#3 lessons to learn from diversity

More and more companies strive for diversity and international teams. The reason for that is very simple: In a global environment with fragmented markets and audiences, diverse teams perform better. Volunteering is a great opportunity to practise working at an international level while having fun and a great intercultural experience. Since there is a skilled labour shortage in Finland, chances are that you will find yourself in an international working environment also when taking a job in Finland. Diversity in the workplace can be a valuable experience and teach everybody new skills. We found three of the most important ones and point out how volunteering internationally can support you in each aspect.

 

Diversity fuels self-development

Working in diverse teams can be very challenging precisely because of the diversity. People do not think alike. They view work and processes differently. They might communicate in ways that could be perceived as too pushy, too reluctant, too overwhelming altogether. Navigating those differences can be quite tough. The good news is that you can practise self-awareness and grow personally in a challenging environment like this! Working closely with people who are different exposes you to your own beliefs, testing them. You might be surprised by your own pretense and that is ok! A volunteering experience in AIESEC is the perfect way to prepare you for this as you will be in a country very different from home, working with people from all over the world, getting to know a new culture while trying to make sense out of everything. It is one hell of a ride but definitely worth it. You will come out more aware, a better communicator, more flexible and pumped for the next chapter!

 

Diversity boosts creativity

You probably worked with similar people most of your life. It has its advantages but when it comes to thinking creative different brains are more likely to come up with different ideas. We might not be aware of it, yet culture and education shape our way of thinking a lot, as well as age and experience. In a diverse team where people of different age, race, gender and nationality work together you will come up with more creative approaches than in an environment where people think alike a lot. Imagine putting together a curriculum for schoolkids in Vietnam who you are supposed to teach English. No clue how to do it? Just jump in and figure it out with the other volunteers! Once you get the creative process going you will be surprised how good the outcome will be.

 

Diversity makes you learn faster

How? By creating opportunities that you might not have otherwise. People with different educational background and age might bring skills to the table that you need or wanted to learn. Or maybe you always had a fascination for a certain language and culture? In a diverse team or an internationally operating company, there is a much higher chance of you being able to use those language skills or get in touch with a specific culture. If you ever wondered why people learn languages then be aware that they can open several career paths you did not even know of before. Apart from that, interacting within a diverse group already boosts your learnings in terms of soft skills. You just need to go out there and grab the opportunity. What better way to get started than doing a going abroad? Sign-up here to find your perfect project: bit.ly/VolunteerWithAIESEC