On the Job

FACING A COMMUNICATION DILEMMA AT TARGET STORES

Taking Aim at Cultural Diversity

Rafael Rodriguez is a stock clerk supervisor at the Target store in Pasadena, California. Supervising people in the fast-paced world of retailing is demanding under any circumstances, and the rich cultural mix of Rodriguez's team makes his job even more challenging. Rodriguez is Hispanic, and his manager is African American. The employees that Rodriguez supervises have cultural backgrounds that are as diverse as the communities served by the nearly 700 Target retail outlets across the United States. Moreover, as in most other Target stores, some of Rodriguez's employees have grown up in the United States, whereas others have recently immigrated and speak English as a second language.

The unique combination of influences present in one culture can condition people to think, feel, and behave quite differently from people in another culture. Some of these differences are dramatic, such as in the importance placed on social status. Other differences can be more subtle and more difficult to perceive, such as variations in personal values and decision-making approaches. Rodriguez finds that basic language barriers often prevent employees from understanding each other, but the potential for problems goes beyond differences in language. In one case, a recently immigrated employee was inadvertently making some female co-workers uncomfortable by asking personal questions about hairstyles and nose piercing. His questions were innocent, but because of his cultural background, he couldn't see the invisible boundary that his colleagues had built around their personal lives.

Variations in culture—and the misunderstandings that result from them—can affect teamwork, productivity, and job satisfaction. If you were Rafael Rodriguez, what steps would you take to foster a productive and satisfying work environment? How would you make sure your employees improve their intercultural sensitivity so that they can communicate effectively and work together efficiently?¹