Fairwords Weekly: Cultural Competency, Gen-Z, and New Norms in the Post-Pandemic Workplace
May 5, 2021
“Improving written interactions across platforms — even by an incremental amount — adds up to a significant boost in efficiency across the entire organization.”
— Dorian Stone, Grammarly Business
The COVID-19 pandemic has upended the way we communicate at work. For HR managers, compliance officers, and other business leaders, this is a crucial time to be focused on the future. This week, we learn about what Gen-X’ers expect in workplace culture, why now is the time to invest in improving communication, how to achieve cultural competency in your company, and how former workplace taboos are becoming the norm.
How Gen Z Is Bringing a Fresh Perspective to the World of Work
Gen Z’ers—those born between 1997 and 2012—are beginning to enter the workforce, and they are bringing new expectations for workplace communications. As a racially and ethnically diverse generation who expect to be asked about their preferred pronouns, Gen Z’ers demand high standards from their employers, including open, inclusive, and ethical communications. Read more
Leaders, Invest in Communication Now to Prepare for a Post-Pandemic World
The COVID-19 pandemic introduced remote work to millions of people. In-person communications with both co-workers and customers shifted online, and the number of digital communications increased exponentially. This has created an urgent need for companies to pay attention to the quality and content of such communication and invest in advanced technologies to improve it. Read more
What Does Cultural Competency Look Like in the Workplace?
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) training is quickly becoming a growing workplace trend. The end goal is “cultural competence,” or the ability of the company’s employees to understand and value different cultures and perspectives. Cultural competence can be reached via internal cross-cultural groups, guest speakers, and training around communications. Read more
Politics, Love & Slacking: Managing New Workplace Norms
The pandemic has disrupted work across industries and job roles, and HR managers are working to adapt to new realities. Employee attitudes about talking politics, workplace romance, and social media use at work have all become more relaxed, and that presents new challenges for HR. It is essential to review, update, and share company policies around these issues and then implement ways to train employees in how to adhere to company expectations. Read more