Motivating diverse workforce in the Middle East

Motivating Middle East

Motivating Diversity in the Middle East Workforce

Motivation is a complex force, and there are a multitude of theories as to how it is best achieved. One useful and highly practical framework developed by David McLellan identifies three needs as factors in motivation that are present in varying degrees for different individuals: the need for affiliation which is a need for interpersonal connectivity and warmth; the need for achievement, which can be seen as a need for recognition or to develop more efficient or effective processes; and the need for power, which is a need to control and influence others (Source Year). Effective motivational strategies and methods will appeal to all three of these needs to some degree, such that all individuals are motivated to take on the desired changes regardless of their personal proclivities and needs in these areas.

It is not only individual differences that must be considered when developing motivational strategies, but cultural differences must also be taken into account. When attempting to motivate greater workforce diversity in the Middle East, there are some significant cultural barriers that need to be overcome. Researchers have noted that traditional Islamic law and culture remains a significant problem inhibiting true economic progress and expansion in many Middle Eastern countries, in part due to the very closed culture that this creates in terms of ethnic background and religious and ethical beliefs and perspectives (Kuran 2004). As entrenched as these cultural values are, efforts to motivate greater diversity must not attempt to simply diminish the importance of Islamic law and cultural values, but rather must find a way to increase an acceptance of diversity without diminishing Islamic expression (Kuran 2004).

Taking the framework proposed by McLellan and this knowledge regarding Middle East cultural barriers to diversity into account, it is clear that those capable of increasing workplace diversity need to be motivated by tying affiliation, achievement, and power to things outside of traditional Middle Eastern culture and expectations. A particular case study of Iran, which has had particular problems not only attracting workers with greater levels of diversity but has also struggled to retain its own native skilled and knowledgeable workers, shows that attracting a diversity of talent in the country is best achieved by a relaxation of cultural mandates, and by an encouragement of individual achievement and the ability to attain greater levels of power (Soltani et al. 2010). Interestingly, these aspects are themselves best achieved by encouraging greater interpersonal connections between individuals of different cultures, such that directly encouraging diversity in affiliation will help motivate diversity in achievement and power (Soltani et al. 2010). The interactions of these various elements make for a cyclical relationship, where encouraging greater diversity in interpersonal relationships allows for greater achievement and power to be obtained by culturally diverse workforce members, which leads to greater diversity in the workplace generally and thus greater diversity in interpersonal relationships, etc. (Pollit 2006).