Australia is one of the most diverse and multicultural societies in the world – more than one quarter was born overseas and 49% have at least one parent who was born overseas (Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2016 Census). Therefore, it is not a big surprise that we have different types of people, personalities and cultures in today’s workforce.

Cultural differences can be shown in form of communication to teamwork, perception of time, formality or different cultural calendars. It is vital to understand, communicate and interact with people across different cultures. Below are some tips on how to manage cultural differences in the workplace.

1 – Teamwork

It is important to have an open mind towards the new culture, embrace teamwork activities and sharing of tasks rather than focus on individual differences. See other people’s opinion as an opportunity to expand your horizons. Find here how to build your teamwork skills.

2 – Model the right behaviour

Everyone in the workplace should lead by example as well as embrace and respect diversity. Put harmony and common sense before being right and use a sense of humour and/or a positive approach. Do not take things to the personal side, sometimes people are just having a bad day or are going through a difficult situation.

3 – Awareness

A good way to get to build a healthy work environment is to celebrate cultural differences and make everyone aware of your co-workers’ perspectives, habits and way of life. Learning a new language might be a good start to get along with your colleagues.

4 – Communication

The best way to practice effective communication in a multi-cultural environment is by keeping an open mind, have some knowledge of cultural differences, practice active listening (getting used to different accents) and watch your nonverbal communication as well your voice tone. Kindness and empathy are much appreciated in this context.