Today’s workforce is more diverse than ever. Reality changed. It’s no longer about knowing how to work with people like us, but rather being able to work with people different from us. It is no longer realistic to wish to work in a homogeneous environment, but rather to have the ability to thrive in a heterogeneous work environment.
We don’t always realize the biases or prejudices we have towards our coworkers, or our customers, whom are different from us. And, it is possible we don’t understand how our behaviours affect others.
Learning to understand others can help avoid misunderstandings and prevent any confrontation that might happen in the workplace. Like in any other aspect of diversity, we must respect others and appreciate (which is more than to tolerate) differences to maintain a sense of community.