For this discussion we have been asked to explain the role of HR managers in helping

rise the cultural intelligence (CQ) of an organization, and on promoting an inclusive,

respectful and welcoming environment for its employees. Moreover, we have been
asked if any other department or office in the organization can share this responsibility
or if it is unique to the HR office. The answers provided as follow.

It can be said that the HR office could do two things to rise the cultural intelligence in an
organization: hire more cultural intelligent employees and offer cultural intelligence
training for current employees. Both paths should begin by setting up a way to measure
the CQ of its employees and prospect employees as suggested by the Professor of
International Management at Simon Fraser University, David Thomas, who advocated for
measuring the CQ in a reliable manner, with tools such the Short Form Cultural
Intelligence Scale (SFCQ) a ten-point scale measuring the three elements of CQ
(Thomas, 2017). 

Thomas stated that, “Cultural intelligence is an unobservable attribute of individuals but

is reflected in its three subordinate facets of cultural knowledge, cross-cultural skills, and
cultural metacognition. Its measurement must therefore address these three underlying
facets” (Thomas, 2017, p. 3). Thus, a way to assess the CQ and the intercultural
effectiveness of the workforce should be by measuring it with such scales, for both
current and prospect employees. After the measuring, the focus should be on the
training and or enhancement of the facets of CQ.

Author David Livermore stated that companies should make it their mission to coach
their workforce to be easily adaptable to cross-cultural experiences, in order to
accomplish their company mission in culturally diverse situations (Livermore, 2016).
According to Livermore, having a diverse workforce is not enough to secure success in
culturally diverse markets, but having a workforce that it is, high on CQ, “who can
manage the differences to come up with better solutions, than those with low CQ who
are continually frustrated when working with diverse colleagues and customers”
(Livermore, 2016, pa. 3). Thus, a culturally effective training should be implemented by
the HR office in order to prepare the workforce to be adaptable for culturally diverse
situations to be encountered.

A 2005 journal article, offering the best strategies for diversity training in corporate
America, highlighted that one of the most important steps to take when designing
successful culture and diversity training programs, is to have top level management, the
board of directors, and or the CEO, to set the example, support and clearly
communicate to all employees their definition of diversity for the workplace, the
objectives of their diversity training program, and how it relates to the organization’s
operating goals ( Gibson & Kimis, 2005) . Thus, we can assert that diversity efforts,
training efforts for a respectful and inclusive workplace are not limited to the HR office
efforts but it must come down from the organization’s top management.

it can be concluded that the role of HR managers is instrumental, to help rise the
cultural intelligence (CQ) of an organization, through hiring high CQ employees, and the
CQ training of current employees, and on providing and maintaining an inclusive
workplace. However, other offices in the organization, such board room, the CEO, and
other top-level management, share the responsibility of communicating, supporting and
leading the diversity efforts, the objectives of the training programs, and the ultimate
diversity and CQ goals of the organization.

References
Gibson, J. W., & Kimis, C. (2005). Strategies For Successful Diversity Training In Corporate
America. Journal of Business & Economics Research (JBER),
3(7). https://doi.org/10.19030/jber.v3i7.2791
Livermore, D. ( 2016, February 10).7 Benefits of improving your cultural
intelligence. https://www.amanet.org/articles/7-benefits-of-improving-your-cultural-
intelligence/
Thomas, D. ( 2017 ). Measuring cultural intelligence: implications and opportunities.
Rutgers Business Review Vol. 2, No. 2
207. https://rbr.business.rutgers.edu/sites/default/files/documents/rbr-020205.pdf