Induction Program for New Local Recruits
All foreigners living and working in China face culture shock. During the induction phase, the school administration usually subjects the foreign teachers to extensive orientation programs. These induction programs are designed to deliver cultural and professional training to these foreign teachers. It is essential to instill the virtue of cultural empathy in foreign teachers before they embark on the journey of teaching in a foreign country.
In the same way, it is imperative to conduct some kinds of cultural training for the local new staff members before they commence their job at the school. Local employees do not encounter the "China culture shock," they face a different kind of culture shock. It is called, "international school micro-culture shock." International schools have a radically different environment when compared to their local counterparts, or even a multinational commercial enterprise in the same region. It is a micro-culture within the overall culture – a foreign territory within the native land.
The "international school micro-culture shock" may instill within some of the local employees, feelings of insecurity, being undervalued, inequality, and a lack of confidence. The specific reasons for the micro-culture shock for the local employees are mentioned in the first post of this series.
Though it is fitting to invite local employees to attend the cultural training for the new foreign colleagues, the sessions are normally delivered from a foreigner’s perspective. A totally different induction program should be designed for the local recruits. This orientation program should not be perceived as a one-time event, rather it is a process. There should be several follow up sessions after the orientation program itself. It should also start weeks prior to joining and should be designed in such a way that it engages all the participants and builds a solid multicultural foundation within them.
When developing the orientation program, the stakeholders should construct it around the following theme and topics include but not limited to:
Basic knowledge about an international school. This topic can revolve around a comparison between the working dynamics of a local school and an international school with an emphasis on cultural exchange, educational philosophy, and differences in curricula.
The difference in working expectations between local organizations and international schools.
The defining characteristics of the demographic of international schools that are globally mobile professional elites and their children.
Lessons on cultural diversity, and the importance of celebrating it in dynamic workplaces. This topic will also deal with the differences between western and Chinese cultures.
Conflict resolution: this theme will teach new recruits how to deal with foreign colleagues in a professional manner in the case of a conflict.
The induction program will give the local employees a good start in a school where it is culturally diverse.
In his series on navigating through intercultural environments, Henry will talk about what host country support staff can do to blend more easily in their international school micro-culture.
Check out other articles from this series:
