How Cross-Cultural Training Can Improve the Productivity of an Organization

Productivity Through Cultural Intelligence

Numerous studies in the last five years have discovered that a lack of cross-cultural understanding can severely hinder productivity in the workplace, particularly in areas such as outsourcing, integration and employee retention.

Two critical questions are pivotal to underlining the need for corporate cross-cultural training:

1. Why should my company invest in ‘soft skills’ training such as cultural intelligence?

Simple answer. Global diversity and borderless working are here to stay. The main challenges that occur when working in a diverse global organization that effect productivity are different communication styles across global teams, different decision making styles, different attitudes to managing conflict and building trust virtually across cultural borders. These challenges prove that this ‘soft skill’ is one of the hardest skills to master.

2. What are the benefits in productivity gained by implementing cross-cultural training?

• Leveraging diversity: Culturally sensitive decision makers are able to recognize the potential of all employees across a diverse spectrum of styles and skills.
• People will learn about themselves: Cross-cultural training deepens self-awareness and causes us to challenge our own mindsets and preconceptions of others. We learn about others through self-learning.
• Platforms of trust: The more we can develop trust across borders, the more authentic relationships will become. This enables greater degrees of collaboration and promotes productivity in the workplace.
• Unlocking creativity: Cross-cultural training addresses problems in the workplace at a very different angle to most traditional methods. By learning about the hidden factors behind behaviors, and by increasing our range of creative strategies to deal with difference, people are more able to adopt this enquiring, open-mindedness when dealing with other types of challenges.
• Reduce attrition: Cross-cultural training enhances interpersonal skills and increases people’s ability to be effective global leaders. Individuals who demonstrate effective communication skills across cultures are much more likely to motivate others and be able to lead with influence. Talented employees are ignited by, and want to work with, talented colleagues and bosses.

Country Navigator our online training platform that prepares executives and assignees for working across cultures. Country Navigator ensures all global leaders are well prepared and effective when managing diverse teams. 

The system follows a well-proven methodology which focuses on operational realities and practical application, enabling learners to transfer new skills and knowledge to their workplace.  It combines assessments, country content and a range of e-learning modules.  The assessment tool complements training and coaching programs, delivering an intuitive and engaging interface for users to assess and manage their individual cultural tendencies and behaviors. Its blended approach puts people in complete control of their continuous learning experience. 

As a comparison tool it allows users to compare cultural profiles and tendencies with countries, teams and colleagues on nine dimension and to receive instant guidance on how to collaborate more effectively.

The cultural assessment tool and feedback information is available in English, French, German, Spanish, Italian, Brazilian Portuguese, Chinese, Japanese and Russian.

To find out more please do not hesitate to get in touch.

Interested in how introducing a cultural intelligence tool in your business could help to create a more borderless workforce? We’d love to show you our groundbreaking platform.