Diverse Perspectives On Workplace Motivation

Workers at their working stations seek acknowledgement for their valuable contributions. Showing respect and appreciation to employees in the workplace enhances productivity, enabling the organisation to meet its goals in the most operational manner. Employers or business owners can inspire their staff through various methods, such as recognising innovative efforts, providing incentives for additional work, offering regular training sessions, and encouraging employees to participate in national and international workshops or conferences. This may lead to broadening their perspectives for organisational growth. Additionally, it is important to accommodate sick leave for women workers who experience severe panic attacks during menstrual cramps. The principle of empathy should be incorporated to elevate the self-esteem and confidence levels of employees.

From the emergence of human progress, the longing to feel valued has been one of the most fundamental needs for most individuals. It is important to recognise that every job deserves acknowledgement, no matter the designation held. One of the most beneficial actions an employer can undertake is to provide employees training from experts in effective communication skills and intercultural communication competence. 

Furthermore, encouraging them to apply theoretical knowledge in real-life situations. This can foster mutual respect, creating a motivating and calming workplace atmosphere among employees and employers.

Most importantly, it is indispensable for employees to be trained in intercultural communication skills since the global marketplace is getting competitive day by day. Intercultural competence refers to the ability to learn about, adapt to, and accept the cultures of others through knowledge and understanding of those cultures. This skill is highly demonstrated in a working environment with a diverse workforce. As the employees come from diverse cultural, geographical, linguistic, caste, and religious backgrounds, there is a necessity to train the employees with intercultural communication competence by relevant experts. Intercultural communication involves interactions between individuals from various cultures and nationalities.

Intercultural competence can benefit employees and employers in a number of ways. For example, it improves creativity and innovation: Employees from different backgrounds bring multiple ideas and experiences that may contribute to the invention of new products, services, and business practices.

Additionally, it increases workplace harmony that may ensure peaceful coordination. Working in a diverse group, employees learn to appreciate and respect cultural differences and develop cohesiveness. Interpersonal interactions help employees to overcome biases and develop intercultural sensitivity.

To communicate effectively with people belonging to different cultures, employees and employers should have intercultural sensitivity. Intercultural sensitivity means recognising, accepting, and having respect for cultural differences.

Bennett in 1968 proposed the comprehensive model of intercultural sensitivity. This model scales an individual’s reaction to cultural differences and demonstrates the different ways an individual respond while encountering differences. This model specifies one of the stages as ethnocentrism, where an individual does not recognise the differences and lacks intercultural sensitivity. Ethnocentrism is a tendency to judge people from other cultures as per the standard behaviour and customs of one’s own culture. This kind of perception is assumed to be biased. Beannett’s scale shows how an individual should move from ethnocentrism to ethno-relativism. Ethno-relativism is a state where an individual recognises, accepts, and adapts to cultural differences. Acceptance, adaption, and integration characterise intercultural sensitivity.

Intercultural communication competence can provide life-rewarding opportunities to the employees. Specifically, communicating with people from diverse cultures has become a common way of communication that ensures a special and deserving place in a global marketplace. Local markets are opening to worldwide competition as businesses of all sizes look for new growth opportunities outside their own countries. Similarly, intercultural competence among employees and employers at a workplace may develop positive organisational culture. For instance, an organisation with a diverse workforce tends to develop a more inclusive, tolerant, and democratic culture, resulting in personal and organisational growth. In fact, diversity in a workplace offers an opportunity for employees and employers to grow and prosper. They learn from each other. This opens up opportunities for the company to expand its market at a national and international level.

Likewise, intercultural competence demonstrates accepting multiple cultures on their own terms and regarding the views of others in the most respectful manner, employing the principles of consideration, courtesy, and empathy. Furthermore, intercultural competence among employees and employers helps in developing a healthy working environment in a number of ways. For example, it increases cultural sensitivity, emotional intelligence, withholding judgement, and avoiding overgeneralisation.

A worthwhile relationship between employees and employers must be cultivated and maintained in order to stay strong, determined, focused, and goal-oriented at the working station. Constructive working relationships flourish in an environment where mutual respect and good coordination prevail. Several strategies exist for enhancing co-workers healthy and productive relationships. 

It is essential to focus on enhancing communication and intercultural communication competence. Individuals with intercultural communication competence experience personal growth, which positively impacts relationships. Another crucial step is to express appreciation to those who lend you a hand. 

Everyone, from executives to office cleaners, desires acknowledgement for their paid contributions. Therefore, when someone around you excels at something, make sure to give them an authentic compliment. This will be vibrant for attaining success.

(The author is a visiting assistant professor at Kathmandu University School of Law and School of Engineering and a lecturer of English at Samriddhi College.)