Did you ever host a party and thought shortly before “What if nobody shows up?”. This is how I used to feel before every party at my house. I thought this time it would be different, but honestly, I was even more afraid. I wished for a few hours that I can sit on my sofa, watching a movie in my jogging pants and eat popcorn. And then I realized this is just a form of stage fright…
Our party was just like any great party.
Time flew by and I was too busy talking to people while magically the prosecco glass in my hand seemed to fill up automatically. I would like to tell you what I took away from the last five days especially if you didn’t have a chance to join us in person.
Photo Credits: @Claudia.hug (insta)
The event starts when you feel ready, not when it is scheduled
I was still in the middle of a call with an important client when my doorbell rang. This is rather unusual in Switzerland so I knew who it was. My first guest had arrived from Dubai. After an introductory chai, Nazia Abdul Rasheed and I took a walk through my city. I showed her Zurich’s landmark such as the Lindenhof hill, where the women of Zurich fought of the enemies in the middle ages by disguising as men. We went to see the Fraumuenster with the Chagall windows and left our doggie bag there as a gift to God. We walked through the old town, had a brownie at the Zurich Film Festival, lunch at St. Lucia and became friends right away.
Stage-fright is normal
I was struggling for a long time to recognize myself as an artist and even on Thursday I had this fear that no one would show up to our event. During the morning, I could tell that I had stage fright and it was worse than when I was playing a major part in the school play in high school. I changed my outfit last minute and was quite nervous practicing what I wanted to talk about. When my long-time uni friend Iris Kollek arrived I was a bit shaky and we had to leave to the location immediately. Our team and friends helped with the preparation of the giveaway bags, the book table and the room.
I had no idea that being in the centre of attention would mean that I would be overwhelmed when getting a huge bunch of flowers from Inge Nitsche, CEO Expatise Academy and her business partner Ernst Steltenpohl. These two “guild masters” of Global Mobility have supported me over the last five years and I was very surprised about the lovely greetings they sent me all the way from Holland.
My family showed up early as well as a few other guests but I was pulled away between photographers, bloggers and last-minute organizational questions. After a photo session with Christina Fryer from @NewInZurich, I tried to greet most guests in person and loved how many actually did show up. Almost every seat was taken when we started (and the few latecomers filled the left seats.)
Photo Credits: @Claudia.hug (insta)
The History of Guilds is very relevant for us
The first speaker was Philip Welti, the Guild Master of the guild house wher
e we held our book launch. We heard from Philip Welti, the Guild Master about the history of the “Zunfthaus zur Waag” from 1637 to today. We then moved to Monika Fischer’s story of her first intercultural encounter with her German mother-in-law. The “Potato Variety” story was hilarious and also showed how sometimes cultural differences are based on your perspective of the world. Monika’s experience shows that we can widen our view when we move to other cultures and interact with people with another cultural background. Monika also asked who in the room lived in another country than their home country or who had a partner or spouse from another culture. With a few exceptions, most of the people in the room showed up. We are living in the global village here in Zurich.
Magic happens when you leave the red sofa
When I went on stage I told our guests that we would guide them through an activity called “The Magic Postcards”. We asked people to get to know new people in the room and to catch up with the ones they already knew. As I’m a big believer in building professional relationships to get work I encouraged participants to write a postcard to the people they met at the event. During the next few months we will send out these postcards. I promised magic to happen and now I am excited like a child before Christmas hoping that whatever my guests wished for will come true over the next few weeks, be it a new role, a new job, finding a new friend, spending more time with loved ones, getting healthier, being with the parents, getting that writing project started or photography class done.
If you still want to write a postcard to another person who was at the event or was supposed to be at the event please let me know. Maybe the magic dust still works a few days later. Also, if you can’t wait to receive your postcards you can tell me to
Photo Credits: @Claudia.hug (insta)
prioritize or you could just practice patience.
“Patience is beautiful.”
I finally got to thank my mother in public. Even though I was a little nervous about doing this, I just had to thank and kiss my mother in public. Although I didn’t win an Oscar, I felt it was time. I knew she would not fully understand my words in English, I was hoping that she would love the gesture anyway. Thank your parents as often as possible. You never know when they will leave.
Now, we would like to focus again on building our Global Mobility Guildhouse, helping our professionals, our expats and their spouses and all the clients we serve. We would like to spend the remainder of the year with ge
tting our clients ready for their next steps. The highlight of our business year 2019 will be the #RockMeRetreat. We still accept clients who are going through a professional change, have just arrived in a new country or wish to balance their own wishes with their careers better. We work towards more creativity, more agility and a healthier lifestyle together.
Personally, I wish to find a bit of time for writing, because after all, I’m a writer and this is what we do. I feel blessed, happy and want to thank you all for coming, your presents and your kind wishes.
The Brexit Effect: How Global Mobility is Being Impacted in Europe and Beyond
Recent legislative and policy changes in many countries around the world seem to signal a global shift from an open market to a form of protectionism. Today, I would like to discuss what exactly this is and how it impacts everyone in Global Mobility, using the dreaded Brexit as an example.
Before we delve into Brexit, let’s take a look first at how open market policies were and still are beneficial to Global Mobility.
Open Markets and Free Trade
It all boils down to the fact that free trade agreements specifically include concessions for mobility. Combined with reduced taxes and government programs to encourage foreign investments, this literally opened the door for GM professionals to successfully ply their trade in different countries. Another step later down this pipeline is streamlining visas and entry requirements—all of which promote the movement of skilled professionals across borders.
Brexit: An End to Unrestricted Movement
The political machinations that led to the UK deciding to part ways with the EU, that is, Brexit, have been discussed far and wide and I will not be going over them. If you are looking to brush up on it, the NY Times and BBC have good summaries here and here, respectively. Relevant to this discussion is the fact that the British people have been promised that Brexit would mean an end to the EU’s famed free movement, that is, the right of people from mainland Europe to live and work in Britain. This is a form of protectionism, the term mentioned earlier. Protectionism refers to the economic curtailing of foreign imports through tariffs, quotas, and other governmental policies. Cutting down on the import of foreign workers falls under it, in direct opposition to the free movement that made the EU a unique success story in world history.
Common sense identifies this as a detrimental idea, not only to GM professionals but to long-term economic stability and growth, yet so few speak up against it – the very fact that Brexit is happening is evidence of that fact. Why is that so?
Fear-based Politics Is a Tool of Suppression
A major reason for that is the fear-mongering stoked by politicians, particularly about how immigration and immigrants “steal” the jobs of the locals – this belief is particularly strong among the working class who rally behind all attempts to close down free movement. Unfortunately, this spread of fear works on everyone, at various levels, especially in these times of economic hardship, it is easy to buy into the idea that immigrants are responsible for the worsening economy or the lack of jobs. No one likes to step out of their comfort zone, especially to speak up about uncomfortable topics.
The result? While Brexit has been lingering for years, the political uncertainty it has led to is already creating ripples across the GM community. Companies will be faced with increasingly challenging situations when seeking to move the talent they want, into the location where they are needed most.
Many companies are moving out of or planning to move out of the UK, taking with them hundreds of thousands of jobs from locals. Clearly not the best-case scenario.
This unpredictability is not limited merely to the immigration aspects of Global Mobility, as taxation and exchange of information would become increasingly sophisticated, making it more difficult for companies and authorities to work out and resolve issues of governance and tax payment. A potential problem that arises from this unpredictability is not knowing how the UK will treat its laws and legislation dealing with worker rights, taxation and other aspects that were based on relevant sections of EU law. That is something troubling corporations and experts in finances, taxation and mobility alike.
Another factor determining why we haven’t been more outspoken about the ramifications of politics on our field is the overabundance of fake news. When someone’s statement is countered with aggressively presented “facts”, the people believing in those “facts” can end up influencing others and drowning out our voice of reason.
Does anyone remember the infamous “Brexit Bus”? Despite being proven to be a falsehood, that “fact” is considered one of the major reasons the Brexit referendum was won by Leave. Despite people speaking up about the falsehood of that “fact”, the Brexit Bus still swayed millions with its lie. How does one make themselves heard in such a scenario?
Echoes of Brexit Around the World
Brexit and EU are not the only places where this tidal wave of fear-based politics and misinformation have had an impact on Global Mobility. In March 2018, Australia ended one of its most popular work visas for global professionals with claims that the visa was taking jobs away from Australians, replacing it with one that was a lot more stricter on professionals and companies alike. The USA’s stance towards the mobility of foreigners is also of note, targeting millions of Muslims from around the world, and about the same number from south of their border through the implementation of various “travel bans”. These policies have been crucial in disrupting nearly all companies that source their talent globally.
As these roadblocks mount, we are faced with a unique, ever-growing challenge of navigating political opposition to its core tenant and unpredictable laws that can spring up at any moment. Given this uncertainty, what we can do at this turbulent time is developing a series of rapid response protocols/procedures that allow us to stay on top of these shifts while carving out a longer-term plan for navigating these changing political waters.
We need to stay relevant
As mentioned by Tracy Figliola and Gina Vecchio in their excellent article “Global Mobility Coming of Age” (The International HR Adviser, Winter 2019/2020) we are currently at the crossroads of extinction or expansion of our profession. As I’ve been working on expanding our skillset and mindset over the last few years, I would certainly hope that we step up our game this year.
If we want to continue adding value as a function we need to show through our actions that we are finding solutions to all those ever more complex issues. I usually hold back my political opinion here and on social media for fear of attracting trolls and haters but I committed yesterday to support “outsiders” more, and to work with an even more diverse team in 2020.
We need to think big and start with baby steps at our own front yard. For example, I will work with an intern from Africa this year. My clients come from around the world but we can still do more to encourage global competency development and break down the barriers to Global Mobility. We can set examples and work on positive changes in our realm of influence whether we are expats, expat entrepreneurs, scientists or Global Mobility Professionals.
I’m not happy with my weight; the last time I was happy with my weight was in 2004. I did a lot of research and there is a theme that I have come across that might help you as well. One reason I am very passionate about this topic is that it has bothered me almost all of my life. It started probably right when I left high school after my German “Abitur” at 19 years of age. I moved to the UK, where I was an Au-pair and put on five kilos in six months (I know the toast and English food was probably not the healthiest). The same happened when I moved to Australia when I moved to India when I moved to Switzerland, and again, it happened over the Pandemic and my broken foot incident in 2021. I always put on more and more weight. And believe me, this is hard for me.
In 2004, I went through a separation and joined Weight Watchers. I went to Esprit and wanted to try on pants in a German size 42, but I was a size 38 then. I was still not a model, and in online dating, I got feedback that my weight was not in the proper range to be considered for a partnership (!), but for me, this was the best weight I have had in a long time. So, let’s say it took 14 years to get from what I would call a “dream body” back to an “acceptable body,” and for the last almost 20 years, I could not honestly say that I was happy with my weight. I never wanted to have my photo taken.
I usually lost weight when I went through a separation, and I put on weight while I was in a relationship. I also think stressful times like cultural adjustment, a death in the family, or a global Pandemic can trigger weight gain. I learned that weight gain could also be a sign of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). You can follow the “Crappy Childhood Fairy” for more related insights.
Maybe You Suffer from Adverse Childhood Experiences
When I was a teenager, I experienced two traumatic experiences. The first one was that my parents separated when I was 13, and the second one was that my father and sister died in a car accident when I was 16. And I believe to date that this was the worst day of my life, and it could not go further down from there. Sometimes, I tell myself I had to be an adult at 16, and everything that followed was happening in survival mode until I completely turned my life around. This was the year we moved to Switzerland, and I started my coach training. I’m not saying that nothing wrong happened to me in my twenties, thirties, or forties, but honestly, these issues seemed small compared to adolescence. People who know me well might confirm that I usually have a lot of energy and a strong sense of purpose. I get up early, do my thing and many of my clients confirm that they are supported through our process together. If you want to understand more about Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) read this article.
Maybe You Are Trapped in a Cinderella Complex
You might occasionally get hung up in a Cinderella Complex if you are a “creative daydreamer” like me (Check Joines, V. 2022 for further personality types). What is that?
So, when I was in a relationship with a man, I would probably expect that this man would change my life significantly. Whenever I ended a relationship, I felt more clarity on who I was and what I wanted to pursue. I’m now practicing to follow my passion and purpose irrespective of the relationships and dependencies in my life. It is easier now than in my 30ies because the idea of having children is no longer around. I feel I’m in the best phase of life ever, and more is yet to come. I have a sense of ownership of my life and work that I never had before. I can do even hard things like losing weight now (I have other ideas in the pipeline, but I don’t want to share them yet). It’s time to reap the rewards of past labor.
I want to continue growing, learning, and self-improving, and I will continue to do what I recommend to you here. I will let you know once I have my dream body again. (It’s not there yet, but it’s a lot better than a year ago.)
1 – Seek a Group of Sisterhood
When we are going through a transition and would like to change or heal, we often have a harder time doing this alone. I recommend that you seek a support group or enter a course that will help you understand yourself better while others support you. Often, suppose you have been traumatized as a child. In that case, you will not have experienced the feeling of safety, and reproducing safety in your adult life will be key to integrating all aspects of your personality into your awareness. You can join a group with similar interests or seek a professional support group. Let me know if you want to join my group. I will start the next one after the summer break.
2 – Fast and Reduce your Clutter
If you are unsure where to start, reduce all your clutter and clean your home. I usually declutter at least twice a year, but last time, I did not go all in, and now I have more time on my hands again and feel I would like to take another go at de-cluttering. Fasting is also helpful, and you could think about fasting because of sugar, alcohol, caffeine, and stress. For that, you first need to identify the stressors for you and find out what keeps your nervous system calm. You might be more sensitive to noise, smell, and light than others. Maybe you have a hard time focusing in an open-plan office environment. Or maybe you have a hard time being at home every day. Feel what you need to stay calm and at ease. I have finally found an excellent app called YAZIO. It helps my fasting process. Check “A to Zen Life” for related videos on Decluttering and Healing from Toxic Stress.
3 – Apply one Minimalist Rule to Your Life
I was reminded how often I do this: “I will do x when y happened.” or “I will not do x until y happened.” I do this not only about not buying nice clothes, books, or other stuff but also about making decisions about relationships I know I should probably not engage in any longer. To overcome impulse buying, you might want to consider the “Wish Book.” Noting down wishes for the week also helps me to prioritize. If you feel you can’t afford an investment in something that would make you happy, you might need to trade it for something else. For example, you could sell an item before buying a new item. I like the minimalist rule of “One in, one out.” Or you could buy a piggy bank and sell items until you can afford that thing or piece of clothes or furniture.
4 – Tend to a Sacred Safe Space
One of the external stressors in your life could be that you have not yet developed healthy boundaries, and one way to practice that is by having a space in your home that you reserve for yourself or a small part of the garden that you tend and care for as your sacred space. You might also need to declutter relationships that no longer serve you. Add your style and artwork to the “sacred space.” Give it your signature touch. Make sure that other family members respect your space and don’t touch it.
5 – Develop a New “Me First” Work Routine
If you haven’t learned to set boundaries, chances are very high that you will always serve others first before you take care of your priorities. Over the long run, you might feel used and depleted. While it is okay to help others and be a giver, if you have been traumatized as a child, you will need to learn to stand up for yourself more and own your calendar at work. This is not always easy in the corporate world. Hence, I recommend starting with a baby step similar to the sacred space. Reserve 90 minutes in your calendar in the morning to work on your most important task of the day. Allow yourself not to be reachable and go to the gym or exercise before you do other work. These are five steps for overcoming your Cinderella complex. They will probably sound more accessible than they are. If you want to talk to me, schedule an appointment via Calendly: https://calendly.com/angieweinberger.
Book:
Shahroo Izadi (2018): The Kindness Method – Changing Habits for Good
Starting a business (and keeping it running) is hard work. I mean, hard! But it is all worth the time, money, and effort invested for those with a passion, a plan, and a reliable support system. It’s going to be a rollercoaster ride, though. Between the rewarding highs of seeing the spark of interest in a student’s eyes or the genuinely thankful client, you were able to help. Then, there are the lows of the stress and responsibilities that come with being an entrepreneur, and you might wonder if you did the right thing by making changes or if you are going to make it. But the freedom to focus your energy on what you have most at heart allows you to grow, live for your purpose, and live from it too!
It requires a lot of discipline, physical and mental fitness, and friends who will not leave you if you have not been in touch for more than a week. You need a life partner and family who are entirely behind your decision, and you need to be prepared to work harder than ever. After almost ten years of building and running an offline and online business with freelancers in different locations and a diverse client base, I consider myself a pro.
Finding Your Purpose as an Expat Coach
A few years back, the business was drained, and the savings were used up. I had invested in two additional courses. I was ready to give up and get a full-time job. I even said “yes” to a full-time job offer. But then “fate” kicked in. In a very relaxed moment during our first RockMeRetreat, I knew the answer was a clear “No.” I was not ready to start a full-time job in a leadership role again, where I would spend all my energy on maneuvering politics, playing the game, coaching a team, and sitting at a desk for more than six hours a day. Yes, I was very disappointed when the company told me that they wanted to hire somebody else. I was down and scared, but at the same time, I was relieved. And I knew this feeling. It was the freedom smell. Deep down inside, I knew that I would always fall back on my feet and have all the skills within me to make a living. I once again felt the fear (and did it anyway). (There’s a book about that).
Let’s help Expats Find Their Intrinsic Motivation
This post is not a pep talk on how we should leap out of our comfort zone and fight for survival daily because this adrenaline level is not suitable in the long run. We only need this kind of adrenaline in an actual emergency during a tornado or a pandemic, but not every day for years on end. A job is great. A paycheck is wonderful. A sick day is sensational. A sponsored coffee is amazing. A paid holiday is fantastic. Burnout isn’t. You probably wonder how you keep the energy drainers out of your work environment, and my advice about this is a simple one: Focus on your well-being first. Focus on that as long as you need, stop eating junk food, walk regularly, stop working after six hours, and change your routine to fit your life. Most of the issues we have at work come from our fear of not being enough. We overcompensate. You might think that you need to achieve that next level, subsequent promotion, or next salary band. Then you will have a wonderful life. But let me be honest with you: There is a price you pay for that. And this price might not be what you are looking for right now. I am in favor of abandoning many of the typical HR systems. Let us give our people the benefit of the doubt again and help them find their intrinsic motivation.
We should help them work on projects where they can thrive, help them develop client relationships they will find engaging, and above all, we should change lives. Passion is a better driver than security for entrepreneurs as employees. And if you doubt now how you can help your team get to that level, we should have a conversation. I would say first of all: Everybody still has a ton to learn in this world. Understanding that we are always learning is the first step toward growth. Many people, especially women, need help to find the confidence to move ahead. In Switzerland, many women grew up in a male-dominated environment where they learned to work more than their peers to be recognized, and when they tried to move up the ladder, and had to show their teeth. Then a manager told them that they were too aggressive and too pushy.
They started to have self-doubts and fell into a complacent state where moving up was no longer an option. I know many excellent women with the busy-bee and Aschenbroedel-syndrome. They run their departments silently in the background, while a male colleague gets the bonus and the honors. They start initiatives and get criticized. They speak out in meetings, and someone else picks up the thread, and everyone applauds the other guy.
Help Female Expats and Rainbow Talent Be Heard
We can all do our share to help them thrive. Sometimes an encouraging hug or a pep talk during lunch or a job referral might just be what they need. My team and I started helping more diverse women. We work with women from developing countries, women with more seniority, and women from minority backgrounds. Whatever their backgrounds, women with young children also face obstacles and prejudice in the labor market. Managers often assume they will miss work when their children are sick or that they will leave early. I’m ashamed to say that, but we diligently exclude certain people from the workforce here in Switzerland, depriving them of the fundamental right to work. It’s not always intentional, but we cannot always blame unconscious bias for our decisions.
Some companies forgo excellent candidates because the humans who make up that company cannot move beyond their prejudice about women (even more so if they come from developing countries, have young children, have gaps in their resume, or are LGBTQ+, or disabled). It is frequent for people with a refugee background who cannot produce the required papers and certificates for specific jobs to face many challenges when accessing the job market. People suffering from mental health problems such as depression and talents who might be on the autism spectrum or have schizophrenia face numerous barriers when searching for a job. We might not be able to create a significant groundswell today and start a revolution, BUT we can change lives, one person at a time.
“I’m on a Mission to bring the Human Touch back into Global Mobility (through Digitalization).”
Angie Weinberger preparing for a Red Couch Talk
As we delve deeper into the world of entrepreneurship, diversity, equity, and inclusion, it becomes increasingly apparent that these are not mere buzzwords but pillars of our collective future. In this extended discussion, we will explore the significance of fostering a diverse and inclusive entrepreneurial ecosystem, the challenges faced by underrepresented groups, and the strategies to overcome these obstacles.
The Power of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
Entrepreneurship has long been considered a realm of opportunity, a space where innovative ideas can flourish, and dreams can come to life. However, the path to entrepreneurial success has not always been equally accessible to all. Historically, certain demographics, particularly women, underrepresented groups, and individuals from underprivileged backgrounds, have faced systemic barriers that hindered their entrepreneurial journey.
In recent years, there has been a growing recognition of the immense value that diversity and inclusion bring to the world of entrepreneurship. Research has consistently shown that diverse teams and founders are more likely to achieve higher financial returns, foster innovation, and solve complex problems effectively. In essence, diversity is not just a moral imperative but a strategic advantage for any entrepreneurial endeavor.
Challenges on the Road
While the benefits of diversity are evident, it’s crucial to acknowledge the unique challenges faced by underrepresented groups. These challenges range from limited access to capital and resources to biases in investment decisions. For female entrepreneurs, the gender pay gap and the scarcity of female investors further exacerbate these hurdles. Similarly, individuals with disabilities encounter obstacles in terms of physical accessibility and societal stigmatization. The lack of understanding and accommodation for mental health challenges can also deter talented individuals from pursuing entrepreneurial ventures. Moreover, women of color often face a double burden of racial and gender discrimination, making it essential to address intersectionality in discussions of diversity and inclusion.
Strategies for Inclusion
In our quest to build a more inclusive Global Mobility landscape, several strategies have emerged as effective tools for change.
Accessible Funding Opportunities: Creating funding mechanisms that are more inclusive and accessible to a broader range of entrepreneurs is paramount. This includes venture capital firms actively seeking diverse founders, crowdfunding platforms, and government initiatives that provide grants and loans to underrepresented groups.
Mentorship and Support Networks: Mentorship programs that pair experienced entrepreneurs with aspiring ones have proven to be instrumental in leveling the playing field. These relationships offer guidance, advice, and valuable connections.
Education and Training: Equipping aspiring entrepreneurs with the skills and knowledge they need to succeed is vital. Educational programs, workshops, and incubators designed for underrepresented groups can provide the necessary tools to thrive in the entrepreneurial world.
Breaking Down Biases: Addressing unconscious biases in investment decisions and workplace practices is an ongoing effort. Diversity and inclusion training, blind recruitment processes, and transparent evaluation criteria can help mitigate bias.
Policy Changes: Advocating for policy changes at local, national, and international levels is essential. These policies should promote diversity in hiring, access to education, and equitable distribution of resources.
Celebrating Success Stories: Highlighting the achievements of diverse entrepreneurs not only inspires others but also challenges stereotypes. Recognizing and celebrating these success stories is a vital part of creating a more inclusive entrepreneurial culture.
A Collective Mission for Change
In conclusion, the journey toward a more inclusive entrepreneurial landscape is a collective mission that requires the efforts of individuals, organizations, and society as a whole. It is not merely about opening doors but also about ensuring that once those doors are open, everyone has an equal opportunity to thrive. The entrepreneurial world is a dynamic and innovative space, and by embracing diversity and inclusion, we can unlock its full potential, change lives, and bring about a brighter future for all. We might not be able to create a significant groundswell today and start a revolution, BUT we can change lives, one person at a time. Join us in our mission.
Committing to diversity, equity, and inclusion in Global Mobility, we can pave the way for a more prosperous, inclusive, and innovative future, where every voice is heard, and every dream has a chance to flourish.
A famous Swiss supermarket had an incident where an employee in the sales area wanted to wear a head scarf, but they did not allow her to do that, so she resigned. Unfortunately, this happens to a company that promotes being open and living diversity, equity, and inclusion. I don’t see a s*** storm happening, and it seems that in Switzerland, this is acceptable, and I’m afraid I have to disagree.
In Switzerland, the land of Zwingli and Calvin, the majority religious group is Roman Catholic, with approximately 37% of the Swiss population. The reformed Evangelical community makes up 25%. 5% of the Swiss population is Muslim, mainly from the Balkans and Turkey.Around 30% of the population have no religious affiliation.
According to Wikipedia, there are approximately 20’000 Jews in Switzerland, and more than 50 percent of Jewish households reside in Zurich, Geneva, and Basel. There is also growing concern about antisemitism in Switzerland, as in many other countries in the world.
With global polarization growing, I am compelled to remind everyone how we can contribute to building a more inclusive work environment. If you haven’t yet bought “The Global Rockstar Album,” this would be an excellent first step.
How you can help Religious Minorities in Companies in Switzerland
Multinational companies in Switzerland promote an “inclusive” culture. Everyone should have the same opportunities within the company, regardless of their religious or cultural background. While I often hear that Switzerland is so intercultural because it has four different language regions and is located in the middle of Europe, I experience a different reality. In public discussions, we discuss differences but hardly touch on pragmatic solutions for helping each other get along. Here are 14 easy-to-implement ideas to make your minority employees feel more included in your workforce.
We help our clients gain confidence. We point out that Switzerland is an open country with a long history of religious freedom. That includes the freedom to not believe in anything at all. We raise the intercultural competence of the employees in the companies we work with, but we cannot reach everyone in the country. I am embarrassed when I hear stories of attacks, fear, and overt discrimination. We wish for our clients to be welcomed with open arms in everyday life and in the companies they work for, regardless of their cultural and religious backgrounds.
Since 2000, I have observed that many global companies have developed intercultural competence in their staff and managers, mainly through training and legislative minimum standards. While this is better than nothing, more is needed. In Switzerland, the current trend in diversity training is to uncover our “unconscious bias,” i.e., how our unconscious stereotypes affect our hiring and promotion decisions. We tend to like people who look like us, think like us, behave like us, and come from similar backgrounds. This is also called the “Mini-Me syndrome.”
I don’t see many corporate discussions around intercultural, interracial, and interreligious differences and commonalities. The main reason is that these differences tend to be seen as personal differences more often than cultural differences outside of intercultural training. Once there is a conflict, it is usually attributed to the individual rather than cultural background. Or the other way around: Negative judgments are attributed to cultural background rather than individual behavior. Hardly anyone I know has enough knowledge to distinguish between a stereotype and a tendency (that might not be a stereotype but true for most people with this cultural background, provided they have spent most of their lives in that cultural background).
We should encourage intercultural discussions more often. Awareness creates acceptance in a multicultural environment. In Tourism, we treat customers differently according to their cultural background. By considering a few minor but effective adjustments, companies can provide a discrimination-free environment and welcome everyone with open arms.
1) Religion is a private matter for every employee, and it should not affect their work performance. If we focus our assessments on performance rather than on person, we are on the right track.
2) Minorities might need short breaks to pray. If we use a trust-based time management system rather than strict time control, we can ensure that religious minorities have prayer time during the day.
3) In hospitals, physicians must learn gender-related rules that religious minorities must observe, especially when a man treats a woman. In case of doubt, ask the patient.
4) In tourism, we must learn what is important to clients from the United Arab Emirates or Saudi Arabia. For example, due to the ban on burqas, we might no longer be able to serve those clients in Switzerland.
5) In the police, we need to move away from stereotyping and get a clear understanding of why many young men feel overburdened with life in another culture. At the same time, their families at home depend on their financial support.
6) As therapists and other health care professionals, we need to learn how the trauma of war and being alone when you come from a collectivist cultural background might affect your psyche. We also need to understand that counseling might not be a concept in many of the home cultures of minority employees (assuming they did not grow up in Europe or the US).
7) We need to differentiate the social classes of the person we speak to. If you have an Islamic banker or a writer who has fled from Afghanistan, then you are likely to have no misunderstandings because you can communicate with both in German and English. But if you talk to a less educated colleague who has just arrived in Switzerland and does not yet speak the language well, then you will need to simplify your language and use techniques to check if he or she understands you. Avoid speaking in the child’s language and use proper German or English.
8) To better deal with cultural differences, we must train our staff members as authorities, medical assistants, personal assistants, and company receptionists. It would help if they were less judgemental and more understanding of inclusion.
9) We can get the basics right for inclusion. Muslims, Jews, Hindus, Jains, and many other religious minorities need to know what they eat and drink. You can install signs in the canteen and explain what is in the food. You can offer one vegetarian, vegan, halal, and kosher dish. It would be best if you did that anyway in a modern canteen.
10) Stop forcing anybody to drink alcohol: At the infamous Swiss Apéro, you can show which drinks contain alcohol and explain that everyone is welcome, even if they don’t like wine. You can make it a point to offer non-alcoholic cocktails and accept that people will cheer you with a glass of water (even if that is against the “Knigge”).
11) You can approve extended holidays over festivals to fly or drive home. You can adapt your company policy to give more flexibility for different religious holidays by providing a holiday budget. This is especially helpful in restaurants and other businesses with a large proportion of migrants
12) We can congratulate religious minorities on their holidays. Maintaining a global holiday calendar and working out content for your in-house communication is easy. https://www.timeanddate.com/holidays/
13) We can provide prayer and meditation rooms for our staff. This will help all staff members have quiet zones to contemplate, pray, or meditate in these hectic times. This would help all of us, and offering group meditation courses could be a well-being perk you provide in your company because you care about the well-being of all employees.
14) We can provide more internship opportunities to refugees. Many refugees cannot prove their formal qualifications and will fall through the roster of our recruitment processes. Still, we could see how they work if we provide them with more internships. An internship is an excellent way for you to learn more about an employee. We need to change our policies to offer internships to anyone (and take out the age limit). We would also help women who have a hard time returning to the workforce after a career break if we offered more inclusive internships with fewer barriers.
I hope these 14 pragmatic ideas will help you build an environment where your religious minority employees feel more included.
Joseph Shaules and Ishita Ray discuss intuition and the “feel-good fallacy.” This is a highly critical discussion of intercultural interactions and #globalcompetency. Many of us fall into this trap and think having the right attitude or mindset is sufficient to “do right by the other”. This is largely a minimizing assumption, denying embodied cultural beliefs, values, and behaviors.
Listen to the latest episode of the #DeepCulture Podcast: Cultural Intuitions and the Feel-good Fallacy to understand why. In this episode, Ishita Ray and I explore cultural intuitions–the ability to “read the air” and interpret our environment.
