Using Effective Communication to Embrace Diversity

Maintaining healthy and clear communication is one of the — if not the — hardest barriers in a diversified workplace. Cultural differences, generation gaps — literal language barriers. These can all cause strife in the workplace, and can lessen the otherwise advantageous situation of being a diversified team.

The answer to most issues in diversification is clear communication. So, how do you use communication to embrace diversity, rather than treating it as a complication?

Get Your Team on the Same Page

When the members of a team feel like they are a team, they’re more likely to get along and communicate well as a group. But in the workplace, a team isn’t simply a collective group all working on the same project. That’s not a good team, anyway. A real team is one that coordinates and communicates, working together toward the same goals.

For this to happen, they need to actually interact. And preferably as much as possible! Weekly or even daily collaborative sessions can be golden for achieving this. It’s true that most workers need at least some individual time to work, but taking dedicated time out of the day to work together can ensure that no one’s ideas or contributions get buried. You have a diverse team for many reasons, and one of the biggest is the advantage of multiple viewpoints. Don’t rob the team of this by sticking everyone in a cubicle!

Take the Time to Ensure Clarity

When a task has been assigned, it is imperative that everyone be given the right set of tools and resources. Take the time to make certain everyone is on the same page — we recommend going as far as setting aside one-on-one time with each team member to make positive that everyone knows what they’re doing, what is expected of them, and what you can do to help if they hit a snag.

Give Everyone a Voice

The newer, more diverse members of your team are very likely to feel like the new kid on the block. It is extremely easy for a person in this situation to simply fade into the background and let things proceed without them. Don’t let this happen! Every member of the team should feel valued, and you should be doing everything in your power to ensure you’re getting the full benefit of having a diverse team. During meetings, planning, or even post-work social engagements, be sure no one gets left in the dust during conversation.

Act as a Filter for Your Team

As a leader you are both the mouthpiece of your team, and the meeting point of the many minds that make up your team. A breakdown in communication between team members, be it conflictive or a simple language or culture barrier, should be mediated by you whenever possible. When newly diversified teams are meeting, you should be there to discuss things and ensure everyone gets off on the right foot.

Even a relatively minor miscommunication can blow out of proportion in no time. People hate being misunderstood, and also hate being unable to understand. So be there for the team. Keep things crystal-clear so that a minor conflict doesn’t spiral out of control and create an unhealthy environment for your employees.

With an open mind, a little learning, and some patience, a diversified workplace can be many times stronger than one that is not. Make clear communication priority number one and start embracing diversity in your business!