Having people with multicultural backgrounds offer better service for Tampere residents
Climate and Environmental Policy Unit shared their experiences about working with an English-speaking colleague. Team members reported that the transition to English in meetings and work content generally went smoothly. While some initially felt awkward or worried about their English skills, their confidence improved quickly. However, a couple of respondents noted that theme-specific jargon and technical terms posed challenges, even for native Finnish speakers.
Despite initial concerns about navigating language barriers, Tiina Leinonen found these challenges easier to manage than expected.
- We changed our team meetings to English, used translation tools for documents, and it worked well, she explained. - I think in general not making the language a big issue, just going into the situation and not thinking it as a problem is already a solution itself.
Often, we do not realize that internationals living in Finland are skilled with translation tools or have passive understanding of the local language, so the lack of materials in English is not a barrier anymore.
You do not need special ‘international’ tasks
Initially, the team worried about whether they could provide the right kinds of work for an international trainee. This concern, however, proved to be unjustified.
- It’s not about having special ‘international’ tasks for an international trainee or colleague. There is simply work that needs to be done and it is about involving everybody in the work we already do, Leinonen explained. The team appreciated how Adéla’s involvement highlighted the value of diversity in enriching their understanding and enhancing their approach to work for citizens.
- Adéla helped us see that things we consider obvious in Finland might not be universal everywhere else, Leinonen added.
Laura Inha, Manager of the Climate and Environmental Policy Unit highlighted the value of Adéla’s international background. - The perception of our services from an international viewpoint brought new insights and benefited the development.
Team members agreed that her presence reinforced the importance of having team members from diverse backgrounds, which adds expertise and understanding. They also acknowledged that diverse voices are critical to improving internal processes and meeting the needs of Tampere’s increasingly multicultural population.
Citizens are more ready than we think
Tiina Leinonen added that one key insight from this experience was recognizing that the public in Tampere is more prepared for interactions in English than the organization often assumes.
- During our program’s events for citizens, it would happen once or twice that a visitor did not want to or was not able to communicate in English, the vast majority of citizens were open to communication in English. Of course, if a language barrier arose, a colleague would step in to offer assistance in Finnish, she explained.
Leinonen elaborated on the work with citizens. - Having people with different language skills working together, would offer better service for all Tampere residents in many ways.
Other team members from the ILY Unit echoed this view. - Our international trainee's presence reminded us of the importance of using English, as more comprehensive communication with our citizens in English is still lacking.
Multicultural and innovative city
Tiina Leinonen emphasized the growing need for international hires to address staffing shortages and bring valuable skills to the organization. - It’s not just about diversity, it’s about the organization’s needs. We don’t have enough skilled workers in Finland, she said.
The team echoed this view, recognizing the critical role of diverse expertise in enhancing services and development.
- It’s crucial to continue including individuals who come from different cultural backgrounds in the future, Laura Inha added, noting that although Adéla’s presence highlighted certain organizational challenges, it was a valuable opportunity to learn and showcase that integrating a non-Finnish speaker into a team can be a smooth process. Concluding that hiring international team members isn’t just beneficial, it’s essential for addressing the demands of an innovative, multicultural city.
A step in the right direction
In summary, working with international trainee has been overwhelmingly positive for the team. They grew in adaptability and inclusivity, gaining insights that will guide future efforts. While this clearly marks a step in the right direction, there is still significant room for improvement in communication and opportunities in English.
