There are many differences between the East and the West. Perhaps the most striking is the homogenous make-up of Asian societies. This mean that I am often the only black person in the room or in the vicinity. What does this feel like? It’s hard to put into words. People stare, take pictures, touch your hair or try to practice their English with you.
I know many people would be put off by this, but the truth is, it all stems from curiosity. This led me to think about how many misunderstandings occur in the workplace due to cultural differences that affect the way people perceive each other’s actions.
Implicit bias or just plain lack of experience with a particular subset of people can lead to the mistreatment of marginalized employees. So how do we fix this? The answer is a lot simpler than you think.
Be more aware, what is acceptable in your culture, may be frown upon in another culture.
Ask questions, assumptions can ruin relationships.
Do your own research, its okay to ask questions but this can also be supplemented by a thorough google search.
Hire more people from marginalized groups. It can be intimidating to be the only one of your kind in any setting.
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