Civic Issues

Complex issue

The topic to be addressed in this case is workplaces and diversity. As such, the question to be addressed will be as follows: “What are effective strategies for decreasing challenges immigrants or migrants face in workplace settings?” This group of employees faces challenges that are not common to the natives. For example, in most cases, the migrant workers may not be willing to report a workplace injury, given that they are afraid of being reported to the immigration authorities and risk losing their jobs and not being able to find an employer that is willing to take them. In addition, this group does not feel the autonomy to voice their issues, which is escalated by cultural differences between such employees and the other employees they coexist with within the workplace.

Cultural differences are a major concern here, and there is a lack of initiative to uphold inclusivity in the workplace. There are diverse employees in the organization, yet diversity is not something that is well accommodated across all the facets of the organization. This has led to numerous problems such as language barriers, different communication styles or preferences, cultural misunderstandings among the employees, and slower decision-making, e.g., when a team member who challenges the status quo in a meeting may bring up an important point that needs to be explored.

Given the sociopolitical and historical context of the issue, the migrants tend to have numerous challenges as they strive to settle in a foreign country. For instance, in the case of the U.S., there is a lot of paperwork involved, and most of them rarely complete the documentation process as they are forced to oblige to work with the fear of being deported. That notwithstanding, the immigrants continue to come as they consider the country to be having more and more “greener pastures” (Ertorer, Long, Fellin & Esses, 2020).

The issue is actually a red flag to all the stakeholders involved. This is an organization that is very keen on upholding its image and reputation. A matter of this magnitude is likely to taint its image. Therefore, the stakeholders are obliged to come up with stringent codes of conduct and policies tailored towards solving the challenges that immigrants in the workplace face. Furthermore, every stakeholder has the mandate to reinforce support ad instill the aspect of inclusivity across the organization.

Annotated bibliography

Harrison, D. A., Harrison, T., & Shaffer, M. A. (2019). Strangers in strained lands: Learning from workplace experiences of immigrant employees. Journal of Management, 45(2), 600-619.

The study points out a situation whereby a pipeline of immigrant employees who settle in the same places and work together for social support should be a boon to workplace adjustment. Nevertheless, evidence from the expatriation literature suggests otherwise. Those who move to another country and reach out only nominally to host country nationals or incumbent employees have greater difficulty than those who fully embed themselves in the destination culture. As such, there is a need for migrants to be incorporated into local cultures in a better way through social support so that they can be able to work smoothly with their counterparts.

The study is important in this case as it calls upon the employees and the employers to understand the differences among various groups and the roadblocks or opportunities they may be facing at all levels: individually, interpersonally, and culturally (Lalonde, 2011). More so, the study helps identify the potential constructs and mechanisms that are likely to govern immigrant experiences in the workplace. The authors also go the extra mile to offer new ways tailored towards investigating and intervening on behalf of these individuals, so they are not always strangers in the strained lands but are instead valued for their unique contributions.

Kaushik, V., & Drolet, J. (2018). Settlement and integration needs of skilled immigrants in Canada. Social Sciences, 7(5), 76.

The study elucidates the numerous barriers which have prevented the effective integration of skilled immigrants in mainstream society, including the various workplace contexts. Unfortunately, foreign workers who find themselves in Canada are not an exception to the alarming trends. Despite being famous for its Federal Skilled Worker Program, which includes the immigration of skilled workers through Express Entry, Canada has consistently shown disappointing results in the economic and social outcomes of the integration of skilled immigrants. This has socioeconomic implications for immigrants and affects their health, well-being, and performance in their respective workplaces.

The article is also a call to action, underscoring the fact that there is a need for all those involved with immigrant integration to explore and be conversant about the contexts and issues faced by skilled newcomers in Canada. The various stakeholders are expected to have the upper hand to identify issues that are likely to be affecting immigrants in their work contexts and cushioning them against such barriers.

Personal position and course of action

Cultural inclusivity is an issue that ought to be approached very carefully to realize the productivity of all the employees, both the local employees and the expatriates. The problem of immigrant inclusivity can better be approached by being tackled across all levels. For instance, there are concerns that the documentation process is normally long, and most immigrants work in fear of being deported back to their home countries. This could be the root problem, which eventually trickles down to the various organizations in which these immigrants work (Choudry & Thomas, 2013).

In an organizational setting, the change process can start by changing the employees’ attitudes from the very top and turning around the culture by having a comprehensive code of conduct. The code of conduct will stipulate what the organization stands for and highlight important dimensions such as the need to embrace diversity. The language policy within the organization should also be well stipulated to prevent the marginalization of the employees based on the language (Holmes & Riddiford, 2009). The immigrants should also be well understood in terms of what is likely to make them comfortable and should be well represented across all organizational levels.

Audience analysis

Making a presentation to an audience of people who speak various languages or have different cultural backgrounds will require special tact. As such, some tips and techniques should be taken into consideration. First, there is the need to enunciate clearly, and if possible, try to speak with a neutral accent to include all the audience members. Being mindful of body language, eye contact, and personal space is highly called for. Knowing the meanings of words outside the native language may also help.

References

Choudry, A., & Thomas, M. (2013). Labour struggles for workplace justice: Migrant and immigrant worker organizing in Canada. Journal of industrial relations, 55(2), 212-226.

Ertorer, S.E., Long, J., Fellin, M., & Esses, V.M. (2020). Immigrant perceptions of integration in the Canadian workplace. Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion: An International Journal.

Harrison, D.A., Harrison, T., & Shaffer, M. A. (2019). Strangers in strained lands: Learning from workplace experiences of immigrant employees. Journal of Management, 45(2), 600-619.

Holmes, J., & Riddiford, N. (2009). Talk at work: Interactional challenges for immigrants. Language for professional communication: Research, practice and training, 217.

Kaushik, V., & Drolet, J. (2018). Settlement and integration needs of skilled immigrants in Canada. Social Sciences, 7(5), 76.

Lalonde, S. (2011). Inclusivity in the Workplace: Assessing the Prevalence of Implicit Prejudiced Attitudes. International Journal of the Humanities, 8(11).