Part I
In today’s globalized agricultural landscape, the demand for labor in the sector has led to an increasing reliance on migrant workers.
As agricultural operations expand and diversify, the importance of language proficiency, soft skills, hard skills, and multicultural understanding becomes paramount.
This first part delves into the critical role of these elements in agriculture, emphasizing their significance in fostering productivity, efficiency, and inclusivity within multicultural agricultural teams.
Language skills
The lack of language skills hinder migrants’ integration. Language proficiency in the host country is crucial for migrants’ social and economic integration, especially when acquired early.
However, if there are integration programs focusing on basic language skills and cultural understanding to foreign-born individuals in the EU they are not always available.
Importance of the language in work
Language often serves as a significant obstacle in multicultural workplaces, impeding effective communication within teams. Overcoming this barrier is essential for fostering cohesive teamwork.
One approach involves convening team meetings to collectively determine a common language for use during formal gatherings and events. This unified language choice facilitates smoother communication and enhances collaboration among team members.
Overcoming the differences
It’s crucial for managers to encourage team members to feel comfortable asking for clarifications or repetitions during communication. This practice helps non-native speakers comprehend discussions better.
Additionally, promoting inclusivity, the team could collectively learn key phrases from the various cultures represented, fostering a welcoming and respectful workplace environment.
In this section, we will present examples of hard skills and soft skills needed to work in a multicultural environment in agriculture, and why they are important, what are their benefits, and the challenges they allow to face.
Hard skills for agriculture
Harvesting is one of the most common, the most simple, the most universal hard skill as it is the most basic and necessary to provide food to the population.
It can take two main forms: manual or mecanical.
The skills can be more refined for some « luxury » or elite products and need a specialised trainings, while some others, like picking fruits, can be more basic and require less training.
There is a large variety of farm equipment, that is very different according to the type of activity.
The equipment can be manual, mecanical, require a specific training about the material itself or the intended target of the activity (animal, plant).
In any case a minimal training will be needed, and the mastering of this equipment is a hard skill necessary in the professional environment of agriculture
In a general way, manual work is at the heart of agriculture. For thousands of years, until the industrialization of the XIXth century, and overall after World War II, agriculture was based on the human factor and the manual work of the members of the agricultural community.
It is still necessary, even if a lot of the most difficult tasks are now mecanized, for productivity or safety reasons.
Mastering irrigation systems is an important hard skill in agriculture, essential for optimizing crop growth and yield.
It involves understanding various techniques to tailor watering to specific crop needs and environmental conditions.
Proficiency in managing equipment and staying updated with technology advancements is necessary to enhance water efficiency and adapt to changing climate conditions.
Ultimately, this skill enables farmers to face climate change and sustainably manage resources, underscoring its importance in agriculture.
Weed control is a critical hard skill in agriculture, essential for maintaining crop health and productivity. It requires a deep understanding of weed species, life cycles, and effective control methods, including mechanical, cultural, and chemical approaches.
Farmers must remain vigilant throughout the growing season, implementing integrated weed management strategies to minimize environmental impact while maximizing crop yields.
Equipment maintenance is a crucial hard skill in agriculture, essential for ensuring the reliability and longevity of farming machinery. It involves regular inspections, lubrication, and prompt repair to prevent breakdowns and minimize costly downtime during critical farming operations.
By mastering equipment maintenance, workers can optimize productivity, reduce operational costs, and enhance farm safety, contributing to the overall success and sustainability of their agricultural endeavors.
To master the safety procedures in agriculture is crucial for protecting farmers and workers from accidents and injuries. Mastery of safety protocols involves risk assessment, thorough training, and strict enforcement of safety measures.
Farmers must identify hazards, implement preventive measures, and ensure regulatory compliance to maintain a safe working environment and enhance overall efficiency and productivity on the farm.
Driving tractors and trucks is necessary for tasks like field work and transporting goods. Mastery involves safe operation in diverse conditions, including navigating narrow paths and adverse weather.
Workers must adhere to safety regulations, maintain vehicles, and employ defensive driving techniques to optimize productivity and minimize risks on the farm.
Soft skills in agriculture
Soft skills are vital in multicultural agricultural teams, promoting effective communication and collaboration. With diverse backgrounds come differing communication styles and problem-solving approaches, making skills like empathy and active listening crucial for building trust and understanding among team members.
Embracing cultural sensitivity and adaptability fosters inclusivity and enables the team to leverage diverse perspectives to overcome challenges, ultimately enhancing productivity and success in agricultural endeavors.
Creativity is vital for innovation and problem-solving. It helps farmers overcome challenges like pest outbreaks and water scarcity through sustainable practices and technology integration.
Additionally, creativity strengthens the product development and marketing, ensuring adaptability to changing consumer demands and competitiveness in the market. Overall, fostering creativity as a soft skill in agriculture is essential for driving sustainability and profitability.
Teamwork is essential in multicultural agricultural teams, highlighting collaboration and understanding across diverse cultural backgrounds.
With each member bringing unique perspectives shaped by their culture, effective teamwork allows for the integration of varied insights to address the challenges met.
Assertiveness is a vital soft skill in multicultural agricultural teams, enabling effective communication and conflict resolution.
In many situations, assertive communication allows team members to express their ideas and concerns confidently while respecting others’ viewpoints.
Problem-solving is a critical soft skill in multicultural agricultural teams, essential for tackling the diverse challenges encountered in farming. With members from varied cultural backgrounds, effective problem-solving involves analyzing issues while considering cultural nuances.
This requires creativity and collaboration to develop innovative solutions that accommodate diverse perspectives within the team.
Communication enables effective collaboration and understanding among diverse members.
With different cultural backgrounds and communication styles, clear and respectful communication is essential for preventing misunderstandings and conflicts while aligning towards common goals.
It requires the use of a common language: language skills are crucial.
Flexibility enables adaptation to dynamic challenges and diverse team dynamics. In agriculture, unforeseen obstacles require quick adjustments, and a flexible approach allows team members to shift strategies and priorities to maintain productivity.
Moreover, flexibility fosters inclusivity and collaboration in multicultural teams, accommodating diverse work styles and cultural preferences.
Time management is vital in multicultural agricultural teams, crucial for optimizing productivity and coordinating tasks effectively.
In agriculture, where timing is essential for seasonal activities like planting and harvesting, efficient time management ensures tasks are completed promptly. With diverse team members, effective time management harmonizes schedules and priorities, minimizing delays and facilitating smooth workflow.
Accountability ensures that individuals take ownership of their tasks and commitments, promoting transparency and clear communication.
By holding each other accountable, teams can maintain productivity and achieve objectives efficiently, minimizing delays and maximizing effectiveness.
Leadership is crucial guiding diverse members towards common goals.
Effective leaders understand and appreciate cultural diversity, using it to build cohesive teams.
By setting a positive example and empowering team members, leaders create inclusive environments where everyone feels valued. They adapt leadership styles to accommodate diverse preferences and favour open communication.
Self-reflection: Hard skills
Training and education background:
- What is your education or training background?
- Do you think it is sufficient to manage or to be part of a multicultural team work?
Training and education needs:
- Do you know what your training needs are?
- Do you know where you can get access to such trainings?
- Do you need help from professionals?
Self-reflection: Soft skills
Reflect on a recent team project or work situation where soft skills played a significant role. Consider the soft skills you utilized during the project. Then, assess your performance in each area by asking yourself these questions:
- Did I communicate effectively with team members?
- How well did I collaborate and contribute to the team’s success?
- Did I demonstrate adaptability and flexibility when faced with challenges?
- How did I handle conflicts or disagreements within the team?
- What could I have done differently to improve my performance in these areas?
Multiculturality in agriculture team
As we saw, there is a large variety of soft skills needed in agriculture. We only saw examples, given that the hard skills, especially, depend on the specific environment people are working: it is very different if you work in horticulture than with animals.
But there is something beyond these skills, that is transversal, to be taken into account: agriculture, nowadays, needs in most of the countries employees and workers coming from other countries, whether these countries are inside or outside the European Union.
In the next section, we will therefore showcase the importance of multiculturality, and how the diversity of cultures among workers can bring various benefits to the sector, and foster the well-being of the workers.
The settlement curve
When individuals relocate to a new country, they bring their cultural background with them.
Depending on their experiences, they may encounter culture shock once the initial excitement of moving fades. This adjustment period is commonly referred to as the settlement curve.
The Workplace Settlement Model
In New Zealand, the services of immigration developed a workplace settlement model, used as reference in all professional sectors, agriculture being one of them: New Zealand needs indeed an important workforce coming from abroad.
This model distinguishes the settlement inside the workplace and outside the workplace. It is a very useful and inspiring model that can be applied elsewhere to measure the settlement progresses of the migrant workers.
Self-reflection: the Culture Wheel
The culture wheel is a visual representation used to elucidate and evaluate the behaviors of individuals, considering their diverse cultural backgrounds and perspectives.
You could use it, with your team mates or staff during a team building activity.
Each member of the group can fill the different categories and present them to the others.
The exercise will help everyone to understand what are their common points and their differences, to make people understand each other in a better way.
Multiculturality in agriculture
The diversity of culture among agricultural workers brings numerous benefits to the sector, some of them being:
A multicultural workforce in agriculture significantly enhances innovative problem-solving by bringing diverse perspectives to the table. Workers from various cultural backgrounds offer unique insights and approaches that enrich the problem-solving process.
By sharing their cultural traditions and problem-solving techniques, workers can inspire each other to explore new methods and solutions, leading to more effective and innovative outcomes in agricultural practices.
A multicultural workforce in agriculture brings valuable cultural knowledge and practices:
❖Traditional farming techniques from diverse backgrounds offer insights into sustainable practices.
❖Workers’ expertise in various crops enhances crop diversity and resilience.
❖Culturally rooted sustainability practices, like water conservation, promote environmental responsibility.
❖Knowledge of heritage seeds preserves biodiversity and traditional agriculture.
❖Integrating cultural practices honors workers’ heritage and fosters a sense of belonging.
A multicultural workforce in agriculture boosts employee well-being and satisfaction by:
❖Promoting inclusivity and diversity, creating a supportive environment.
❖Fostering a sense of belonging and community among workers.
❖Increasing cultural awareness and understanding, promoting tolerance.
❖Offering opportunities for professional growth and development.
❖Stimulating creativity and innovation through diverse perspectives.
Self-assessment questionnaire for Part I
Part II
Instructions
Task:
- Read through the theoretical background to “Competences which enable an individual to participate effectively and appropriately in a culture of democracy” from the Coucil of Europe (2016).
- Answer the following reflection questions for yourself
- Work your way through the practical tips and consider whether it could also be useful for your company
Objectives:
- Theoretical understanding: promoting understanding of the theoretical basis for the Council of Europe’s “Competences for effective participation in a culture of democracy” (2016).
- Reflection and self-assessment: Encouraging self-reflection by answering reflection questions to establish a personal connection to democratic competences.
- Application in context: teaching the applicability of the acquired knowledge to the personal context, especially in agriculture and multicultural teams.
- Promotion of interculturality: Strengthening understanding and sensitivity for intercultural aspects in co-operation.
Theoretical Background
Competences which enable an individual to participate effectively and appropriately in a culture of democracy by the Council of Europe (2016):
- Valuing human dignity and human rights: This value is based on the general belief that every human being is of equal worth, has equal dignity, is entitled to equal respect, and is entitled to the same set of human rights and fundamental freedoms, and ought to be treated accordingly.
- Valuing cultural diversity: This value is based on the general belief that other cultural affiliations, cultural variability and diversity, and pluralism of perspectives, views and practices ought to be positively regarded, appreciated and cherished.
- Valuing democracy, justice, fairness, equality and the rule of law: This set of values is based on the general belief that societies ought to operate and be governed through democratic processes which respect the principles of justice, fairness, equality and the rule of law.
- Openness to cultural otherness and to other beliefs, world views and practices: Openness is an attitude towards people who are perceived to have different cultural affiliations from oneself or towards beliefs, world views and practices which differ from one’s own. It involves sensitivity towards, curiosity about and willingness to engage with other people and other perspectives on the world.
- Respect: Respect consists of positive regard and esteem for someone or something based on the judgment that they have intrinsic importance, worth or value. Having respect for other people who are perceived to have different cultural affiliations or differ- ent beliefs, opinions or practices from one’s own is vital for effective intercultural dialogue and a culture of democracy.
- Civic-mindedness: Civic-mindedness is an attitude towards a community or social group to which one belongs that is larger than one’s immediate circle of family and friends. It involves a sense of belonging to that community, an awareness of other people in the community, an awareness of the effects of one’s actions on those people, solidarity with other members of the community and a sense of civic duty towards the community.
- Responsibility: Responsibility is an attitude towards one’s own actions. It involves being reflective about one’s actions, forming intentions about how to act in a morally appropriate way, conscientiously performing those actions and holding oneself accountable for the outcomes of those actions.
- Self-efficacy: Self-efficacy is an attitude towards the self. It involves a positive belief in one’s own ability to undertake the actions that are required to achieve particular goals, and confidence that one can understand issues, select appropriate methods for accomplishing tasks, navigate obstacles successfully and make a difference in the world.
- Tolerance of ambiguity: Tolerance of ambiguity is an attitude towards situations which are uncertain and subject to multiple conflicting interpretations. It involves evaluating these kinds of situations positively and dealing with them constructively.
- Autonomous learning skills: Autonomous learning skills are the skills required to pursue, organise and eval- uate one’s own learning in accordance with one’s own needs, in a self-directed manner, without being prompted by others.
- Analytical and critical thinking skills: Analytical and critical thinking skills are the skills required to analyse, evaluate and make judgments about materials of any kind (e.g. texts, arguments, inter- pretations, issues, events, experiences, etc.) in a systematic and logical manner.
- Skills of listening and observing: Skills of listening and observing are the skills required to notice and understand what is being said and how it is being said, and to notice and understand other people’s non-verbal behaviour.
- Empathy: Empathy is the set of skills required to understand and relate to other peo- ple’s thoughts, beliefs and feelings, and to see the world from other people’s perspectives.
- Flexibility and adaptability: Flexibility and adaptability are the skills required to adjust and regulate one’s thoughts, feelings or behaviours so that one can respond effectively and appro- priately to new contexts and situations.
- Linguistic, communicative and plurilingual skills: Linguistic, communicative and plurilingual skills are the skills required to commu- nicate effectively and appropriately with people who speak the same or another language, and to act as a mediator between speakers of different languages.
- Co-operation skills: Co-operation skills are the skills required to participate successfully with others in shared activities, tasks and ventures and to encourage others to co-operate so that group goals may be achieved.
- Conflict-resolution skills: Conflict-resolution skills are the skills required to address, manage and resolve conflicts in a peaceful way by guiding conflicting parties towards optimal solutions that are acceptable to all parties.
- Knowledge and critical understanding of the self: This includes knowledge and critical understanding of one’s own thoughts, beliefs, feelings and motivations, and of one’s own cultural affiliations and perspective on the world.
- Knowledge and critical understanding of language and communication: This includes knowledge and critical understanding of the socially appropriate verbal and non-verbal communicative conventions that operate in the language(s) which one speaks, of the effects that different communication styles can have on other people, and of how every language expresses culturally shared meanings in a unique way.
- Knowledge and critical understanding of the world: This includes a large and complex body of knowledge and critical understanding in a variety of areas including politics, law, human rights, culture, cultures, religions, history, media, economies, the environment and sustainability.
Self-reflection: Value Analysis
Valuing Human Dignity and Human Rights:
Reflect on your beliefs about human dignity and rights:
- How have these beliefs influenced your interactions in your new community?
- Consider challenges faced and how your understanding of human rights shapes your responses.
- Reflect on advocating for your rights and those of fellow migrants in agriculture or other fields.
Valuing Cultural Diversity:
Consider your appreciation for cultural diversity:
- How do you integrate diverse perspectives into your daily life and work?
- Reflect on how cultural diversity enriches your experiences.
- Share specific instances where you’ve celebrated or learned from cultural differences in your agricultural work or other aspects.
Openness to Cultural Otherness and Other Beliefs:
Reflect on your openness to diverse cultural backgrounds:
- How do you navigate interactions with those of different cultural perspectives?
- Consider the challenges and opportunities cultural diversity brings to your agricultural work.
- Reflect on moments where you’ve shown openness to cultural differences and how they’ve enriched your relationships.
Respect:
Explore the importance of respect in your agricultural environment:
- How does respect contribute to a democratic culture?
- Reflect on instances where you’ve witnessed or experienced respect towards various cultural backgrounds.
- Consider how cultivating respect enhances collaboration and mutual understanding among individuals from diverse backgrounds in agriculture.
Civic-mindedness:
Reflect on your responsibility to the agricultural community:
- How do you contribute to solidarity and democratic values?
- Consider your actions in farming, community engagement, or supporting fellow coworkers.
- Reflect on specific instances of civic-mindedness, such as participating in community initiatives or supporting democratic principles.
Responsibility:
Analyze your attitude towards responsibility in agriculture:
- How do you consider the impact of your actions on others?
- Reflect on ethical considerations in your work and balancing personal interests with community welfare.
- Share instances where you’ve taken accountability and contributed positively to the agricultural community’s well-being.
Self-efficacy:
Reflect on how your belief in your ability to create positive change influences your agricultural work:
- Despite challenges, how do you maintain confidence in your skills and impact?
- Consider past experiences that shaped this belief, and instances where it helped you overcome obstacles and contribute meaningfully to your new community.
- By reflecting on your self-efficacy, you can harness your strengths to navigate complexities and advance agricultural practices, contributing to your growth and community development.
Tolerance of ambiguity :
Reflect on how you handle uncertainties and ambiguous situations in agriculture:
- How do you stay positive and act constructively amidst unfamiliar challenges?
- Consider specific instances where you’ve turned ambiguity into opportunities for growth and innovation in your agricultural work.
Practical tips
How to overcome language barriers?
- using translator: DeepL, Google Translate
- using pictures to give instructions
- labeling objects so that they know the terms over time
- multilingual “information board” in the staff lounge, on which important news and information is published in different languages.
- offering language classes after harvest season
How to overcome cultural barriers?
- Intercultural activities: for example, cooking local specialties together after work
- Leisure activities: for example, soccer or volleyball
- Celebrating cultural diversity: organizing events or celebrations that highlight the cultural diversity of the team
- Flexible working practices: Adapting work practices to accommodate cultural and religious needs, such as prayer times, holidays and fasting periods.
How to overcome social barriers?
- Social Integration Events: Organizing regular social events such as picnics, barbecues, or outings to local attractions where workers can relax, bond, and form friendships outside of work hours.
- Buddy System: Implementing a buddy system where new migrant workers are paired with experienced colleagues who can provide guidance, support, and assistance with navigating both work-related and personal challenges
How to overcome Work-Related barriers?
- Visual Work Instructions: Using visual aids such as diagrams, illustrations, and video tutorials to supplement verbal instructions and help each other better understand complex tasks or procedures, especially if language barriers exist.
- Regular Feedback and Performance Reviews: Offer regular feedback and performance reviews to each other, acknowledging strengths and areas for improvement, and providing constructive guidance and support for professional development.
- Team Collaboration and Support: Foster a culture of teamwork and collaboration among workers by encouraging mutual assistance, cooperation, and communication on tasks that require coordination or teamwork.
Resources
Council of Europe. (2016). Competences for democratic culture: Living together as equals in culturally diverse democratic societies.
United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). (2024) Human Development Report 2023/2024
Instructions
Exercise 1: Case Study
Task: Read through the “Green Harvest” case study and use the reflection questions afterwards as a basis for reflecting on your situation.
Exercise 2: Quiz
Task: Answer the questions in the quiz and write down the correct solution letter. You should end up with a solution word.
Objectives:
- Analyze and Apply: Understand and apply lessons from the “Green Harvest” case study to your own experiences.
- Reflect and Connect: Reflect on the case study to connect theory with real-world scenarios.
- Identify Themes: Recognize key themes related to teamwork and cultural sensitivity.
- Test and Apply Knowledge: Reinforce and apply concepts through quiz questions.
- Enhance Problem-Solving: Improve problem-solving skills with quiz challenges.
- Engage and Discuss: Engage with the content and facilitate discussions on key topics.
Case study “diversity in the field”
Background:
An agricultural cooperative called “GreenHarvest” consists of members from different cultural backgrounds and approaches to work. Recently, the team has experienced difficulties in working together and it was realised that cultural differences lead to tensions and misunderstandings. The board of GreenHarvest decided to organise a workshop on the integration of social, cultural and democratic values in order to improve cooperation.
Characters:
- Anna Müller (Germany): Experienced farmer with a traditional agricultural background.
- Raj Patel (India): Expert in sustainable agriculture and proponent of modern methods.
- Fatima Al-Mansoor (Saudi Arabia): Newcomer to agriculture, brings innovative ideas.
- Pablo Rodriguez (Mexico): Responsible for animal production and traditional livestock farming.
Scene Description:
The workshop organized by the GreenHarvest agricultural cooperative takes place in a spacious meeting room with large windows overlooking the fields, allowing sunlight to filter in and illuminate the space. Tables are arranged in a semi-circle, each adorned with notepads, pens, and colorful markers. The walls are adorned with posters illustrating various aspects of agriculture and cultural diversity. A large whiteboard at the front of the room stands ready for brainstorming sessions and presentations.
Action:
In the workshop room, the GreenHarvest team gathers, each member bringing their unique perspective. Anna, Raj, Fatima, and Pablo take their seats, ready to engage. Discussions quickly unfold around language barriers, working styles, and decision-making.
Anna emphasizes reliability, Raj advocates for sustainability, Fatima brings creativity, and Pablo stresses respect for tradition. Despite initial misunderstandings, the team begins to appreciate the richness of their cultural diversity.
Language training and workshops on cultural appreciation are proposed. The team agrees on a rotation principle for decision-making, promoting inclusivity.
With a shared vision, the team develops an action plan. Anna commits to sustainable practices, Raj explores indigenous techniques, Fatima organizes cultural events, and Pablo offers mentorship.
Leaving the workshop, the GreenHarvest team is energized, ready to integrate values into their work and foster collaboration.
Challenges:
- Language barriers: Different native languages lead to communication problems.
- Working styles: Traditional versus modern working methods.
- Decision-making: Disagreement about how decisions should be made.
Tasks:
- Identification of social values:
- Which social values are particularly important to Anna, Raj, Fatima and Pablo?
- How can these values be integrated into their daily work?
- Integration of cultural aspects:
- What cultural differences could lead to misunderstandings?
- How can members utilise cultural diversity as a resource?
- Promotion of democratic decision-making:
- What models of decision making do different team members prefer?
- How can a democratic process be established that takes into account the diversity of opinions?
- Action plan:
- Each team member should formulate concrete steps on how they can promote the integration of values in their daily work.
Possible solutions:
- Language training: Joint language courses or use of translation software.
- Workshops to appreciate cultural differences: Each team member leads a workshop on their own culture.
- Rotation principle for decisions: Each team member has the opportunity to lead on different decisions.
Reflection on the Case Study
- Have you had similar experiences with workers having different backgrounds and skills?
- How do you deal with this?
- How do you deal with cultural differences in the teams?
- Have there ever been conflicts? How did you resolve them?
- What do you think of the team’s proposed solutions?
Practical Tips: Contact points in your area
Italy
Public initiatives on migration
Organizations working on migrants
Spain
Organizations working on migrants
Integration initiatives in rural areas
France
Organizations working on migrants
Austria
Public initiatives on migration
Social-labour policies oriented to migrants:
- Federal Ministry of Labour and Economy
- The Federal Employment Agency (AMS) offers special counseling and support for migrants
Greece
Support for migrants:
Self-assessment questionnaire for Part II
Part III
Instructions
Embracing interculturality involves recognizing and respecting the diverse perspectives, traditions, and practices within farming communities. It requires cultivating open-mindedness and curiosity towards different cultural norms, fostering communication skills, and developing cultural competence among agricultural professionals.
This module will propose concrete strategies, activities and tools to help you as an employer, as well as an employee, to enrich yourself and to emulate a group cohesion within a multicultural team.
The concrete strategies that we propose are addressed at 3 different groups: the employers, the local workers, and the migrant workers.
You can check the right category but we recommend to read the whole module as this will give you a borader perspective.
Strategy for employers
As an employer, you do not have the formal responsibilities to facilitate the social and professional inclusion of your staff, but in the case of hiring people coming from a migrant background, you should be aware of some strategies and techniques that you could implement to create a real group cohesion.
Concrete strategies
In a general way, first, it is recommended to organize multicultural activities that can take the form of intercultural dinners and meals where everyone brings some traditional recipe coming from their own culture. Of course, not all the products are always available but experience shows that it is always possible to prepare a traditional meal.
The multiplication of exotic shops, with spices coming from outside of Europe for example, could help the employees to find the right ingredients.
Intercultural dinner
Intercultural dinners in multicultural teams offer many benefits:
- Cultural Exchange: Sharing food and stories promotes understanding and appreciation of diverse cultures.
- Team Building: Eating together creates stronger relationships and teamwork.
- Communication: Casual conversations during dinners improve communication among team members.
- Diversity and Inclusion: Celebrating diversity through meals creates a more welcoming environment.
- Morale and Motivation: Feeling valued and included boosts team morale and motivation.
Communication
Addressing communication styles within a team is vital, as each culture has unique verbal and non-verbal norms. Teams must understand and accommodate these differences to ensure effective collaboration.
Providing preparation time before meetings is valuable, especially for those from diverse cultures who may feel uncomfortable speaking up. This will help to raise confidence and enhance productivity.
Why is communication so important in the meetings?
Cultural differences can lead to misunderstandings, notably in communication practices like eye contact. In the West, steady eye contact is seen as respectful during conversations, while in Japan, it’s considered rude and intrusive, with people taught to look at the neck instead.
This contrast underscores the importance of cultural awareness in communication. (Uono, 2015)
Stereotyping
People often confuse cultural awareness with stereotyping, assuming all individuals from a certain place behave uniformly. However, it’s vital not to generalize based solely on culture, as individuals possess unique traits shaped by various factors.
Stereotyping, often subconscious, can lead to discrimination. Promoting workplace diversity and encouraging self-reflection fosters unity and appreciation for individuality within the workforce.
Reflection exercise
Participants will be grouped into pairs and tasked with selecting 3 defining characteristics for each character presented in the next slide within a 15-minute timeframe.
Each pair will then present their chosen characteristics to the group, sparking a discussion aimed at uncovering similarities, differences, stereotypes, and biases present in the responses.
Guiding questions
- How did you arrive at these specific characteristics for each character?
- What influenced your perception of each character?
- What potential negative consequences can arise from stereotyping?
- In what ways can stereotyping restrict understanding and interaction?
- Is it fair to judge everyone based on the actions of a few?
- Can you accurately assess a person based solely on a few traits?
- Does getting to know someone personally change your perspective or attitude towards them?
Language
A good practice that we identified is to have sheets and documents with photos of tools and tasks, to which is attached the translation of the word or expression in the specific language.
Example : Fact sheet from ANEFA, France
There is also a large diversity of applications that can be used on the field, with your smartphone:
- Google Translate (possibility to scan a text and the translation appears)
- iTranslate
- SayHi Translate
- Speak & Translate by Apalon
- Dialog
Migrant workers
Foreigner workers also have an important role to play in facilitating their own integration into multicultural agricultural teams. Some attitudes and behaviours they can adopt include the following:
Showing interest in the local culture
It is very important to show interest and respect for the local culture, trying to learn and adapt to the customs and values of the community.
Without this first step, there will be tensions and difficulties that could be avoided very simply.
For example, if you are working within a community with different religious values, as long as there is a mutual respect and no racism, you should respect these values.
Learning the local language
Beyond the technical vocabulary, migrant workers can learn the local language to improve communication with their work colleagues and the local community.
There are many ways to do it:
- Participating to classes organized by volunteers
- Participating to language classes organised by professional teachers that can be funded by local governments or specific programs
- Attending « language coffees » that are sometimes organised, in particulary by students or cultural associations
- Doing meetings and vocabulary exchanges, outside of the working time, with their colleagues
Be proactive and collaborative
You should be proactive and collaborative at work, volunteering to help colleagues and share your knowledge and skills, proposing solutions that they wouldn’t think of, if you have different ideas.
This will be really appreciated by the whole group and will create a real bond between all.
Accept cultural differences
The same way colleagues native from the hosting countries should accept the cultural differences with their foreigners colleagues, it should be a mutual process.
Some cultural differences can be very easy to accept, while others are more difficult to accept. But if you talk, try to understand why people are acting in a particular way, this will improve your relations with your working mates.
Participate in social activities
You can participate in social and cultural activities in the local community where you work, which will help you make connections with many people.
This goes beyond the local culture and heritage that we recommended previously. If you like to go to concerts, play a particular sport, hiking in nature, don’t be shy and attend any activity you are interested!
You will feel much better and you will create new bonds, make new friends.
National workers
National workers in a multicultural farm team have an important role to play in facilitating the integration of their migrant colleagues. Some attitudes and behaviours they can adopt include the following:
Show interest and curiosity about other cultures
Any worker can show interest and curiosity about the cultures of their colleagues from another culture and be willing to learn from them.
This will help each other to open their mind, to have knowledge of the traditions, of the food, of the culture of other countries; this applies to the national workers as well to the migrant workers.
Be patient and understanding
National workers can be patient and understanding with immigrant colleagues who may be experiencing difficulties adjusting to the new culture and work environment.
The cultural difference within the work environment can indeed be very strong and create some problems, as the notion of time, the relations with hierarchy and colleagues, can vary a lot according to the country.
Offer help and support
National workers play a vital role in supporting migrant colleagues by assisting them with communication, adapting to local work and community life.
This not only helps migrants colleagues integrate but also fosters genuine bonds and potential friendships. These relationships enhance workplace cohesion and contribute to broader social integration, fostering a more inclusive and supportive community overall.
Prevent discrimination and racism
The topic of discrimination and racism is very sensitive especially in multicultural teams. The national workers need to be aware not only of the obvious and explicit discriminations, but also of the « everyday racism » that can be implicite, subtle, but still hurts someone coming from abroad.
This everyday racism includes the clichés about culture, comments about the accent. If some people are « waterproof », others can feel discriminated because of such comments.
