Cultural Sensitivity Training in Ukraine

"You are not born a racist you learn to become one." Bianca G.



We have spoken much about the multicultural nature of the US, but I would like to add some words about my native country, Ukraine. Ukraine used to be one of the former USSR 15 republics and seemed that all people there lived in peace and friendship, speaking the same native language, the Ukrainian, and, certainly, Russian. But as soon as the USSR fell apart, and each of the republic got its own independence, it turned out that the population of the Western Ukraine hated fiercely the population of its Eastern part, and the center of the country decided to fight for its independence. The Western population began to speak “old” Ukrainian language which is different (partially) from regular Ukrainian with a lot of words borrowed from Polish, Hungarian, Romanian, etc., and most of them are categorically against eastern Ukrainians to come to live in this area.   Sure, it is all politics but mainly such politics have made people of once prosperous republic into blood enemies. One can only imagine the difficulties an ABA professional, a doctor, or a teacher would encounter if they decided to move to this part of Ukraine. Why to move? Because the economic situation in the western part of Ukraine is much better than in the rest of the country, but cultural sensitivities are so varied there that to adapt to life in this area is practically almost impossible. One must live there for years until he/ she will be able to adapt to this society, and consequently find a decent job.
But mainly by knowing cultural sensitivities of the area, makes it possible for employees to improve their productivity, decrease communication barriers, and adjust completely to his/her working place.  That is why it is necessary in places, like my country, to organize special training on how to be culturally adapted to such culturally complicated areas.
 In my opinion, to avoid any discrimination on the working place, every working facility must develop a special set of guidelines and policies which will be printed, put in an extremely popular place at the facility, or maybe in several places, signed by the authorities which will clearly explain what behavior is culturally accepted at this working place, especially when it comes to cultural discrimination. The policies should also explain what consequences exist for employees if they will not follow these policies. Maybe it is worth organizing a meeting and to inform all employees, including company leadership and front-line employees, about the rules of the company.
I also believe that it is worth hiring an expert who will give regular training which will explain how to solve possible disputes such as cross-cultural communication, business relationships in different cultures, the way how dialogues should be organized in different cultures because the gestures which are considered positive in one culture may be understood as negative in the other; and mainly this expert will serve as “a judge,” in case such conflicts will take place.
And, finally, in my culture (the Ukrainian) nothing brings people closer together as a shared celebration of the dates that are celebrated in most cultures, such as birthdays, baby birth, weddings, etc. I am sure that such activities e brings people closer to each other, no matter what culture they belong to, and it takes place naturally with the pleasure for each of them.