International HRM Report: Analyzing Global Work Culture Dynamics

This report provides a comparative analysis of international human resource management (IHRM), focusing on the varying work cultures across different nations. The report examines the work culture in Australia, highlighting its disciplined approach, business etiquette, and the 'tall poppy syndrome.' It contrasts this with the more relaxed culture of New Zealand and the challenges faced in the U.S. and U.K., such as 'at-will employment' and limited maternity leave support. The report then delves into the importance of cultural awareness in IHRM, emphasizing the need to understand cultural nuances to avoid operational pitfalls, using examples from the experiences of professionals working with multinational companies. Finally, the report discusses the negative impacts of poor work culture, as illustrated by the France Telecom case, where managerial practices led to employee suicides, and the lack of adequate regulations to protect employees. The report stresses the need for IHRM to address public opinion, business virtue, and professional accountability to support both employees and the organization's future.

Running Head: INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note

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1. HRM online. (2019). Who has the best working culture? Australia, or the rest of the
world? - HRM online. Retrieved 17 October 2019, from
https://www.hrmonline.com.au/section/featured/best-working-culture-australia/
 This article presents how the work culture in Australia is strictly disciplined
and in some respect, might be called ‘over-disciplined’ when it comes to the
examination of their employees. It starkly presents how lateness can be a
negative situation while taking short leaves might be all in good light, for the
company. Working hard is a general culture. However, when in Australia, one
might not expect to earn higher with every hard work put forth. According to a
survey and as supported by the articles published in the Business Insider and
Sydney Morning Herald, business etiquette is held high up. This is observed
from the instances of anyone in Melbourne or Sydney can meet any other
person for a quick coffee break even though they are highly unlikely to accept
the business deal, presented by the other. Nevertheless, there are instances
where people like Brian Lynch, Head of Video goes on to say that the
seriousness in work is less in Australia as compared to Ireland because job
security is not that risky in Australian compared to Ireland. Again, an ex-
employee of AHRI argues to state that it is not essential to work in pressure
while one is working hard. The work culture in New Zealand is quite relaxed
as compared to those across the United States (henceforth, U. S.) or United
Kingdom (henceforth, U. K.) Contrary to such situations, the ideas of ‘at-will
employment’ that allows firing of anyone without establishing any proper
ground is something that makes the work culture degrade with the fear of job
loss, states Cara McLeod, Head of Client services. Also, the sustenance of any
job in U. S. post a maternity leave of twelve months is practically zero while

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all of those months go unpaid. To add to the betterment of work culture in
Australia, it is less hierarchal in nature, states Amanda Woodard, the Editor of
HRMonthly with the existence of the ‘tall poppy syndrome’ that still exists
well in Australia where people debate over race, religion or politics, in a way
that it leads to conflict. However, for the people in the U. K., intellectualism is
a badge worn with pride. When it comes to trust, which stands as the most
important element, the people of Australia have more faith in their employers
than those in the U. K. or U. S.
 Reference:
1. HRM online. (2019). Who has the best working culture? Australia, or the
rest of the world? - HRM online. Retrieved 17 October 2019, from
https://www.hrmonline.com.au/section/featured/best-working-culture-
australia/
2. Kimmorley, S. (2019). 20 things about Australian working culture that can
surprise foreigners. Retrieved 18 October 2019, from
https://www.businessinsider.com.au/20-things-about-australian-
working-culture-that-can-surprise-foreigners-2015-3
2. HRM online. (2019). Cultural awareness adds a competitive edge - HRM online.
Retrieved 17 October 2019, from
https://www.hrmonline.com.au/section/featured/cultural-awareness-adds-a-
competitive-edge/
 Knowledge of the cultures is essential to avoid operational pitfalls while
working in international and unfamiliar cultures. This can be better dealt by
the Human Resource Management (henceforth, HRM) Officials. It is essential
to recognize the traditions, culture and other differences that add to the

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development of behavior and nuances, offering a competitive advantage. The
experience of Susan Babani, the Chief Resource Officer at ANZ Bank retains
an experience of thirty years of career where she had been working with
multinationals in five major countries. It is not just the relationships and good-
will but also the time that is required to associate oneself with the foreign
culture. For instance, her experience in China taught her that sharing food and
eating together was a primary way to build and establish relationships with
trust. The fact that most of the people are keen on finding similarities than
differences is a fact that creates differences. Once differences are accepted and
respected, the positivism at work place and in the social environment helps to
boost the good will of the work. Dr. Tom Verghese, founder of Cultural
Synergies and an executive cultural coach states that the companies require to
have a clear idea about the motivations and time or effort that they can invest
in order to grapple the cultural competencies as cultural differences increase
proportionately with distance. This is evident from the fact that Australia and
New Zealand are culturally closer while China and Australia are not. The
cross-cultural boundaries can be broken with cross-cultural interactions with
specific trainings of the employees from industry or International Human
Relations Officials or Management (henceforth, IHR or IHRM) with specific
focus made on destination. Language is an essential factor here and highly
necessary to bridge the gaps of communication. It is this reason why a lot of
organizations prefer to recruit officials from local regions instead of making
huge investments on training. It is for this reason that a lot of organizations
stress on gaining sufficient experience before their employees want to gain an
experience to work outside the domestic nations. It is not only cultural

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competency, but soft skills and management of work under pressure and
making the correct decision are other vital cuisines served on the same platter.
 References:
1. HRM online. (2019). Cultural awareness adds a competitive edge - HRM
online. Retrieved 17 October 2019, from
https://www.hrmonline.com.au/section/featured/cultural-awareness-
adds-a-competitive-edge/
2. HRM online. (2019). Small fish, big pond! Is that our destiny? - HRM
online. Retrieved 18 October 2019, from
https://www.hrmonline.com.au/section/featured/small-fish-big-pond-
destiny/
3. HRM online. (2019). Trends set to impact HR over the next five years - HRM online.
Retrieved 17 October 2019, from https://www.hrmonline.com.au/sponsored-
content/trends-set-impact-hr-next-five-years/ In the month of May, 2019, seven ex-executives of France Telecom went on a
period of trial for morally harassing its employees where nineteen employees
have committed suicide, twelve had attempted suicide and eight others have
experienced psychological harm. Though the decision is pending but if the
executives are found guilty for this devastating charge, up to EU $15,000 as
fine with a penalty of one year imprisonment shall be laid upon these people.
Culture is expressed as workplace and how people think or do things, ‘the
‘vibe’ of the company and the immediate work environment of the employees.
The story of France Telecom goes like this — the company was faced with a
transition from a public to a privatized organization with difficult situations to
fire the civil servants, from the perspective of legality. This was during the

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years of 2008-2009 when unemployment rates and suicides were soaring high
and the director of operations of the company, Lombard along with his head of
HR, Oliver had formulated practices of making the work culture so hard that
people are forced to resign. The activities of poor treatment of the employees
like bullying and micromanagement besides the former CEO, Didier
Lombard’s remarks of getting people to leave through one way or the other,
either the door or the window added to the vulnerability of the situation. The
families of the victims expressed how their simple life and work transformed
into a cruel, punishment in no time with twelve hours of work and a single
break. A few victims even left behind death notes, blaming the company with
the 2006 documents of the company. Despite having work-friendly laws, the
regulations failed to protect the employees from exploitation at workplace.
The Guardian supports the situation stating in one of its reports that the
employees were met with unrealistic demands, redundancy threats and
unhealthy competitions, as monitored by the company’s own monitoring
group of mental health experts. While strong workplace regulations failed to
be enforced adequately in case of France, Australia lacks such regulations or
scope of such trials, for a few exceptions to states like Queensland. Thus,
public opinion, business virtue and professional accountability are certain
areas where the IHRM or HRM needs to work upon to not only help the
employees but also support the future of the organization.
 References:
1. HRM online. (2019). Trends set to impact HR over the next five years -
HRM online. Retrieved 17 October 2019, from

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https://www.hrmonline.com.au/sponsored-content/trends-set-impact-
hr-next-five-years/
2. Willsher, K. (2019). Orange France investigates second wave of suicides
among staff. Retrieved 18 October 2019, from
https://www.theguardian.com/business/2014/mar/19/orange-france-
investigates-second-wave-suicides

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References
HRM online. (2019). Cultural awareness adds a competitive edge - HRM online. Retrieved
17 October 2019, from https://www.hrmonline.com.au/section/featured/cultural-
awareness-adds-a-competitive-edge/
HRM online. (2019). Small fish, big pond! Is that our destiny? - HRM online. Retrieved 18
October 2019, from https://www.hrmonline.com.au/section/featured/small-fish-big-
pond-destiny/
HRM online. (2019). Trends set to impact HR over the next five years - HRM online.
Retrieved 17 October 2019, from
https://www.hrmonline.com.au/sponsored-content/trends-set-impact-hr-next-five-
years/
HRM online. (2019). Who has the best working culture? Australia, or the rest of the world? -
HRM online. Retrieved 17 October 2019, from
https://www.hrmonline.com.au/section/featured/best-working-culture-australia/
Kimmorley, S. (2019). 20 things about Australian working culture that can surprise
foreigners. Retrieved 18 October 2019, from https://www.businessinsider.com.au/20-
things-about-australian-working-culture-that-can-surprise-foreigners-2015-3
Willsher, K. (2019). Orange France investigates second wave of suicides among staff.
Retrieved 18 October 2019, from
https://www.theguardian.com/business/2014/mar/19/orange-france-investigates-
second-wave-suicides