What Eastern European Workers Can Teach Us About Work
Many associate Eastern Europe with Communism and a lack of innovation. However, this is not an accurate depiction of the region. Communism was just one facet of Eastern European culture and has almost no bearing on the region today. It is also common to label cultures as being “lazy” due to their emphasis on leisure activities rather than work. This is also not a fair assessment of most Eastern Europeans who are modern, forward-thinking people that embrace new ideas and technologies. There are many reasons why we need to understand this side of our society more. For example, having workers from abroad can be beneficial for your company in many ways. Let’s take a look at five examples:
Workers From Foreign Countries Are Skilled
The skill level of the foreign workers you have will depend on the type of work you do. For example, if you have the need for highly skilled programmers, then having these employees from Eastern Europe can be a huge advantage. The same goes if you need specialized knowledge in certain fields such As medicine, engineering, or other technical fields. In these situations, these workers can be invaluable as they can help your company solve problems that are out of reach for normal staff members. Another advantage of having foreign workers is their experience in other countries. These employees, who often have lived and worked all over the world, will be able to get your company set up quickly in their new country of employment. This is a great asset, especially if your business has a global presence.
Workers From Foreign Countries Can Be Flexible
Foreign workers, especially those from Eastern Europe, are known to be flexible. If situations come up, such as new regulations or rules, that need to be followed, foreign workers will be able to adapt. This is because these people often come from cultures that are less rigid than the Western world. Being flexible is obviously beneficial for companies that have international branches or have customers or clients who are based in other countries. You can use this to your advantage by making sure that your staff is flexible and can easily adjust to the needs of their clients.
Workers From Foreign Countries Have Different Perspectives
Another thing that Eastern European workers can teach us is the value of diversity. There are many benefits to having a diverse team. The most obvious being that each person brings something unique to the team. This can be beneficial in many ways, especially when it comes to solving problems. If your team consists of people with different backgrounds, you will have a broader range of ideas to draw from. This can be especially useful when the majority of your team is made up of people from one culture. If they all think the same way, then there is a higher risk of inaction.
Employees With Different Backgrounds Build Company Culture
If you have employees from different countries, you can see how they influence the culture of your workplace. Different cultures have different ways of doing things, which can lead to positive changes in the way you operate. For example, in some cultures, it is acceptable to take a break, or even go to the bathroom, during work hours. If you have employees from other countries, you can use this to your advantage. You can set up rules and ways of doing things that are more relaxed, depending on their cultural values. If you find that you need to follow rules or procedures more strictly, you can still use the differences in values to your advantage. You can make decisions where appropriate to take a more relaxed approach.
Employees From Foreign Countries Are More Ethical And Growth Minded
Because these workers are often skilled, you will have to offer them higher salaries than your average employee. If you deal with a lot of foreign clients, it can also be beneficial to use interpreters to facilitate communication with them. You can also use this to your advantage when it comes to creating a more ethical and growth-minded culture. Depending on the country you hire from, you can create a more open and accepting culture. This can be especially beneficial for businesses that have clients based in different parts of the world.
Summing Up
Having employees from foreign countries can be a great advantage in many ways. They often have skills that are unavailable in your country, giving you an edge in the market. They are also more flexible, which can make adapting to new policies easier. They also have a broader range of perspectives, which can give you a broader range of ideas to draw from. Finally, they are often more ethical and growth-minded, which can create a more accepting and open culture for your business.