Culture Clash or Harmony? Managing Diversity in Remote Teams

Every company knows the importance of top talent and a team that collaborates perfectly. Hiring the right people has become easier with the opportunity to hire globally. However, turning a group of diverse employees into a well-collaborating team takes some work.

A diverse workplace is great, but an inclusive work environment is even better. Here is what employers should know about managing cultural diversity in the workplace.

What is cultural diversity in the workplace?

Cultural diversity in the workplace means hiring and accepting people from different cultural backgrounds. This includes appreciating differences in race, ethnicity, gender, or sexual orientation.

This also extends to different professional and educational backgrounds in the working environment. It also includes political viewpoints and immigration status. Plus it also means being inclusive toward disabled and neurodiverse individuals.

Some of these differences are protected by law from discrimination. However, if you wish to build a truly diverse team as an employer, there are other differences you should consider. In some cases, you should also adapt your workplace to build inclusivity.

The most common types of cultural diversity in the workplace

To understand cultural diversity better, employers should learn the differences that are protected by law. Once you grasp these differences, it will likely be easier to understand others that are equally important. You should aim to treat all the differences with the same care to achieve inclusivity in your workplace.

1. Age

One of the most notable differences in the workplace could be the age difference. It is easy to discriminate employees based on their age inadvertently. It could be due to certain preconceptions and prejudice.

Your employees will likely have various experiences that may or may not be easy to relate to depending on their generation. All of them will certainly be beneficial for your business.

They will also likely have different preferences you should aim to understand and accommodate. For example, your younger employees will likely appreciate a more flexible and relaxed approach to work. To them, you can offer work-from-home options and other similar perks. Tenured staff might prefer working from the office and a more traditional work schedule.

Pay attention to these differences and try to accommodate them without discriminating.

2. Gender identity, biological sex, and sexual orientation

Gender identity is one of the most common reasons for discrimination at work. It is mostly because these concepts are still unclear to many managers and hiring people in the workforce.

Your team members, especially women, LGBTQ+, and non-binary individuals often face bias in the workplace. They are also more likely to deal with insensitive questions daily or face assumptions about their identity.

To address this, and build an inclusive workplace, you should consider creating a healthy no-tolerance policy. The policy should prevent bullying, discrimination, or harassment based on gender or sexuality.

3. Race and ethnicity

For many remote teams, team members of various ethnicities are a significant part of a diverse workplace. Even though employers are pushed into hiring a more diverse team in terms of ethnicities, it should be done right.

Otherwise, your employees may feel like tokens and resent their position, coworkers, or your business. In other companies, employees may feel someone is privileged based on their differences.

It is important for employers to create an inclusive workplace. They should offer the same opportunities to all employees, regardless of race and ethnicity.

4. Disability

With nearly 20% of the adult workforce in the US living with some sort of disability, most of those are invisible. These can range from physical impairments to mental health or other issues impacting their daily lives.

Many companies state they do not discriminate against disability. Yet, they lack the resources to support disabled workers. As an employer, it is important to understand what this entails and to create a supportive work environment.

Why is cultural diversity important in the workplace?

Cultural diversity is important for building a growing organization. It gathers different experiences, backgrounds, and perspectives around the same goals.

Different working habits, problem-solving experiences, and diverse viewpoints can help your organization thrive. It will also improve productivity among your employees, help them level up their skill set, and help your company thrive.

Let’s get into more detail about the benefits of cultural diversity in the workplace.

What are the benefits of cultural diversity in the workplace?

As mentioned, a diverse workforce can do wonders for your business growth. Here is how your company will benefit from cultural diversity.

1. Improved productivity

When you have a diverse workforce and work on inclusivity, you actively build the trust your employees have toward your company. Your workers will be more engaged and happy to participate in your company’s growth if they feel they are valued and their input appreciated.

2. Better collaboration

Inclusive companies with diverse teams will notice better collaboration between employees. If you create an environment where everyone is appreciated, your employees will feel a better sense of belonging. They will be more comfortable working together if there is no tolerance for harassment or bullying.

3. Better retention rates

Your employees are more likely to stay and be engaged in the company’s future if they feel comfortable. They need to trust your leadership and feel a sense of belonging.

Creating a sense of security and appreciation within your company will help your employees feel valued. In return, it will make them less likely to search for a better opportunity elsewhere.

4. Better company culture

A good company culture is crucial for the success of your company. Building an inclusive one, where employees are not discriminated against and feel safe coming into work is paramount. It will shape not only how your employees feel about work, but it will also have a great impact on your company's reputation.

5. Better company reputation

A diverse team that works well together will be beneficial not just for your company, but for its reputation as well. Your team’s happiness will likely be noticed not only by new team members but also by customers, clients, investors, and the general public.

5 ways to promote cultural diversity at work

When working on the cultural diversity in your company, it is important to provide resources and necessary training. Simply hiring a diverse team is not enough, and can lead to culture clashes rather than collaboration.

However, there are a few ways to promote diversity in your company without it being superficial. Here are five ways you can promote diversity in your team.

1. Bias training

All of your employees will likely arrive in your office with biases. These biases and internalized prejudices should be addressed in a remote team, to prevent any mishaps down the road.

The bias training should start from the highest level in your company. It is a good route to protect your employees from discrimination.

2. Language training

As many changes happen in the workplace, the language can quickly change as well. Much of the commonplace language is now considered insensitive. It is important to revise any policies, guidebooks, and any other documentation.

Make sure to eliminate any coded language, ableist, sexist, racist, or homophobic language. You should not only double-check your external, client-facing content. You should improve the internal one geared toward your employees as well.

3. Develop inclusive policies

Policies regarding in-house, local employees should differ from those aimed at a diverse team. Make sure to develop policies that protect the diversity of your team. These policies should prohibit discrimination, bullying, and harassment.

4. Employee resource groups

Employee resource groups are another great way to promote diversity in your team. At the same time, they also create a sense of belonging in the diverse team. Employee resource groups are usually led by someone who belongs to a particular minority group but is open to everyone. These groups provide a safe place for your employees to connect.

5. Hire a DEI expert

Employers might do their best to be sensitive, objective, and forward-thinking in terms of diversity and inclusion. But, in some cases, it’s best to hire expert help on the matter.

This is where DEI experts could be helpful. They specialize in helping organizations create strategies and policies around diversity. With extensive training and experience, they can help organizations create an inclusive workplace.

How to manage a culturally diverse team

While establishing a culturally diverse team might seem easy, managing it will require some practice. It will also require a strong understanding of how different cultures express themselves. Ultimately, it also means adapting yourself and your workplace to meet them.

Here is some advice to help you manage a culturally diverse team.

1. Encourage the expression of opinions and beliefs

Fear of discrimination and being judged by their peers will hinder the growth of the employees experiencing it. Promote the differences, and create a safe space for your employees to express their opinions, beliefs, and concerns.

2. Organize team-building activities

Team building activities are an excellent opportunity to explore the diverse cultures you have in your team. Use these activities to help your diverse employees connect and learn about other cultures. These will also help create a sense of community and belonging in the workplace.

3. Appreciate cultural traditions, customs, and celebrations

Diverse teams will certainly have diverse traditions and holidays they celebrate, so make sure to respect those. Include different holidays in your company calendar or host events that celebrate traditions. Try to find ways to show respect toward the different cultures your team consists of.

4. Manage feedback with care

The best way for your organization to grow and create a great work culture for your team is to ask them for feedback. However, many employees, especially those who’ve faced discrimination in the past, will feel scared to share their feedback.

The key to getting the constructive feedback you need is to create safe routes for your employees to provide feedback. These could be anonymous polls, one-on-one meetings, or other methods that will put your employees at ease.

5. Mind the language

Similarly to the language used for creating policies, not all language is appropriate in the work setting. Make sure to mind the language both you and your employees use when communicating in the workplace.

Hiring a coach might be beneficial if you find that adapting the language used in the workplace is a tricky thing to do on your own. All the employees within your organization need to follow the same rules, so it might be worth it to invest in education if you feel there is a need for it.

A brief history of cultural diversity in the workplace

Most of the cultural diversity rules and regulations started mid 60’s when the first civil rights movements appeared in the US. Before that discrimination was deep-rooted, and companies rarely had policies in place to prevent it.

However, the first change happened in 1972. It's when the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission gained the right to pursue its lawsuits. This gave employees the right to sue people and businesses that discriminated against them.

The next year, the Rehabilitation Act marked the first steps toward inclusivity for the disabled. Sexual harassment in the workplace was prohibited in 1986. The first law protecting LGBTQ+ individuals was passed in 2020.

FAQ:

How can cultural diversity be demonstrated in the workplace?

Diversity in the workplace can be demonstrated by creating an inclusive environment. In it, the employees feel comfortable to collaborate, regardless of their background. Inclusive teams, that have a no-tolerance policy about discrimination, typically work well. Those are the best examples of great cultural diversity.

Why is diversity important in work culture?

Diversity in the workplace has a significant positive impact on work culture, employee productivity, and engagement. It also affects employee retention rates. Different backgrounds have different perspectives, problem-solving skills, and insights any business can benefit from. However, to reap the benefits of a diverse workplace, employers should also work on creating an inclusive workplace as well.

What is the best example of diversity in the workplace?

There are many examples of diversity in the workplace. These include gender, age, race, and disability.