| When I present seminars on Indian business | | | | of productivity, and assign clear ownership |
| culture to American managers and technical | | | | and accountability for the execution of this |
| professionals involved in offshoring or | | | | strategy. |
| offshore outsourcing to India, someone | | | | |
| inevitably asks, "So what are our offshore | | | | Tip #2. Make the training a team effort. |
| teams and counterparts in India being taught | | | | |
| about American business culture?" | | | | Get involvement of specialized high-level |
| | | | outside expertise, the business units |
| The answer is, "More than they used to, but | | | | involved in the offshore relationship, and |
| seldom at a level deep enough to inculcate | | | | internal training and HR functions in |
| the attitudes, thought patterns and behavior | | | | developing the best possible model for |
| norms that would ensure optimal effectiveness | | | | delivering the training. |
| in working with Americans." | | | | |
| | | | Tip #3. Bring in outside experts. |
| Training in "soft skills" is no longer as | | | | |
| undervalued in India as it used to be. | | | | For best results, use training content and |
| Growing numbers of Indian companies are | | | | delivery by specialists with direct |
| coming to realize that the ability of their | | | | experience and in-depth knowledge of both |
| employees to communicate and interact more | | | | American and Indian culture, as well as |
| effectively is an important competitive | | | | expertise in the field of cross-cultural |
| factor. American companies in India are also | | | | communication. |
| showing more keenness to develop the business | | | | |
| and leadership skills of their Indian | | | | Tip #4. Train on both shores. |
| employees and to move gradually from the | | | | |
| cheap labor or staff augmentation model to | | | | In the case of American companies, provide |
| one where the Indian operation is a | | | | coordinated training of the offshore Indian |
| value-adding center of excellence. | | | | teams in American business culture and |
| | | | training of the onshore American teams in |
| But how are offshore teams in India being | | | | Indian business culture. |
| trained to improve their cross-cultural | | | | |
| competency? | | | | Tip #5. Integrate training into new employee |
| | | | orientation. |
| Currently, the approach tends to be in-house | | | | |
| programs developed by a local human resources | | | | For both American companies with operations |
| staff that has often spent little if any time | | | | in India and Indian providers of outsourcing |
| in the United States work environment or | | | | services, integrate training in American |
| engaging local training providers who offer | | | | business culture as part of the regular |
| generic programs on a wide range of "soft | | | | induction processes for new employees. This |
| skills" topics. According to a recent report | | | | applies not only to those who may be going to |
| from Bangalore, local cultural awareness | | | | the United States, but all those who will be |
| program providers are often entrepreneurs | | | | working with American counterparts, whether |
| with a background in the hospitality | | | | face-to-face or virtually. |
| industry. | | | | |
| | | | Tip #6. Reinforce the training with |
| While these may be worthwhile first steps, | | | | mentoring. |
| their impact is often superficial. The | | | | |
| content of such cultural training will tend | | | | Engage onshore and offshore business unit |
| to be weighted towards form more than | | | | heads and project leaders in reinforcing the |
| substance-- more concerned with handshakes, | | | | content of the training. This involves |
| business cards, dining etiquette and accent | | | | ongoing mentoring of the offshore teams in |
| neutralization than the deeper core value | | | | the elements of American business culture |
| differences that affect business culture and | | | | that need to be practiced for success in |
| work relationships. | | | | working with Americans. |
| | | | |
| For American companies that want their | | | | According to Goran Strangmark, MphasiS Senior |
| offshoring or offshore outsourcing strategy | | | | VP and Head of Sales for North America, |
| in India to have the best chance of success, | | | | cross-cultural competency in American |
| and Indian service providers that want to | | | | business culture may become an important |
| differentiate themselves from the competition | | | | quality differentiator for offshore global IT |
| through employees who are able to work well | | | | and BPO services working with or for American |
| with American counterparts, I recommend the | | | | companies, justifying the investment in the |
| following six best-practice strategies for | | | | development of this skill set. |
| assuring that offshore teams will develop the | | | | |
| required cross-cultural competency in | | | | "Market forces will tend to make Indian |
| American business culture: | | | | professionals and companies who adopt the |
| | | | practices of American business culture more |
| Tip #1. Get executives to value | | | | successful, and they will outcompete their |
| cross-cultural training. | | | | non-adopting competitors. But while we have |
| | | | seen successful examples of people doing it |
| Build commitment from the highest level | | | | with very little guidance, this process can |
| possible in the company that training | | | | be a long struggle, and good training |
| offshore teams in American business culture | | | | programs can certainly speed up progress and |
| is a valued (and funded) strategy in support | | | | alleviate the pain. |