. Are managers ready to manage cultural diversity? www.portailrh.org/expert/ficheSA.aspx?p=441589
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