OSLT FINANCE PERSONNEL UNIT 1 PATHWAYS TO

EMPLOYMENTPART 2

Tsae-Ling TenneyOctober 2012

Review

Group Activity

Consider the following scenario:

A friend is moving to Canada and hoping to find work in finance.

Please identify five pieces of advice you would offer your friend.

• Familiarize yourself with cultural concepts related to the workplace

1

• Values, Behaviours, Communication Styles and Personal Culture

2

• Cultural Orientations to Time3

TODAY’S OVERVIEW

Cultural Concepts• Group Activity• Write “Culture” in the middle of the chart

paper.• Brainstorm and record what comes to mind

when you think of the term “culture.”• Discuss the results as a class.

Cultural Celebration• Thanksgiving PPT• Importance of understanding cultural

celebrations

Cultural Aspects• surface versus deep aspects of culture• visible and invisible aspects of culture• compare aspects of your culture to your

experiences and observations of culture in Canada

Understanding Culture• Culture refers to values and behaviours

shared by a group of people and passed from generation to generation.

• These values and behaviours are learned.

• Cultures change over time.• Most of what shapes culture is invisible,

not only to others, but to ourselves.

Culture and Concept of Time • different cultures have different

expectations when dealing with time• a shared concept of time is a key

element in the business sector in any culture – why?

Focus - Workplace Culture• What is “workplace culture”?• value of understanding the culture of a

specific workplace context• how culture shapes communication

skills and expectations in your occupation in Ontario

Focus - Workplace Culture• What changes “workplace culture”?– culture, society, technology–economy–employees and employers

Pathways to Employment (review)• be aware of cultural differences and

their impact on communication in the workplace

Group Activity - discussion

• Read a job posting.• Discuss about the cultural values

embedded within the job posting.• Compare the embedded values with

those in your own cultures.

Group Activity – Job Description

• You are a group of managers and project leaders.

• You are in a meeting to decide on the job description of a Financial Compliance Officer.

• As a group, agree on a set of skills (prioritized) required for the position.

Summary

Familiarize yourself with cultural concepts related to the workplace

Values, Behaviours, Communication Styles and Personal Culture

Cultural Orientations to Time

QUESTIONS?