Introduction
In the era of globalization, many organizations have gone international to tap on the new opportunities presented by the global trade (Barbara, 2015). As a result, organizations are shifting in their approach towards workforce management from managing homogenous culture to accommodating multicultural labor force in the workplace. This shift calls human resource managers to task in finding new and effective approaches for managing the emerging culturally diverse workplace. HR departments are tasked with blending appropriate strategies into their practice in order to meet the needs of this emerging challenge. Cultural diversity in an organization shapes employees’ sense of identity and perceptions of each other, hence the work relationships whose overall impact is replicated in their productivity (Patrick & Kumar, 2012). Similarly, a company’s cultural diversity will determine the management styles, behavioral characteristics, attitude patterns, and communication styles within that organization. With this background understanding, this paper examines the role culture plays in human resource management practices and particularly, how cultural differences affect employee training and development as well as recruitment practices in an organization.
In human resource management, recruitment of new employees can be in jeopardy when employers are characterized by prejudice. This prejudice arises from the negative attitudes towards people of a different culture. If not checked, negative attitudes can potentially lead to the deterioration of working conditions in an organization. The existence of different customs, language problems, and fears of certain cultures by others are the main causes of the prejudices (Vo, 2014). Other factors may include skin color and religion. The HR managers must check therefore to ensure employee recruitment is based on professional knowledge but not on the basis of language skills or other cultural factors. In addition, it is a common observation that employers who are not culturally competent fail to value foreign qualifications in spite of being officially recognizable on the international front. This causes frustrations among immigrant experts who seek jobs in global organizations as they are many times offered jobs that are not in line with their training. In view of these problems, therefore, Vo (2014) argues that there is a need for HRM to revise and renovate their recruitment policies, systems, and strategies in order to attract the best talents necessary in the expansion of businesses to international markets. It is also prudent for HR managers to consider changing attitudes and perceptions of employees from foreign cultures. Equally, Barbara (2015) adds that cultural competence calls for employers who work in culturally diverse environments to change their fears of language barriers and diverse customs and cultures.
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A multicultural workforce has several benefits that reward HRM functionality. To start with, a diverse workforce brings different perspectives, ideas, and training which are vital in the development and innovation of new and variable products suited for a diverse client base (Barbara, 2015). Also, a multicultural workforce promotes employee retention and improves the attraction of the best talent. Moreover, diversity may lead to other benefits such as job satisfaction, improved staff relations, improved competitive edge, increased productivity, and good organizational reputation.
However, the development of a multicultural workforce has several implications for HRM and organizations in general. First, there are costs involved in training a diverse workforce including language training and funding cultural awareness programs for easy integration. In addition to training costs, accommodating different religious and cultural practices will lead to expectations such as conforming to certain dietary requirements as well as holy days (Vo, 2014). Also, diverse workplaces are vulnerable to increased conflict cases resulting from bullying, ignorance/fear, and superiority complex. Moreover, HRM should take into consideration that mismanaged diversity can potentially yield worker dissatisfaction thus lead to reduced performance/productivity. Other challenges may include reverse discrimination. These are among the effects of cultural diversity that HRM must take into consideration in order to ensure optimal organizational productivity.
Employee training and development in a culturally diverse environment requires a greater willingness to openly talk about the differences so as to build trust and promote effective decision making (Vo, 2014). HRM will find it important to create a training module that defines the goals, needs, and essentials of the diversity training program. The goals of instituting cultural diversity training include enhancing diversity awareness among employees, knowledge acquisition of the source of cultural differences, and development of diversity management skills. Facilitating these goals needs a culturally-competent leadership. Basically, the training aims at preparing individuals to become culturally competent communicators (equipping workers with the awareness about other cultures and fostering sensitivity of other cultures). This training process requires that employees develop the willingness to appreciate the existence of other cultures, understanding the differences, and valuing the differences (Barbara, 2015).
Other measures that HRM must observe in executing their employee training and development function include overcoming stereotyping and other cultural biases, involving high-level management, and monitoring and evaluating progress.
Conclusion
Even as organizations shift to tap the opportunities and benefits presented by globalization, in return there arises a challenge of changing their approach of managing their human resources given the cultural diversity embedded in the global marketplace (Barbara, 2015). This change is necessary for ensuring the development of cohesive, efficient, world-class teams equipped for top productivity. It is in the hope of producing variable products for a diverse client base that global organizations invest in their HRM with an aim to overcome challenges of multiculturalism in their labor force (Patrick & Kumar, 2012). Promoting cultural diversity in the workplace comes with a myriad of benefits including improvements in employee skills, creativity, innovation, and technological know-how which lead to increased productivity. In addition, this diversity gives businesses a competitive edge in the global marketplace necessary in attracting the best talent thus leading to increased productivity. With this knowledge of cultural diversity, HR managers are better placed in executing their functions in conformity with their organizational goals.
References
Barbara, M. (2015). Managing cultural diversity as a societal approach to sustainable human resource management. Social Sciences , 89 (3), 1-18. doi:10.5755/j01.ss.89.3.13669
Patrick, H. A., & Kumar, V. R. (2012). Managing workplace diversity: issues and challenges. SAGE Open , 2 (2), 215824401244461. doi:10.1177/2158244012444615
Vo, K. H. (2014). Managing cultural diversity in human resource management. Saimaa University of Applied Sciences Thesis , 4 , 1-72.
