While we all put on a slightly different persona when we are at work versus when we are at home, the transition for some people is more distinct. Employees of different cultural backgrounds have described this as going between two worlds, or flipping a switch, from who they must be at their workplace to who they are at home or in their community.

For people of the majority workplace culture, the transition from the home to work can be much easier, since few have a need to change the way they communicate or interact with others. But for people of diverse cultural backgrounds (race, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation/identity, economic class), the changes can be as diverse as the people experiencing them.

Hearing directly from people who experience this can help managers and interviewers better understand it. Following are quotes from people describing their workplace experiences walking in two worlds. These are people of diverse cultural backgrounds from Lila Kelly’s research on diversity in the hiring process and workplace.

Ray, a Revenue Controller and American Indian, summarized it in this description of his daily routine: “When I go to work, I match the culture of the organization. When I go home, that’s my culture.”

Anton, an Investment Executive and African American, discussed the obvious “switch” in his friend’s voice he noticed at work: “Anybody who I know who is black, and who has a job in more of what’s traditionally white America, can turn it on and off. That was always the joke when I worked with Bob, was that you could tell when he was on the phone with a customer or with a friend, because he would answer the phone, ‘[Company name], this is Bob (in a business voice). What’s up? (with a drawl).’ Right away you could hear the switch.”

For many diverse individuals, it is not as easy as just flipping a switch. Kia, an Attorney with a law firm and Hmong American, spoke about attending law school and a culture clash she experienced there: “The law profession has been predominantly male and white, and you have to think like a white male in order to be a success. I learned that in law school. I had to reformat my whole way of thinking to take the bar exam.”

Jorge, a Diversity Manager and Latino, has walked in two worlds for so long it has become second nature to him. “For us bi-cultural people, there always has been a balancing act. You have to balance interests all the time. I think you develop some skill by doing that. I find it easy to do because I’ve been doing it for a long time.”

Think about it. Many people of different cultural backgrounds possess skills and abilities to be a natural cross-cultural liaison in the workplace. This can be a great asset to any organization in many aspects of jobs that interact with other individuals, whether they are employees, customers, patients or students.

A person’s ability to understand and transition between different cultures may be too undefined or vague to include in a job description or on a list of interview questions, and tricky for an interviewer to assess during a job interview. However, managers’ and interviewers’ awareness of the challenge that many individuals face in having to alternate between two cultural worlds can help them see this ability as valuable in the workplace. The next step is to create a more inclusive and welcoming work environment to help make the transition from home life to work life easier for all employees.

 

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