WELCOME

Albanian - Mire se vini Arabic - Ahlan Wa Sahlan Aruba(Dutch Carribean) - Bon Bini (Bong Be-knee) Australia - Cooee Cobber Australia - G'day Mate Australia - Welcome Catalan Countries - Benvinguts China - huan ying Cyprus - Kalosorisate Czech Republic - Vitame Vas Czech Republic - Vitejte Danish - Velkommen Dutch (Netherlands) - Welkom Esperanto - Bonvenon Ewe (pronounced "EV" spoken in Ghana, Togo and Benin) Woezor (pronounced WOZON) Flemish (Belgium) - Welkom French (France, et.al.) - Bienvenue (the first 'n' is nasal) German - Willkommen Ghana - Akwaaba Greek - and Kalos ilthes (singular) Greek - Kalos ilthate(plural) Hawaiian - E komo mai (pronounced "eh como my" literally, "come in") Hindi - Swaa-gat hai Indonesian - Selamat Datang Irish - Cead Mile Failte ("One Hundred Thousand Welcomes") Irish - Failte romhat Italian - Benvenuto Japanese - Irasshaimase (welcome to our store, often shortened to Irasshai) Japanese - Yookoso (welcome to our city) Korean - Oh so, Osay-o (welcome to our store) Korean - Chun-manay-oh (your welcome) Malaysia - Selamat Datang Netherlands - Welkom New Zealand - Kia Ora - Hello ("Key or ra") Norway - Velkommen ("Welkommen") Polish - Dzie dobry (daytime) Polish - Dobry wieczr (evening time) Portuguese - Bem Vinda- Female Portuguese - Bem Vindo- Male (Bem vindos, plural "bain same as in pain "VEEN-doe" Plural: "bain VEENdoes") Portuguese (Be Very Welcome) - Muito Bem Vindo ("MOO EEN toe bain VEENdoe") Romania - Multumesc Spanish - Bienvenido Schwiizer Duetsch (Swiss German) - Greuzi ("GREW-tzih") Tagalog (Pilipino) - Mabuhay Twi (Ghana) - Akwaaba Ukraine - Laskavo prosymo United States (South) - How Y'all Doin'? Urdu - Tash-reef Laa-i-ye Uzbekistan (Uzbek) - Hush kelibsiz (Welcome) (Wales/Cymru - Croeso ("Croysso") Yugoslavia (Serbia) Dobrodosli

WORKSHOP OBJECTIVE
To give small business owners, managers and HR professionals the information, tools and techniques to successfully hire and integrate qualified immigrants into the workplace.

FOCUS AREAS
Cross Cultural Communication Screening Resumes of Immigrants

Cross Cultural Interviews

Integrating Newcomers into the Workforce

CULTURE DEFINED
Culture can be defined as the shared beliefs and values of a group of people; our learned way of living.

DEFINITION OF CULTURE
Must always be considered

Focus of this workshop

Can be assumed

ICEBERG ANALOGY
Rsum content & style Dress and appearance Accent, body language, greetings Reports, documents, presentations, etc. Organizational Structure Architecture of buildings and layout of office inside _____________________________________ Building rapport, persuasion Accomplishment, self-promotion Emotional engagement Concept and use of time Relationships between men and women Manager/employee relations, respect, initiative Teamwork, individualism, risk tolerance Career management

CULTURAL BELIEFS AND VALUES

Many Japanese offices are set up quite differently from the way Canadian offices are set up. Many Japanese offices are set up like North American University Lecture Halls, one desk facing rows of identical desks, chairs, and phones. In a Japanese office, the most senior manager sits at the front, facing everyone, and the hierarch can be read in the room, since the people in the front row report directly to the most senior manager while people farther back are in lower positions.

Invisible Parts of Iceberg

Building rapport, persuasion. Accomplishment, self-promotion. Emotional engagement. Concept and use of time. Relationships between men and women. Manager/employee relations, respect, initiative. Teamwork, individualism, risk tolerance. Career management.

GENERALIZATIONS AND STEROTYPES

Generalizations
Are based on a large sample of image of a group Provide general characteristics based cultural and social factors

Stereotypes
Present a fixed and inflexible image of a group Ignore exceptions and focus on behaviours that support the image they present Are ethnocentric or racial

Assume that individuals within groups vary in their compliance

Examples:
Canadians tend to be more individualistic than to the Japanese The importance of ones family background in the interview situation tends to be valued more highly in South American than in North America

Examples:
All Japanese are group-oriented or collectiveminded All South Americans have their jobs because of their family background

GENERALIZATIONS
With generalizations we look at a large number of people and draw certain conclusions based on what we see.

STEREOTYPES
Stereotype is usually a negative statement made about a group of people. Example: Mexicans play in Mariachi Bands. Example: Chinese are shy and quiet.

Cross Cultural Communication

NON-VERBAL COMMUNICATION
Space Touch

Gestures
Display of Emotions Dress

SPACE
In multi cultural situations, misunderstandings may arise during conversations because the size of this invisible private space bubble varies from culture to culture. This can be especially tricky because normal distances between men and men, women and women, and men and women also vary by culture.

Personal Space
When a person with a smaller personal space moves in too close for the other persons comfort, what might be considered the outcome?

TOUCH
In Canada we say that the only part of a colleague's anatomy that one may touch is the upper arm.

TOUCH
You may find yourself in a situation where you extend your hand to shake with another person, but the other person does not engage your handshake.

GESTURES
Gestures are not universal
Gestures that mean one thing in one place and something completely different in another place obviously will create challenges.

GESTURE CHARTS
Gesture/ Body Language
Thumbs Up

Meaning in Canada or in North America

Good job, Good luck

Meaning Elsewhere
Up yours (Australia and part of Africa) = Vulgar sexual connotation (South America)= Zero (France) = Money (Japan) = Trouble (Egypt) Up yours (United Kingdom))

Okay sign (thumb and = Okay forefinger curled to make a circle Okay Index and middle finger pointing up, showing back of hand to other person Smile to a stranger Number 2

Seen as friendly

Seldom seen; therefore, person may seem to be an idiot or a conartist (France) Embarrassment, discomfort (East Asia

GESTURE CHARTS
Gesture/ Body Language
Head wobble side to side

Meaning Elsewhere
Listening, paying attention (India)

Meaning in North America

No meaning YES or So what in a defensive or possibly aggressive way

Move head up and back NO (Middle East, North Africa)

Passing something to another person with the left hand

Gentle grip handshake

Offensive: the left hand is considered unclean (much of Asia and Africa)
Polite Greeting (Gulf Africa, SE Asia, First Nations)

No meaning

Lacking character and integrity

DISPLAYS OF EMOTION

Dress
Types and styles of clothing, material, and colour vary by culture and climate.

Employees in Canadian workplaces tend to dress in subdued colours.

People from Africa, the Caribbean and Latin America tend to

prefer brighter colours.

VERBAL COMMUNICATION
ESL English as a Second Language SPEECH PATTERNS DIRECT vs. INDIRECT COMMUNICATION HUMOUR

ESL
ESL-English as a Second Language 40-50% of words in a typical English sentence end up in a different position in French. 100% of words in an English sentence are rearranged when translated to Japanese.

SPEECH PATTERNS
The use of silence or pauses in conversation can mean very different things in different cultures.

SPEECH PATTERNS
Culturally Typical Communication Patterns

SPEECH PATTERNS
Suggestions for Helping with Different Conversational Timings

Direct vs. Indirect Communication

DIRECT VS INDIRECT COMMUNICATION

Example: Direct Communication I like living in Canada. My wife and I raised out kids here. Its home now. But one thing that has always bothered me is that Canadians will not tell you what they think. I dont know if they are trying to be nice, trying to be politically correct, or trying to avoid conflict, but they have a hard time dealing with open and honest comments. Each year during annual performance review at my company, managers tell me Im too blunt and that I need to be more diplomatic in the way I speak. Well, I am not a diplomat. I am an engineer and this is who I am. I am not going to start diluting my message just because of some oversensitive Canadians. I have come to accept that I may not get the promotion I deserve because of my communication style.

Dutch Engineer at a Canadian Company

DIRECT VS INDIRECT COMMUNICATION

Example: Indirect Communication I had a friend in Indonesia who explained the indirect nature of communication in that country with the following story: A young man met a girl with whom he fell hopelessly in love. The girl came to love him as well. He realized that the chances of getting permission to marry the girl were slim because he was from poor family and she was from a wealthy one. He pestered his mother to see if a marriage could be considered. The mother of the love-struck boy made an appointment to go and meet the other mother. She was welcomed graciously to the home and offered tea. The tea came accompanied with a banana. After a nice social visit, the woman returned to her son. Nothing about the marriage request was discussed, but the boys mother knew that they had been rejected. She told her son that the answer was no. Seeing my bewilderment, my Indonesian friend explained that in this region of the country, serving a banana with tea was not normal and represented two things that did not go together. The girls mom knew why the other mother had come to see her and provided the answer in this indirect was to save face.

DIRECT AND INDIRECT COMMUNICATION BY COUNTRY

Direct
Germany Netherlands Eastern Europe Scandinavia United States United Kingdom France Canada Middle East Latin America Southeast Asia Japan Indirect

HUMOUR
Using humour to break the ice can backfire in a major way, as this situation illustrates:

HUMOUR SOLUTIONS
When you are considering injecting humour into a situation that involves an immigrant: When in doubt about how it will be received, avoid humour. Learn what that person and that persons culture find funny before you attempt to make them laugh. Make any jokes self-depreciating: definitely dont be laughing at others. Watch for signs that humour was misinterpreted. Avoid the topics of sex, politics, religion, nationality and ethnicity. Dont use humour to break the ice.

FORMULA FOR CROSS CULTERAL COMMUNICATIONS

L.L.I.I.A.A.
North American society values ones ability to see a situation, interpret it quickly, and act swiftly. In a cross cultural situation, taking a moment to try a second interpretation can protect against causing offense or creating a misunderstanding.

L.L.I.I.A.A.
When in doubt you might try to: Ask people to repeat once, maybe twice, if you do not understand. Ask them to say it in a different manner. Summarize the parts you DO understand, and be specific on the part you missed. Ask them to write it down. Ask for a diagram if it might be helpful on a technical topic. Apologize for not understanding, and ask people to repeat or rephrase.

RECRUITMENT DIFFERENCES ACROSS CULTURES

When candidates and recruiters come come from different cultural backgrounds, they use different grids of interpretation, which can result in misunderstandings and lead to rejection of candidates for reasons that are unrelated to their ability to do their job.

RECRUITMENT DIFFERENCES ACROSS CULTURES

RESUME DIFFERENCES ACROSS CULTURES

Resumes may differ from different regions in the following ways: Depth VS Breadth (Jack of all Trades, Master of None) Accomplishments (OR LACK OF) Over emphasis on the less important Inappropriate Information Peculiar Cover Letters Jumping Around

Resume Wording

DEPTH VS BREADTH
Vertical depth (specialization) more valued in North America

Horizontal Breadth (generalization) more valued in most other countries

ACCOMPLISHMENTS (OR LACK OF)

The concept of accomplishment is highly cultural. It is an Anglo-Saxon concept and does not exist in many parts of the world.

OVER EMPHASIS ON THE LESS IMPORTANT

Immigrant candidates attempt to demonstrate how good they are by using: Their Education Their Alma Mater Ranking at University Titles The number of people who report to them Other forms of praise

INAPPROPRIATE INFORMATION
In Canada it is against Human Rights to ask applicants age, sex, place of origin, marital status, number of dependants. In other parts of the world, it is the norm.

PECULIAR COVER LETTERS

Cover letters may include salutations that sound good in other countries, but not in Canada. For Example: A letter from a Pakistani may begin with Your Excellency or closes from a Kenyan with from your humble servant. Cover letters from Muslim Candidates may include statements such as I pray to God that you will consider my application.

JUMPING AROUND
The resumes of new immigrants often give the impression of instability. Right after they immigrated, they often end up going through several employers over a short period of time. In most cases, this instability is not the result of choice by the individual, but the result of his or her situation.

RESUME WORDING
The wording in immigrants resumes can often confuse employers for a variety of reasons and may even result in the candidate not getting the job.

Action Steps for Reviewing Resumes

Review resumes with a focus on content, not style. Check resumes and applications for required education and experience that meets occupational requirements. Treat education and experience at face value; these can be verified / assessed later. Expect the immigrant applicants may not have Canadian experience in their field of specialization and may be currently working in an entirely different role in Canada.

Action Steps for Reviewing Resumes

If possible, assist newcomers if filling out applications to avoid misunderstanding. Review applications and resumes for: thoroughness, questionable statements or gaps and literacy level and legibility. Dont jump to conclusions, but note possible red flags related to these and identify for probing later. Think about your own potential prejudices and review your decisions to ensure no qualified candidate has been eliminated because of them.

INTERVIEWING CULTURALLY DIVERSE CANDIDATES

There are many cross cultural issues that may come into play during a face to face interview: Getting There (being on time) Greetings Personal Space Body Language First Impressions Emotions Excessive Differences Downplayed Accomplishments Emphasis on non-important issues

GETTING THERE: Being on Time

Being on time means different things in different countries. The date and time of the interview may be a challenge for some.

GREETINGS
The Handshake is not a universal greeting.

PERSONAL SPACE
The vast majority of immigrants come from countries that have much higher population densities than Canada and have a smaller personal space than Canadians.

BODY LANGUAGE
Confusion may arise during interviews as a result of gestures or body language that mean different things to employers and to candidates.

FIRST IMPRESSIONS
As the saying goes, you only have one chance to make a good first impression.

EMOTIONS
In order to be considered the right candidate for the job in Canada, you need to show you are interested in the position by exhibiting enthusiasm and excitement but not too much emotion.

Downplaying Accomplishments
Candidates who come from cultures where the concept of accomplishments does not exist are at a significant disadvantage during job interviews, since they do not know how to convince the recruiters they have the right skills for the job.

EMPHASIS ON
NON-IMPORTANT ISSUES Candidates from other cultural backgrounds may emphasize points that matter most to recruiters in their home countries but do not mean much to North American recruiters.

Action Steps for Interviewing Culturally Diverse Candidates

Briefly describe the positions available to candidate. Ask: what type of position person is looking for and enough background information to determine whether to pursue further. Use interview to determine if applicant has knowledge, skills, abilities and attitudes identified as necessary to do the job and place them appropriately. Ask specific questions; avoid jargon or slang and be prepared to re-word question if not understood or if answers indicate a lack of understanding. Allow applicant to do most of the talking.

Action Steps for Interviewing Culturally Diverse Candidates

Listen closely and actively; immigrants may take longer to answer because of trying to understand the context of the question and/or searching for the appropriate words. Appreciate pauses as a sign of respect. Ask one question at a time and allow candidate to finish answer before asking next question. Encourage applicants to ask questions. Be prepared for shows of emotion.

Explain process, next steps and anticipated time line.

THINGS TO AVOID
An employment interview is not the place for questions that reflect the interviewers curiosity about the applicants ethnic origin or other personal circumstances. Ensure the interview questions do not touch upon prohibited grounds of discrimination.

Avoid making hiring decisions based on the basis of organizational fit.

Newcomers will often tell employers they will do anything Avoid putting newcomers into lower skilled positions, even though their skills could be better utilized by the company. Be prepared for surprises when interviewing culturally different people. Dont be put off by the unexpected. Suspend negative judgment until you have collected all information.

Potential Barriers for Newcomers Integrating into the Workplace

Communication and misunderstandings with employer and other employees Isolation Lack of challenge or opportunity for advancement Communication Misunderstandings Cultural differences

ACTIONS FOR INTEGRATING NEWCOMERS INTO THE WORKPLACE

Be Patient! When giving directions, use clear statements that have only one meaning. Ask immigrant employee to rephrase directions back to you. If giving more than one direction, encourage employee to write directions down. Let employee know that you expect them to ask questions and seek clarification.

ACTIONS FOR INTEGRATING NEWCOMERS INTO THE WORKPLACE

Sell the candidate to the team; Help the team understand that their efforts integrating newcomers into the team will create a better work environment for everyone. Provide newcomer employees with a peer mentor. The mentor can help the newcomer better understand the workplace and answer questions that the newcomer may not feel comfortable asking the boss. Provide opportunities for social interaction outside of work; Encourage other staff to include newcomers in unofficial activities outside work.

CAREER DEVELOPMENT FOR IMMIGRANTS

It is important to provide career development and advancement opportunities for newcomer employees.

Keep in mind that, although newcomers may be seeking work in one area or field, they may have skills and expertise in another area that could be valuable to your company. Give newcomer employees the opportunity to work in other areas of your company ( i.e. Someone working in housekeeping may have worked as an administrative assistant in their country of origin and may excel working at the front desk).

CAREER DEVELOPMENT FOR IMMIGRANTS

This can be done by following three steps: Establish clear expectations for the employee in their current role. Measure the employees performance against these expectations. Give the employee opportunities to further develop their skills and improve their job performance (i.e. Give the new employee one shift / week at front desk, to help them develop those skills, even if they were hired for a different position.)

Questions?
If you would like more information or support hiring and integrating newcomers to Canada into your workplace, please contact:
Employment Assistance Service PEI Association for Newcomers to Canada Telephone: 368-3070

Workshop based on information from: Laroche, Lionel and Don Rutherford. Recruiting, Retaining and Promoting Culturally Different Employees. Elsevier, New York. 2007.