In the modern work environment, "diversity" is no longer a moral slogan or a line item in corporate social responsibility reports; it has become a strategic necessity for managing institutions, especially those that engage directly with communities, like non-profit organizations.
Studies have proven that diverse teams, when managed consciously, excel in productivity, innovation, and problem-solving compared to homogeneous teams.
In this context, we at the Third Bank present an analytical article published by the Hult International Business School titled:
Promoting Diversity in the Workplace
With an expanded analysis, examples, and practical applications regarding the reality of the non-profit sector in Saudi Arabia.
1. Diversity Starts with You: Develop Your Cultural Competence
One of the key points emphasized in the original article from Hult International is that managing diversity does not start from senior management or policies but from the self-awareness of each member of the team.
Diversity does not just mean accepting the presence of a colleague who is different from you, but realizing that you need to re-evaluate the cultural lenses through which you view others.
This is where the concept of "cultural competency" comes in, which is the ability to:
- Understand values, customs, and behaviors that differ from your own environment.
- Adjust your communication and methods to suit the cultural context of those you are dealing with.
- Recognize your unconscious biases and work to mitigate their impact.
Practical Examples in the Non-Profit Sector:
- In one association within the Kingdom, a public relations officer prepared a letter directed to a local partner in an area culturally different from his. He used a dry formal style as he was accustomed to in his environment, but the response was lukewarm. He consulted a colleague familiar with the culture of the target area and rewrote it in a language closer to their social style, including expressions of group appreciation and emotional communication.
After that, the response came quickly and vibrantly, and the relationship began to develop with confidence and clarity.
- A volunteer feels marginalized in meetings because her local colleagues speak in a fast local dialect. The responsible employee noticed this and began to explain and simplify when necessary, which enhanced her integration and confidence.
Local Context Application:
In Saudi Arabia, where a Najdi employee mixes with a Hijazi one and works with colleagues from Asian, Arab, and African nationalities, possessing cultural competence becomes a tool for managerial success, not just a social nicety.
An organization that trains its employees in this skill, evaluates it, and rewards those who possess it is investing in human capital at a deep level.
2. Expand Your Perspective: Seek Opinions that Differ from Yours
One of the smartest points made in the original article is that diversity is not just about the "presence" of different people, but about the conscious benefit derived from their differences in decision-making and strategic thinking.
The problem is not in similarity, but in becoming accustomed to it.
Teams that quickly agree and think in the same way may seem "harmonious", but they are vulnerable to failure in crises.
Diverse teams debate more and differ more, but they arrive at smarter, deeper, and more impactful solutions.
How is this translated in the non-profit work environment?
- When developing a donation campaign, the local marketing team may focus on the emotion of "goodness to parents", while a colleague from a different background suggests basing the campaign on the idea of "community caring" because it resonates more in her culture. Combining the two ideas opens doors to wider communication.
A developmental association in Saudi Arabia that works in old neighborhoods consults an intern from a poor background who has lived similar conditions, suggesting changing the timing of activities to evenings after shifts rather than noon as the administrative team is used to.
This simple change doubled attendance and participation.
From a Local Perspective:
The non-profit sector in Saudi Arabia today is seeing the entry of new generations, diverse roles, and multiple nationalities.
When you put in the decision-making room:
- An administrative employee from Najd.
- A content designer from India.
- A volunteer from South Jeddah.
- An accountant from Sudan.
Don’t expect everyone to come up with the same idea, but be sure that if the discussion is managed consciously, it will generate ideas that would not have occurred to any of them alone.
Golden Rule:
Do not ask the diverse team to "adapt to your way of thinking", but ask yourself to benefit from their way of thinking.
3. Respect the Small Details: They Make the Big Impact
One common mistake is to associate "cultural diversity" only with major events or visible differences, while its true depth reveals itself in subtle daily details—which may seem minor, but have a profound impact in the work environment.
The original article clearly points out that even ordinary interactions—such as handshakes, eye contact, or personal space—carry implicit cultural meanings that differ radically from one environment to another.
How is this translated in non-profit organizations?
A Saudi receptionist automatically extends her hand to shake hands with a foreign female colleague, but she appears hesitant, causing him embarrassment.
What he did not realize is that her culture does not encourage handshaking between genders.
Ignoring this silent signal could create a long-lasting discomfort.
A project manager relies on direct confrontation and quick feedback, but notices that a team member from a different background does not respond or participate much.
After a private session, she discovers that his culture considers public objection to the manager a reduction of respect.
She changed her communication strategy, and the team's performance improved.
Real Local Application:
In one health association, meetings were held at noon, coinciding with the noon prayer.
Religious colleagues were late or withdrew.
No one noticed this until a while later when a new employee asked: "Is the timing flexible for prayer?"
The schedule was rearranged, and attendance and participation improved without any organizational cost.
Why are these details important?
Because they show silent respect.
When you notice prayer times, or reserved body language, or a shy tone—and you accommodate them without embarrassing anyone—you are not only demonstrating social intelligence but building bridges of trust that last longer than any training or code of conduct.
Professional Rule:
What seems to you a "detail" may be your colleague's "dignity".
4. Celebrate Differences: Create a Calendar of Cultural Events
The original article from Hult presents a seemingly simple idea, but one that has a profound impact on the spirit of the organization:
The idea of creating an internal calendar that reflects the diversity of cultural and religious backgrounds is not a side activity, but a symbolic practice with deep psychological dimensions.
When an employee sees that their organization acknowledges their occasions—if only with a simple sign—they feel seen, accepted, and respected.
How is this translated in the non-profit sector?
In a developmental association in Saudi Arabia where employees from Pakistan, the Philippines, and Egypt work, an annual calendar was prepared including:
- Islamic holidays (the two Eids and Ashura).
- Pakistan's Independence Day.
- Chinese New Year.
- Saudi National Day.
- International Volunteer Day.
On each occasion, a symbolic greeting is sent through internal mail, or a traditional dish from one of the colleagues is brought, or a short story is shared.
Result?
The work environment transformed from a place for task completion to a space where people share their identities, memories, and feelings.
The power of this initiative lies in its symbolism:
It requires no financial cost and no large campaigns.
Sometimes, it's enough to simply tell your colleague in an internal message:
"Happy Eid, and we wish you and your family a beautiful day on this occasion."
This sentence, which takes seconds to write, can reshape the colleague's impression of the whole organization.
In the Local Context:
In Saudi Arabia, where the pace of professional diversity is accelerating, and cultures from various regional, national, and religious backgrounds mix, recognizing these occasions symbolically becomes:
- A tool for creating a warm work environment.
- A subtle message that difference is not a defect to be tolerated but a value worth celebrating.
Practical Rule:
Every organization that masters celebrating its employees' differences becomes a place where work is celebrated.
5. Be a Role Model: Share, Start, and Inspire
At the end of the original article, an extremely important idea emerges:
That building a culture of diversity is not just through policies and systems but through small individual initiatives led by ordinary people within the organization.
In other words: Be the model of positive diversity in the organization, without being formally tasked with it.
How is this translated in the non-profit sector?
One technical support employee at a local association brought Palestinian Eid cookies to share with his colleagues along with a simple story about the traditions of the holidays in his village.
Days later, other employees began sharing their sweets and occasions...
This opened the door for a range of interactions that boosted morale and deepened human connections within the team.
In a non-profit educational organization, one employee initiated a small wall board titled "My Culture on a Card", inviting colleagues to write short sentences about their dialects, favorite dishes, or childhood habits.
Within a week, the board turned into a reflection of diversity and a notebook of memories.
Why is this important?
Because people do not change through theories, but by what they see as behavior in front of them.
When colleagues see someone beginning to share their habits without fear or hesitation, it creates an environment that encourages others to open up as well.
In the Local Context:
In a culture that has long been accustomed to a "single pattern", those who display their diversity in an elegant and respectful manner become practical models that redefine the concept of "harmony".
It is not required that we all resemble each other, but to harmonize without losing our differences.
Concluding Rule:
In real work environments, values are not taught... but practiced.
Diversity is not a luxury... but a real test of the organization's identity
In a world moving towards greater openness, complexity, and cultural intertwining, discussing "diversity" in the work environment is no longer a choice for boasting or superficial improvement, but a dual operational and value necessity.
And for non-profit organizations, built on values of compassion, equality, and empowerment, diversity becomes a silent test of the sincerity of those values within the organization itself.
Transforming diversity from a state of "tolerance" to an "operational value" requires more than just policies and workshops, it begins with:
- Self-awareness
- followed by recognition of difference
- followed by celebration of difference as a source of wealth, not an organizational burden
In the Saudi context, where deep local diversity (regional, social, and sectarian) meets regional and international diversity in the labor market, creating an inclusive environment is a national, professional, and ethical decision all at once.
Ultimately, organizations that succeed in managing diversity intelligently and respectfully do not just gain the trust of their employees, but build for themselves a deserved community standing, and achieve a greater impact, because their message starts from within before being announced to the outside.
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