Our new democracy affords us a plethora of rights that resulted in us having to negotiate a minefield of cultures. By ignoring the foreign we are no doubt denying ourselves experiencing the richness of our diversity.
Our workplace today is characterised by a heady fusion of cultures which necessitates a functional strategy. December heralds the season in which employees are usually rewarded for their loyalty and hard work.
The work party presents an ideal opportunity to foster goodwill among a diverse group of employees which would eventually, if continued, result in a cohesive workforce.
Consequently, it is commendable if management is perceived as being the driver of the diversity banner in the workplace.
However, it remains a challenging task to organise an inclusive staff event that would leave staff feeling content and rejuvenated. So how to go about this?
Firstly, employees should be queried about their respective culture preferences, religious practices and dietary requirements with the objective of accommodating their respective needs and to prevent offending them at all cost.
Secondly, employees have a responsibility as well. Both employers and employees should be familiar with concepts such as halaal, vegan, vegetarian, pescatarian and kosher.
For example, a common perception is that the halaal requirement in the Muslim culture refers to all and any meat, except pork or pork-related products ̶ not permissible. But in essence, halaal refers to permitted animals slaughtered according to ritualistic procedures.
It is suggested that a table with halaal foods from a reputable caterer should be served for Muslim staff accompanied by their choice of soft drinks.
This would send a clear signal to all staff that an organisation is culturally sensitive. Obliging to cultural norms does in no way imply that one is pandering to and indulging in the peculiar notions of a minority group.
Citing ignorance in cultural practices and religious beliefs is rather embarrassing in today’s information explosion. In the case of genuine uncertainty, cultural and/or religious organisations should be consulted for additional verification and clarity.
The choice of venue should also be carefully considered. Indulging colleagues should rather frequent a bar after the official staff function. In this way, all employees are accommodated.
Some colleagues actually prefer not to attend these work functions since the embarrassing behaviour of others compels them to opt for exclusion or to have their own celebration on the side. This, of course, derails any possible attempt at cohesion among staff.
So in the spirit of Ubuntu let us make a firm commitment towards acknowledging the foreign and when the time comes, and we are ready, to embrace the foreign.