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Leading With Cultural Intelligence


Drawing on the readings and on your personal experience, how can HR Managers help raise the cultural intelligence of an organization.  

HR Mangers can help to promote and constantly raise awareness through policy. When policy documents are updated regularly and enforced, staff become familiar in enforcing and referring to them creating a workplace standard. When recruiting managers HR need to ensure that mangers are culturally intelligent (CQ)and have this skill. The growth of diverse markets and international workforces makes this a highly valued skill on a resume. The return on investment for organisations and teams is expansion into culturally diverse markets; high quality service to these markets; speed and efficiency; productive assignments; team effectiveness and profitability and cost savings (SHRM, 2015).

Do you think that HR bears the brunt of this task or are there other offices within an organization that should be sharing in this goal?  

PwC have seen the importance that they have made it one of their core behaviours (SHRM, 2015). This means that it flows down and becomes the responsibility of everyone. Leaders have to know how to effectively manage people and projects internationally making CQ a priority if it is be a prominent characteristic of their organisation. This should be demonstrated through the strategic plan and vision (SHRM, 2015)

How can Human Resources help to promote an environment that is welcoming, respectful, and inclusive?

My employer has a compulsory quote that is listed when a position is advertised stating that they are and EEO employer. This demonstrates that all staff working there are a part of the bigger picture and work together collaboratively. It also sets the standard for new staff that they need to be respectful and inclusive and that opportunity lies ahead also for them.  SHRM (2015), suggests that to develop a culturally diverse organisation the employees need to learn through experience such as training and personal development plans supported by a leadership strategy; and organisational CQ audit and and organisational CQ strategy.
On a whole top level management are realising that expansion into the international space is where the greatest growth and opportunity is outside of their local domestic market and solid CQ skills are required.

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