working across cultures

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working across cultures

• preventing managing
• misunderstanding
• Barbara Hawkes
• Acas

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programme

• Acas who we are what we do
• background
• considerations language in culture English as a
  second language
• working across cultures (national,
  organisational)
• resolving breakdowns in working relationships
• questions

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improving organisations and working life through
better employment relations
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what we do

• prevent or resolve disputes
• settle complaints about employees' rights
• provide information, advice and training
• encourage people to work together more effectively

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• communicating across cultures

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avoiding misunderstandings

• People who are different (from you) are not
  necessarily the same (as each other) dont
  assume that people from the same country,
  family, or local culture follow the same rules of
  behaviour, preferences etc and that these dont
  change over time or in different circumstances

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non verbalcommunication

• eye contact
• touch
• gestures
• facial expression
• silence
• personal space public, social, personal and
  intimate distance

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verbalcommunication

• turn taking
• expressing courtesy
• direct versus indirect
• constructing arguments
• power distance
• reaction to feedback
• report talk and rapport talk

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decoding British English

• not bad more or
  less OK
• quiet good a little
  disappointing
• very interesting lets talk about
  something else
• I dont like your
  ideas at all
• perhaps we could consider I disagree I do not
  propose
• some other options to take this any
  further
• I appreciate your contribution _at_ you!!!
• you obviously put a lot of work this is awful
• into this

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tips in using English with non-native speakers

• avoid idioms, sayings phrasal verbs
• say what you mean
• keep sentences shorter speak slower not louder
• limit what is said in one go
• break down complex ideas
• avoid multiple questions
• summarise and clarify.

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tips for communicating across cultures

• make sure your verbal and non verbal
  communication agree
• give time-out for non-native speakers
• invite feedback, dont just expect it
• know yourself to know others

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• organisational national cultures

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organisational national culture

• What are your organisations norms?
• for example
• home time hand over work to next shift?
• finish the task/job and then go home?
• Do you show appreciation and thanks for just
  doing the job
• or only when they have gone above beyond the
  call of duty?

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preventing misunderstanding

• Suggestions
• Induction - include cultural norms and practices
• Awareness skills training in communicating
  where English is not the first language
• Literacy and language skills for all employees

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• resolving misunderstanding

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strategies for resolving conflict

• collaboration and problem solving
• compromise, negotiating
• avoidance and withdrawing
• accommodating and soothing
• competition, forcing

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resolving relationship breakdowns, disputes
conflict

• Act early, nip in the bud, doing nothing
  invariably leads to the problem escalating
• Informal action
• three way conversation with manager
• mediation facilitated by third party
• who else has influence on what is agreed?

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if not sure, ask

• in the past how have problems / conflicts /
  disputes tended to get sorted out?
• who in particular tended to be involved in that
  process?
• who tended to have the most influence/say in that
  process?

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prevention is better than cure

• think before you say/do, there may be a cultural
  dimension
• ask if unsure avoid making assumptions
• raise awareness amongst staff
• lead by example
• be proactive

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contact details

• www.acas.org.uk
• Acas Helpline 08457 47 47 47
• Helpline for textphone users 08456 06 16 00
• Equality Direct 08456 00 34 44
• Bhawkes_at_acas.org.uk
• dd 01252 629935