
How diversity strengthens teams
When recruiting international talent, your primary goal is probably to fill vacant positions and ease the workload of your existing staff. Yet the growing diversity within your teams holds far greater potential — diversity strengthens collaboration and enhances performance.
Management consultancy McKinsey has studied diversity as a success factor over several years and concluded that diversity, whether ethnic or gender-based, leads to higher productivity. Diverse teams are 39 per cent more likely to achieve better results than homogeneous ones. But what exactly are these advantages? In this article we will take a closer look at how diversity benefits your organisation, what challenges you might encounter, and how to turn diversity into a genuine success factor.
Advantages
Recruiting international skilled workers offers far more benefits than simply filling vacancies. Diverse teams consistently achieve more than homogeneous ones. Below are some of the key advantages.
Better problem-solving
Every individual brings a unique variety of experience, ideas and perspectives. However, people from other countries also bring perspectives from their everyday working lives that we may not yet be familiar with here. This leads to different and, above all, more creative approaches to problem-solving. Diverse teams are therefore generally better equipped to handle complex challenges, viewing them from multiple angles and finding well-rounded, effective solutions.
In the care sector, this means that critical situations — for instance in emergency care — can be managed more efficiently, swiftly and creatively.
Creativity and innovation
The creativity that arises from diverse perspectives also promotes innovation. While homogeneous teams often reach decisions more quickly, they generally lack different points of view. In diverse teams, on the other hand, different experiences and perspectives are combined, leading to unique ideas and paving the way for genuine innovation. This diversity makes it possible to question existing concepts and develop new, often unexplored approaches to solutions.
High adaptability and flexibility
People who emigrate to another country need to be flexible and adaptable to a certain extent. Similarly, working in a diverse team requires each member to be open and willing to respond to the individuality of others.
Flexibility plays a particularly central role in nursing. Working with people never follows a fixed pattern. As a nurse, you must be able to adapt to new situations and different personalities.
Improved quality of care
Care facilities or hospitals with employees from different backgrounds are better able to respond to the needs of patients who also come from different countries. Language barriers are reduced, and cultural differences can also be better understood and taken into account.
Stronger organisational culture
Diversity shapes a culture of respect, understanding and cooperation. This often leads to deeper bonds and a stronger sense of community. The result is an overall positive and inclusive working environment in which employees feel comfortable and respected.
Competitive edge
Outwardly, institutions and companies that actively promote diversity in their teams are often seen as progressive and attractive. This is a clear advantage when it comes to recruiting and retaining new talent.
In the care sector in particular, a respectful and open working environment can be the decisive factor in attracting qualified international care workers.
Challenges
Are you now also convinced that diversity not only fills vacancies, but can also be a real success factor? There are also challenges you may encounter when hiring international professionals.
Language barriers and cultural differences
The language can be a major challenge, especially at the beginning. In order to have their qualifications recognised in Germany, skilled workers must demonstrate German language skills at a level of at least B2. With this level of language proficiency, they can converse relatively confidently and understand German well. Nevertheless, misunderstandings can arise because their grammar is not flawless and they may still use words incorrectly. When different dialects are added to the mix, it can sometimes be difficult to communicate effectively.
Cultural differences
Cultural differences can also be a challenge at first. A new culture needs to be learned and understood. This takes a few weeks to months.
Integration
Of course, newcomers cannot be perfectly integrated right from the start. Integration simply takes time. At first, everything feels strange and new. Give your employees time to get used to the unfamiliar environment and new culture. The more understanding you are, the easier it will be for your international talent to integrate well.
And sometimes integration just does not work out, and some international professionals return to their home countries. That is part of the reality and is completely normal. Dreams sometimes turn out differently in reality.
Making Diversity a Strength
However, you can do your best to ensure that the integration of your international talent is successful. We have a few helpful tips on how diversity can become a real strength for your team.
Openness & respect
Openness and respect are the most important factors. These values should already be embedded in your corporate culture. It is only when employees are open towards others and have respect for other people and cultures that the integration of your international talent can work.
Open communication
In addition to general openness, open communication is also very important. However, open communication is only possible if your employees feel safe. So, create this safe working environment. Take your employees' concerns seriously and show that their opinions are important to you.
Targeted training programmes
You can also promote integration directly through training programmes. You can offer language courses and intercultural training for your international skilled workers. But also encourage exchange within the team with events outside the company, whether it's a regular get-together, team events, etc.
Mentoring programmes
A mentoring programme can also help with the integration of international talent. Experienced colleagues should be recruited as mentors. They can share their experiences, pass on useful information and tips, and help new employees integrate more quickly into the team socially. This ultimately leads to rapid integration into the team, the company and also into German society.
Would you like to learn more about the integration of skilled workers?
About the author
Katharina Weckend, Content & SEO Manager
Katharina joined lingoking as a Content and SEO Manager in 2024. She handles our content and SEO strategy and writes texts for our website, guide and other lingoking media. “I am happy I get to pass on knowledge in our lingoking guide and help break down language barriers.”
