Here at B2BeeMatch, we have a diverse team that contributes to the growth and development of B2BeeMatch as a whole. In this blog post, we discuss and celebrate the ways in which our cultural differences bring us together and make us stronger. Read on to find out what the B2BeeMatch team has to say about cultural diversity in our workplace.
How do you define cultural diversity?
Greg, Software Engineer
From what I know, cultural diversity is a measure of different cultures in an environment e.g. a workplace. It could also represent how diverse people in a society are in regards to beliefs, sexuality, etc.
Jade L, Designer
Cultural diversity is the union of a broad array of cultures. It’s about recognizing, learning from and respecting the values of every background.
Daria, Social Media Specialist
I think cultural diversity is achieved through the interactions of many different cultures, backgrounds, races, sexual orientations and so on. Everyone has a different way of living, behaving and celebrating, and as a result, thinking. So, I believe cultural diversity can be seen as the representation of different cultural and ethnic groups that already exist in current society.
How do you feel your specific cultural background contributes to B2BeeMatch?
Peter, Software Engineer
My cultural background brings the spirit of getting the job done to B2BeeMatch—which I believe is a good thing.
Supriya, Digital Projects Consultant
I am a South Asian from India. I grew up and worked in the Middle East in the past and now I live in Canada. Being a third-culture kid brings a level of flexibility and I am able to adjust, adapt and keep an open mind for other cultures. I’m aware that when people come from different cultures, their communication and working style can be different.
Sometimes there can be communication gaps. Some people might be too straightforward in their dealings. When I have run into such obstacles in the past, I have suggested we meet and address the misunderstanding.
Jade L, Designer
Coming from a unique area of rural Canada, I believe my cultural background allows me to see life through a unique lens. Having spent most of my life traveling and living in areas far from home, I have gained the ability to share knowledge of the design industry that I have picked up from my travels.
My unique outlook on business and design is shared with the B2BeeMatch team with every project I am involved in.
Daria, Social Media Specialist
Being an immigrant woman in my early twenties with a background in psychology and art definitely has an impact on the way I analyze and proceed with different projects. Consciously or not, I always try to see if women are well represented and if the visuals and the text contribute to any negative stereotypes.
Jade N, Content Lead
I’m from rural Nova Scotia, Canada. I grew up on garden hodge podge and blueberry grunt, window shopping at the mall and grocery store coupons. I have a lot of privilege in a lot of ways, but I also come from humble, working class beginnings. I am the first person in my immediate family to get a university degree, and I had to struggle and hustle to make it through. I know the value of hard work and creativity, and I think that informs my work ethic, my attitude and everything I do at B2BeeMatch. I never take my position for granted, and I always try to do the best I can do for my team.
Janie, French Copywriter and Translator
As a French copywriter from Quebec, I think my point of view could be different than a writer from Ontario or France, and it contributes to the variety of B2BeeMatch content.
Rianna, Bookkeeping and Administration
The culture I was raised on promoted respect, hard work and teamwork, and I do believe I carry this with me every day throughout my work at B2BeeMatch.
Pauline, Digital Project Coordinator
I was lucky enough to be able to travel and make my own choices at a young age. I have been living abroad for 10 years and I am passionate about Korean culture. My life experiences have allowed me to see the world without blinders.
What is the best part of working with people from diverse backgrounds at B2BeeMatch?
Peter, Software Engineer
You get to learn about different people's beliefs, languages and traditions. This brings more exposure to the team as a whole.
Amrit, Software Developer
It gives a larger view on things. Instead of sticking to your same solutions, you’re able to see different sides of people, culture and life. It gives us the opportunity to access a wider range of skills and knowledge available to us, and I love that there is always something new to learn!
Since most of my co-workers are from different time zones, it definitely took some getting used to, but cultural diversity as a whole helps workplaces gain resilience by having all these ranges of perspectives and approaches to decision-making. Solving problems and getting things done, together.
Jade L, Designer
Interacting with team members from all across Canada and the world is a unique and invaluable experience. There is so much opportunity to learn and build connections with those who have an entirely different perspective on business than you.
Daria, Social Media Specialist
Having more cultural diversity can prevent a dominant group from having the power and ruling over the minorities. And as we all know, the most popular answer isn’t always the best one. Therefore, having people from different cultural backgrounds and ethnic groups can help with problem-solving, brainstorming, inclusivity and at the end of the day, profitability because everyone can pitch in from their point of view.
Selda, Project Coordinator
Humor! Although we come from different backgrounds, we have similar experiences and reactions to the challenges. At the end of the day, it creates its own humor and relief because we are different in many ways, but same in the core. If I can laugh at the same joke with a person whose language I don't speak or whose birth place I never visited, I feel like we can overcome anything together.
Jade N, Content Lead
I really appreciate the opportunity to connect with people I wouldn’t otherwise have any hope of meeting. I’ve met so many different people, collaborated over great distances from the comfort of my home, and been exposed to so many ways of thinking and doing. I’m grateful for the stories I’ve heard, the laughs I’ve shared, the challenges we’ve tamed and the way this work experience is shaping me on every level.
Monika, Project Coordinator
As an Acadian in Atlantic Canada, I grew up speaking French and English. I rarely have the opportunity to speak French in Halifax, Nova Scotia, so I love being on a team where I have the opportunity to work in both languages.
Janie, French Copywriter and Translator
I haven’t worked at B2BeeMatch for long, but I think cultural diversity is a huge strength for any business. You can learn a lot by working with people from different backgrounds. For me, it’s the best way to grow.
Rianna, Bookkeeping and Administration
The best part of working with such a diverse team is the exposure to all those different ways of thinking, communicating, sharing ideas and seeing how they all come together, respectfully, as a team. This workplace is a great environment to get to know people you otherwise wouldn’t necessarily talk to or have the opportunity to meet in day-to-day life!
Kimberly, Writer and Editor
It makes us more thoughtful communicators, and it means that we’re always collaborating with a multitude of perspectives. Also, when a business truly and overtly values cultural diversity in the workplace, it’s a huge green flag that you’re more than just a number to them.
What are some obstacles you’ve overcome in regards to cultural diversity in the workplace?
Nadia, Proofreader
Although I don’t specifically feel like my cultural background has any real impact on my work at B2BeeMatch, exchanging and collaborating with a diverse team does make me feel more comfortable and at ease. I have dealt with microaggressions in other work environments, but it doesn’t apply to me at the current time with this team. The best teams are the ones with the broadest vision, and that only comes with having a diverse team!
Selda, Project Coordinator
Language can be an issue sometimes because working in a second language is a skill you use every day. If you think that you could not express yourself as clearly as you want to, it affects your motivation for a moment. The key to that is to keep everything simple.
Why is cultural diversity essential to B2BeeMatch?
Peter, Software Engineer
I believe this is essential to B2BeeMatch because we are building a product to be used by people of many colors, beliefs, traditions, backgrounds and cultures; so, we need people that can use their cultural experience to help make decisions about the product we are building.
Selda, Project Coordinator
Cultural differences bring a different mindset to prioritize and come up with solutions and strategy. It also brings a different kind of level or a perspective in communication. When the objectives and nature of the business are international, and the team is diverse, I feel like we go above and beyond borders and limitations. This is what I experience at B2BeeMatch.
Jade N, Content Lead
Cultural diversity is built into B2BeeMatch as surely as our proprietary algorithm—it’s part of our culture. I think that’s a reflection of KC’s cultural experience as a global citizen. She lives in Toronto, sure, but she’s from Senegal, and she’s lived in Saudi Arabia, France, the UK and the USA.
She’s at home with diversity, and wouldn’t build a company any other way. What that does for B2BeeMatch is make it a truly international platform from the ground up. She’s got copywriters in Canada, a web designer in Nigeria, a coder in Germany, a systems architect in Ireland, the list goes on and on. And it’s not just the business and the platform that benefits from this diversity, us workers benefit from the many opportunities to learn from and connect with different people all over the world!
Kimberly, Writer and Editor
B2BeeMatch connects a worldwide economic ecosystem; without cultural diversity on the platform and behind the platform, our ecosystem would not be sustainable. A wide range of diverse backgrounds allows us to best serve each and every one of our members.