Love without divide, Let’s DEI: The CTCI FHL Club Offers Mandarin Classes for Foreign Colleagues

CTCI is a global EPC engineering service group with a diverse workforce representing various nationalities. Over a hundred foreign colleagues are employed at CTCI Corporation, originating from more than a dozen countries and regions. In addition to this, nearly a hundred colleagues from overseas subsidiaries have joined to support various projects. Their diverse backgrounds offer distinct perspectives and approaches to projects, enriching the workplace with a tapestry of cultural diversity. Nonetheless, cultural diversity and language barriers may pose potential risks.

The First “Indonesian Night” Relieves Nostalgia

The CTCI Faith, Hope, and Love Club (FHL) observed that the population of Indonesian colleagues was relatively high among the foreign employees at CTCI Group. Therefore, a caring program for Indonesian colleagues was initiated in 2022. To alleviate homesickness, FHL organized the first “Indonesia Night” on the 2022 Winter Solstice Festival (or the Donzhi Festival), aiming to evoke a sense of homey warmth through hearty food and familiar tongue. The entire event was conducted primarily in Indonesian, with English as a supporting language. FHL prepared traditional Taiwanese desserts like glutinous rice balls (or tangyuan) to share the festive spirit with the foreign colleagues. Aside from the local delicacy, an authentic meal was prepared by Indonesian housewives residing in Taiwan, while an Indo-style noodle stand owner generously provided the gathering with mouth-watering bakmi goreng, or Indonesian stir-fry seafood noodles. The gathering also featured ice-breaking games and a prize quiz. The enjoyable activities and cheerful atmosphere received high praise from the participants.

Mandarin Class Helps Foreign Colleagues Integrate into Work and Life in Taiwan

In 2023, FHL plans to implement more tangible initiatives in support of colleagues from various nationalities. Addressing the increasing interest in learning Mandarin among foreign colleagues, FHL has introduced a course titled "Let's talk in Mandarin," also known as the "Mandarin Class." The Mandarin Class is centered around three main objectives, referred to as the 3 Cs: learning Chinese, gaining insights into CTCI, and enhancing daily communication skills. Through participation in the Mandarin Class, FHL members strengthen their bonds, bringing seamless teamwork and improved communication into the workplace. This initiative facilitates better integration of foreign colleagues into the CTCI family and the local Taiwan communities.

Launched on March 2023, the Mandarin Class focused on several themes including business, engineering, project managing, and CTCI company culture. Other useful themes include traveling, latest trend, daily conversations and expat communities in Taiwan. To accommodate everyone amidst their busy work schedules, the sessions were initially designed as bi-weekly, later transitioning to a weekly format in response to overwhelmingly positive feedback. Considering the prayer schedule of our Muslim colleagues, the lesson day was shifted from Fridays to Wednesdays. Mandarin Class were held during lunch breaks, conducted both in person and online, utilizing meeting rooms and communication software. This allows foreign colleagues, whether physically present or not, to attend classes at various proficiency levels. Course materials were shared in communication groups, enabling those on leave to catch up on missed content. Additionally, relevant language learning apps were recommended for self-practice at anytime and anywhere. An Indian colleague who first arrived in Taiwan enlisted the help of a Taiwanese colleague to start from the basics after work. The pair engaged in weekly self-reinforcement and review of the course content. As of now, after two seasons, a total of 21 Mandarin classes have been conducted, with over 300 participants showing enthusiastic engagement in the class.

Cross-Cultural Event Facilitates Diverse Communication for Inclusiveness and the Common Good

In 2023, FHL organized several events to help foreign colleagues better understand the local culture. For the Dragon Boat Festival event, FHL invited Dr. Jane Wei-Jen Liang, the daughter of Professor Wen-Jie Liang, a former environmental consultant at CTCI Group, to share insights on the festival's origin and its diverse and inclusive spirit. FHL took special care to prepare a variety of traditional festive treats, considering the dietary preferences of our colleagues. Delicacies included mung bean cakes and crystal rice dumplings, while boiled eggs were provided for an exciting egg-balancing challenge. Prior to the Mid-Autumn Festival, FHL organized a barbecue gathering, introducing our foreign colleagues to a taste of unique Taiwanese culture during the Moon Festival. On weekends, FHL club members arranged shopping trips to traditional markets for the spouses of foreign colleagues, ensuring they could meet their daily meal needs. Additionally, FHL extended invitations to expats for a series of culinary adventures, featuring typical Taiwanese food culture, including hot pots and all-you-can-eat restaurants.

FHL is also concerned that cultural activities exclusively centered on helping foreign colleagues learn about Taiwanese culture do not align with the diverse and equal spirit of the club. Consequently, starting from the second quarter, the Mandarin class has integrated presentation sessions into the curriculum. Foreign colleagues have the freedom to share topics of their choice in Chinese with the class, enabling them to enhance their Mandarin presentation skills while fostering mutual cultural understanding. Take CTCI’s one and only Nepalese colleague, for example; the classmates were able to get a glimpse of his country’s culture, including the origin of the triangular Nepalese flag, as well as interesting facts about Nepal. The inclusive spirit extended to other cultural experiences. In April, FHL club members joined Indian colleagues at the 2023 India Spring Fair and followed Indonesian colleagues to celebrate Eid al-Fitr held in Taipei. In May, an Indian colleague extended an invitation to FHL members to savor an authentic home-cooked Indian cuisine. Amidst the feast, a box of ice cream, presented as a gift, took center stage in the conversation due to its dairy content. Participants discovered that Indians permit the consumption of milk and cheese. However, unlike Taiwanese dietary practices, the Indian dietary restriction on beef is rooted in a display of compassion toward cows.

Grand Celebration: The Second “Indonesian Night” in 2023

With insights gained from the previous year, FHL opted to host the “2023 Indonesia Night” on a Friday in August, coinciding with the Indonesian National Day. To offer a more genuine and traditional Indonesian cultural experience, the event was co-hosted with PELITA, an Indonesian Care Center established under i-Link Community Services Association. The “2023 Indonesia Night” proved to be both informative and captivating, managed by an entirely Indonesian team handling everything from preparation to catering. All meals were meticulously crafted using Halal-certified ingredients to accommodate the dietary preferences of our Muslim colleagues. Beyond the sumptuous banquet, a diverse range of activities was organized, including inviting Indonesians in Taiwan to share their work experiences and a quiz with prizes, featuring daily trivia about local life and Taipei MRT routes. The evening commenced with a melodious rendition of the Indonesian National Anthem and traditional folk songs, interspersed with entertaining games that highlighted Indonesian specialties. The vibrant and cheerful ambiance at the venue painted smiles across the faces of all participants. Colleagues from Malaysia, India, and Nepal expressed their gratitude and joy for having the opportunity to partake in the event, relish Indonesian cuisine, and engage in the entire festive program. Erika, an Indonesian colleague who also recently got married in Taiwan this year, shared her sentiments about the 2023 Indonesia Night: “Celebrating Indonesia's Independence Day in Taiwan brings me immense joy. I feel honored to be chosen as tonight's host, and it has been four years since I last sang along to my National Anthem. This event not only allowed me to revisit our national anthem but also gave me the chance to relive the Tujuh belasan game. The “2023 Indonesian Night” has left me feeling ecstatic, emotional, excited, and joyous!” As this heartwarming, cheerful, and inclusive event came to a close, some Indonesian friends from PELITA approached CTCI employees, expressing interest in joining the CTCI family.

Compared to the previous year, the “2023 Indonesian Night” joyously hosted a growing number of attendees from diverse nationalities. This distinctive event, brimming with laughter and zeal, is not merely a distinguished gathering of cultural communication but also underscores CTCI's dedication to employee well-being, team cohesion, and diversity. This gathering truly exemplified tangible actions aligned with the goals of sustainable development, setting a wonderful example for employees, the community, and a sustainable future.

FHL Promotes a Diverse Spirit and Cultivates a Multicultural Workplace

The initial purpose of FHL organizing a series of events and launching Mandarin Classes was to address to the needs of foreign colleagues. However, over the past year, FHL has not only recognized but also actively embraced the principles of diversity, equality, and inclusion in its execution. Beyond Mandarin Classes, FHL has collaborated with various clubs to foster interaction and mutual understanding between Taiwanese and foreign colleagues. This includes engaging in an outdoor photography session featuring whales at Keelung Harbor with the Photography Club in June, embarking on a cultural expedition with the Hiking Club to Dadaocheng in October, and spreading Christmas cheer through caroling with the Music Club in December.

In order to broaden the scope of diversity, equality, and inclusion, starting from the year 2024, Mandarin Class lessons will be accessible on the CTCI University learning platform. The execution of Mandarin Class will transition to the capable hands of the CTCI Language Study Group (LSG). FHL aspires to enhance the benefits of multicultural integration by expanding language exchange activities and lessons. These programs will not only focus on language acquisition but also continue to provide valuable insights into workplace communication skills, life care, friendship nights, and various cultural activities in the future. FHL aims to unite colleagues from different countries, communities, and associations, creating a platform for multilingual and multicultural communications. This initiative seeks to eliminate cultural barriers and construct a robust bridge of friendship. Furthermore, FHL encourages Taiwanese colleagues to engage in face-to-face interactions with foreign colleagues, fostering understanding and respect for diverse cultures and overcoming challenges in team collaboration. Simultaneously, FHL looks forward to extended collaborations with social institutions to maximize CTCI's influence in sustainability. The ultimate goal of FHL is to cultivate a diverse and enriching workplace environment where mutual acceptance, inclusion, and prosperity prevail.