Skip to main content Skip to navigation

Why are global skills important?

How 'global' are we?

"The modern workplace is increasingly globalised and competitive. Communicating with customers, colleagues and partners across international borders is now an everyday occurrence for many workers around the world."

British Council report (2014) Culture at Work. The Value of Intercultural Skills in the Workplace

Yet how 'global' are we, or our staff, in our attitudes, behaviour and understanding? Does everyone have the competencies needed for effective interaction in such contexts, especially when operating under pressure? The importance of intercultural effectiveness lies not only in the creation and management of suitable international partnerships; developing a higher level of sophistication in handling intercultural encounters is also a valuable internal strategy.

Watch the video clip to hear Nigel Ewington (a consultant on our Global People eChina-UK project) discuss these issues.

What impact does culture really have?

In the business world, it is common to hear of deals being lost or relationships becoming soured because of cultural differences. But are cultural differences really the source of such problems, or have they been unnecessarily exaggerated? Watch the clip to hear Helen Spencer-Oatey discuss these issues.