What would you do if you saw your Japanese worker snoozing in the middle of the working day, perfectly calm? Or if you found out your French employees disconnected from all work-related methods of communication after work hours?
Well, leading cross-cultural teams is not the kind of thing that always runs smoothly. Yet, having a multicultural workforce can be a great source of strength for any business. So, how to manage an international team for the results to be successful?
Find some of our practical tips below.
Use one common language
When working with people from different cultures, it’s important to use one common language the majority feels comfortable with.
Sometimes, some members’ heavy accents may cause misunderstanding. Explain to your team that being asked to repeat themselves is normal. No matter how poor an employee’s pronunciation is, it shouldn’t make them feel hesitant about speaking up when they have an idea.
Manage time differences
If you’re supervising a virtual team, there’s always a chance for time-related confusion. To avoid it, try using such vetted tools as Spacetimeam, TimeTemperature, World Time Buddy, etc.
They will help you organize work properly and track team productivity regardless of time zone.
Create a safe and positive work environment
Provide employees with an anonymous channel through which to report any cultural issues or oversteps. This strategy ensures everyone feels heard, protected, and respected.
Adopt flexibility
Remember, certain cultures take different days off, have short nap breaks and prayer times within the day and unplug from technology after work.
Ask your new hire in your first one-on-one, if there are any special requests, and try to be flexible about this as much as possible.
