Organizations must accommodate cultural differences to create a productive work environment
Posted on – Thu, 4/20/23 at 12:15pm
By Aarya Dedhia, Moitrayee Das
The impending recession is worrying because inflation is rising in different parts of the world. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has cautiously forecast a grim outlook for global GDP growth in 2022 and 2023, taking into account the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic and ongoing hostilities between Russia and Ukraine. In 2022, approximately 139,000 jobs will be cut globally. As of February 20, 2023, approximately 103,000 employees worldwide have been laid off, accounting for three-quarters of the total layoffs in 2022. In India itself, more than 35,000 employees have been laid off, a staggering number.
three dimensional
Burnout is a complex problem that stems from chronic stress and can lead to physical, emotional and cognitive problems. It can lead to negative attitudes toward work and colleagues, and a reduced sense of fulfillment. Burnout has three dimensions: emotional exhaustion, cynicism or depersonalization, and a diminished sense of personal fulfillment. These dimensions generally follow a causal pattern and are interrelated.
The first dimension, emotional exhaustion, is marked by an overwhelming sense of fatigue and burnout that can lead to an inability to adjust to the work environment. As a result, employees may require more emotional energy to perform their work tasks. The second dimension, cynicism or depersonalization, involves hostile or indifferent attitudes toward work and colleagues, which can lead to feelings of burnout exacerbated by inappropriate behavior. The third dimension, decreased personal achievement, is characterized by negative self-esteem and self-doubt about work-related tasks. This dimension can have a major impact on burnout symptoms because it can lead to feelings of helplessness and loss of motivation.
This begs a major question: how do we manage or respond to burnout?
coping with burnout
It is widely accepted in the research literature that people rely on a preferred coping strategy, or set of coping mechanisms, when faced with stressful situations. Coping is an essential survival strategy for humans. This means changing a person’s behavior and cognition in response to a stressor that is perceived as difficult or beyond the individual’s abilities. Coping involves controlling cognitive and behavioral responses to stress caused by environmental factors.
Endler and Parker (1994) recognized the importance of coping mechanisms and created the Coping Inventory for Stressful Situations (CISS) assessment tool to measure various coping strategies. These strategies include task-oriented coping, emotion-oriented coping, and avoidance-oriented coping.
Task-oriented coping mechanisms involve individuals adapting to their surroundings by changing behavior and cognition. Emotion-based coping is used to manage negative emotions in difficult situations. While it can help individuals deal with the emotional impact of stress, it has been reported to backfire and increase a person’s stress. Avoidance-oriented coping mechanisms involve the use of temporary distractions to avoid confronting a stressor. Although avoidance strategies may temporarily relieve stress, they are not an effective solution for long-term stress management.
Previous research has investigated whether these coping strategies stem from situational needs or personal traits, but it is also important to consider cultural influences. Cultural norms and socialization processes cause individuals in the culture to evaluate events and respond with similar coping strategies. Coping styles can thus be viewed as social acquisition and cultural mediation, leading individuals from similar cultures to adopt similar coping strategies that are consistent with their cultural values and norms.
cultural difference
The individualism-collectivism dimension provides a strong theoretical foundation for cultural studies. It sheds light on the importance of specific values, behaviors, and norms in different cultures, thereby paving the way for accurate cross-cultural comparisons and substantial theoretical support.
Research shows that employees from individualistic cultures prioritize autonomy, self-expression, and self-direction, with a strong emphasis on individuality. This often leads to downplaying the importance of family and developing self-reliance early in life. Cultural differences significantly affect an individual’s resources and networks, resulting in people from individualistic cultures having large but weak networks. These employees have strong internal controls, blame events on themselves or others, and adapt to specific situations. For these individuals, coping strategies are more of a challenge than a threat.
In contrast to their individualistic counterparts, employees from collectivist cultures prioritize their in-group and close ties to other members. These individuals work tirelessly to fulfill social obligations while conforming to group norms, creating an atmosphere that values integration over individual autonomy. Collectivist employees are deeply influenced by their surroundings, constantly adjusting and changing their thoughts, emotions, and behaviors to align with the group. This deep sense of interdependence and subordination can positively or negatively affect their work and well-being.
Organizations must acknowledge and accommodate these cultural differences and create environments that meet the diverse needs of employees. Organizations must acknowledge and recognize these differences in order to create an efficient and harmonious work environment. Job burnout is primarily related to job characteristics and the stress an employee may face while working.
While the most common mechanisms for overcoming burnout are emotion-focused and problem-focused, only one of them works. The latter involves careful reconsideration of a dilemma as a means of identifying feasible solutions, often resulting in a task-focused and problem-solving approach. In fact, this aspect of coping can lead to optimistic outcomes by reducing stress and promoting mental health.
However, it is crucial to note that there is a clear inverse relationship between burnout symptoms and constructive coping techniques.
Burnout symptoms are often associated with emotional exhaustion, which can lead to depersonalization and further apathy and indifference to the social environment. This further showed an inverse association with seeking social assistance or help. However, if individuals become accustomed to this type of communication, they may develop a sense of helplessness and indecision when faced with environmental challenges, rather than the confidence and resourcefulness that are crucial in this situation to resolve them.
Burnout is a major challenge that employees can face in their culture. It can cause individuals to rely on emotional coping mechanisms, which can negatively impact their mental health and social interactions. The effects of burnout can be especially damaging in collectivist cultures that emphasize mutual support and conformity to norms. Employees may feel forced to conform to societal expectations, leading to increased burnout and disruptive coping mechanisms that impede productivity. Self-blame, denial, and isolation can further fuel stress and lead to a toxic cycle.
Mass layoffs such as these can profoundly affect the mindset of existing employees. The sudden departure of a colleague, confidant, or even a mentor can trigger feelings of anxiety, ambiguity, and vulnerability. The remaining workforce may feel overburdened, stressed and devalued, resulting in lower morale, motivation and output. This leads employees to face job insecurity or burnout. Therefore, it is important for companies to understand how to encourage employees facing burnout issues in a culturally appropriate manner.
