Monday, October 13, 2014

The need for Cultural Sensitivity in our Shrinking World

The need for Cultural Sensitivity in our Shrinking World




Today was Thanksgiving Day in Canada.  I don’t think many Americans were even aware of that.  I am fortunate to have good friends in Canada, some amazing suppliers that offer great and unique products and wonderful customers. 

Early this morning, I sent an email to my customer support person at one of my favorite companies in Montreal.   I wished her a Happy Thanksgiving and acknowledged that she was not in the office but asked if she could look into my order the following day.  I was quite surprised to get a response right away from her.  She told me that she had a great day with her family on Sunday and that she would have the American Thanksgiving off instead of the Canadian Holiday.  But, of course, she will be home celebrating alone, a Thursday in late November as winter is upon their doorstep.  This is a Canadian owned company.  And I was more than a little troubled by the fact that on a holiday that celebrates family and thankfulness that she was at work.

A few hours later I talked with another supplier in the US that recently purchased a Canadian apparel supplier.  They also were busy shipping out orders from Toronto. 

Thanksgiving is my favorite Holiday.  It is a simple and beautiful holiday about family and being thankful.  There are no gifts, there are no religious complications to consider.  Its just great food, family and thankfulness for all we have.

As the world becomes smaller and it is easier to work across borders, we need to develop our sensitivity and respect for traditions.   Would it have been earth shattering if these Canadian companies had closed to allow their employees to be with their families for one day?  We hold Thanksgiving as a very sacred holiday in the US.  (Okay with the exception of some retailers who tried to ruin it last year!).   We share Canada’s Thanksgiving with our Columbus Day so we were without banks and the mail delivery and federal offices.  It happens this way every year.  How is that we can work without those key operations, but there is no longer a respect for employees and their families across our border?  

We tolerate China closing for three weeks for Chinese New Year.  We plan for it; we work around it.  It isn't always easy but we all survive. 

At Stowebridge we realize that families are important.  Our employees are our greatest asset.  We offer a flexible workplace where families are important.  We adjust work schedules for important events - school performances, important sporting events for our employee's kids, kindergarten graduations and doctor's appointments. We aren't open on weekends and we close for all the major holidays.  By taking care of our employees, we know they will take great care of our customers.

We need our Canadian neighbors who own businesses to know that we respect that occasionally our holidays fall on different days, that we value their partnership, and respect their traditions. 

As our world becomes smaller, it is time that we also develop cultural sensitivity and respect and appreciation for traditions.







No comments:

Post a Comment