Global Thinking for the New Work Environment
International companies have been one of the largest contributors to the global economy. This is especially true when they are managed effectively. We can all learn many great things from one another to enrich our everyday lives especially when it comes to the workplace. Different parts of the world have varied business practices which can provide insight in how we can work collaboratively. For example, in North America, we put emphasis in control and mastery while on the job. However in China, they are most concerned about maintaining balance and achieving harmony in their offices – read more about it here. No one way is right or wrong however, we can certainly learn from our global counterparts and determine if these work values can be applied to our own work environment.
Here are some ideas on how we can achieve this:
Embrace Diversity in the Workplace
This may seem like an obvious one but take a closer look. Learn from your fellow peers on how they would handle work situations. Ask questions. You may have some peers who have experiences working abroad but handled a similar situation in a different manner because of circumstances like work culture and/or environment. It may provide you with a fresh perspective on the matter.
Model Collaborative Behavior
If you lead by showing a positive example, many will follow. If you are in a position where you can fill-in for a fellow employee and/or train at another branch, take the opportunity and embrace it. Face-to-face interaction with your fellow employees who are in a different country, state or province is well worth it. Learn the ins and outs of how things are done and observe. Although the company standards and processes may be the same, you might learn a thing or two when making observations first hand. Most importantly, don’t forget to bring back what you learned and share with your team members.
Support a Sense of Community
Work with your HR team to develop team building activities not only just in your office but with your other locations. Get other fellow staff involved and try to cultivate community culture. Consider looking at global charity events where everyone can participate company wide and organize friendly competitions. Work with your HR department to create policies and practices that encourage these types of activities. Identify as a global organization rather than as a satellite office.
Seek Commonality Amongst Cultures
As business professionals, we all seek to reach a common goal to be successful. The same rule applies and as a collective, there is strength in numbers. The one difference when looking globally is that everyone can bring expertise and knowledge from different parts of the world that can be valuable in delivering the best business strategies ever created.
If we lived in a world where every country had the same work values and business strategies, there would be no room for growth or variety. By embracing global work practices, we can all have an opportunity to appreciate one’s work ethic. It also enables teams and companies to think differently – perhaps a recalibration of the workplace. Speak to one of our consultants today on how to better collaborate with your team members and call us today 1-888-304-3114.
