We talk a lot about diversity in the workplace \u2014 how it contributes to more satisfying teamwork, better productivity, and increasingly informed decision making, for starters. With my team at Amplio Recruiting, I\u2019m fortunate enough to reap those rewards every single day \u2014 through refugee teammates.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n
Refugee workers have fled their native\r\ncountries to escape war, persecution, and natural disasters. Many left behind\r\nsuccessful careers, years of training and education, and well-loved homes. Now,\r\nthey\u2019re ready to start over. They\u2019re seeking the next great adventure:\r\nrebuilding a robust, fulfilling life with rewarding work, and they\u2019re taking it\r\nseriously.<\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n Dedicated, dependable, reliable: the refugee workforce does not take opportunity for granted, and that kind of engagement is infectious. For our friends at Storr Office Environments in Raleigh, North Carolina, that makes the difference between struggling to escape the same tired problems and running a vibrant, thriving business. <\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n Field Team Lead Cody told us, \u201cI\u2019ve\r\nbeen having a ball working with them. They\u2019re not only the nicest people I\u2019ve\r\never met in my life\u2014they\u2019re so willing to help, and so willing to learn\u2026They\r\nnot only show up on time, they\u2019re there early. Their willingness to help is\r\nwhat really shines over every other staffing company. They\u2019re willing to stay\r\nlate, while keeping a big smile.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n In response to their new employees\u2019\r\nenthusiasm, Storr has paid to bring in an instructor to offer an English\r\ntraining course so that the entire team can understand each other better.\r\nSounds like everyone wins, doesn\u2019t it? <\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n Kisembo Kyaligonaz grew up in refugee camps \u2014 he has no memory of his native Congo, and the terror and violence that chased his family to find a new home. He arrived in America speaking only Swahili, barely 18 years old and aged out of American high school. <\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n Like his fellow refugee workers,\r\nKisembo had endured too much to give up. He learned English, earned a GED, and\r\ngathered key electrical skills training before landing a permanent job doing\r\nspecialized installs with Accessories Unlimited in Atlanta.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n Motivated, hard working, and proud to\r\nbe a part of his company, his work ethic is something to admire. And it\u2019s\r\ncertainly one we want on our team. <\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n Before reaching out to hire refugees, production manager Orlando Morrow at Gourmet Foods International just wanted to get people to fill his shifts. <\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n \u201cEvery week I would go through 8 or 9\r\npeople. Turnover was, like, 90%. It was straining my full-time employees,\u201d he\r\ntold us. <\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n In just six months, refugee teammates had done more than merely fill shifts \u2014 they brought a whole new level of diversity to the team. He embraced the wisdom so well said by Accenture CEO Julie Sweet: \u201cIf business leaders want employees to be successful, they must cultivate a workplace that\u2019s diverse and inclusive.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n For Morrow, that meant zero tolerance\r\nwith stereotypes, racism, or skepticism when he welcomed refugee workers \u2014 and\r\nit started with the management. Now his team has become like family \u2014 and\r\nthey\u2019re happier and more productive for it.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n \u201cIt\u2019s great to see. They work\r\ntogether, eat together, do outside social functions. They\u2019re mixing outside of\r\nwork, learning [each other\u2019s] cultures, too.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n There\u2019s simply nothing worse than high\r\nemployee turnover: as Orlando Morrow and countless other managers can attest,\r\nit strains time, energy, and morale. It costs money, thwarts plans, and pushes\r\nexisting staff well beyond what they should be required to do.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n Negativity spreads, blame overflows,\r\nand innovation disappears under the struggle to stay afloat. <\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n In a study conducted by the Fiscal Policy Institute and the Tent Partnership for Refugees, they found that retention isn\u2019t merely a non-issue with refugee workers \u2014 it\u2019s actually incredibly high. 73% of the companies surveyed reported a significantly higher retention rate for refugees, with two clear ways that employers benefit from this diverse workforce. <\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n The Amplio Team is beyond lucky to\r\nwork with so many inviting companies, and we admire their hard work. We\u2019ve seen\r\nit in real time, and we\u2019ve seen the numbers in studies like FPI\u2019s: while the\r\nrefugee workforce offers unmatched dedication, enthusiasm, and loyalty, this\r\ntalent also demands high quality from their management. <\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n Sometimes, that extra effort is in\r\nlanguage programs or standing up against racism. Sometimes it means offering a\r\n\u201cfloating paid holiday schedule\u201d since Christmas may not mean the same thing to\r\neveryone. Sometimes it\u2019s including family in company celebrations, or inviting\r\na team for potlucks to build unity among coworkers from mixed cultures. <\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n That extra work from management builds\r\nclear communication, respect, loyalty, and community amongst the whole team \u2014\r\nmorale skyrockets, and productivity reaches unmatched levels. <\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n I love bringing refugee workers to companies that will help them succeed, because I know everyone involved will win. I know how much these talented people have to offer, and the stories from our partners always prove me right \u2014 their dedication, commitment, and willingness to achieve are unmatched. <\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n But that\u2019s not all. In my time spend dedicated to empowering the refugee workforce, I\u2019ve learned so very much about communication. From navigating holidays to understanding families, it\u2019s so essential to let people know you genuinely want to learn more about them. To be clear that you respect their culture, and that you\u2019re curious and interested. These are the conversations that build great modern workplaces \u2014 they make diversity an essential part of our professional fabric, and of our collective success. <\/p>\r\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Diversity in the workplace contributes to more satisfying teamwork, better productivity, and increasingly informed decision making.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":286,"featured_media":11622,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[98],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\n\u201cThey not only show up, they\u2019re there\r\nearly.\u201d<\/strong><\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n
\u201cIf you don\u2019t work hard, you\u2019re not\r\ngoing to get it.\u201d <\/strong><\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n
\u201cI\u2019ve got a melting pot on my shift.\u201d<\/strong><\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n
\u201c73% reported higher retention.\u201d<\/strong><\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n
\u201cHiring refugees isn\u2019t rocket science\r\n\u2014 but it\u2019s not magic either.\u201d<\/strong><\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n
In conclusion, reach out \u2014 gain more. <\/strong><\/strong><\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n