poor person culture that would be challenging to work with and stereotypes associated with it
Introduction
Stereotypes exist in society. Some have adverse effects on the individuals or cultures being stereotyped, while some have little to no adverse impact. Stereotyping dictates how things are done and how situations are translated. It is in this regard that stereotypes can have both negative and positive outcomes. Stereotyping is, however, associated with negativity, and it is in this regard that the paper focuses on stereotypes related to poor people. The paper outlines a poor person culture that would be challenging to work with, stereotypes associated with it, and practices that would make working with the culture more effective.
Culture
Different economic backgrounds have different lifestyles. An environment with poor people in a poor neighborhood would be challenging to work with. Poor people are not accommodative of people outside of their territory and view outsiders with suspicion. Crime rate is high among poor people; hence working with this bracket becomes challenging. Trust is also very low; therefore, working with this group becomes even more challenging. A work relationship requires trust and a lack of trust makes the work situation difficult. It is important to note that poverty is not only a physical aspect but a psychological one as well. Changing the thought pattern of poor people is thus challenging.
Stereotypes Affiliated with Poor People
Certain stereotypes are associated with poor people. These include crime and violence. It is important to note that poor neighborhoods have the highest crime and violence rates. However, not all people living in impoverished areas ascribe to crime. The assumption that any individual residing in the ghetto, for example, is a criminal is thus not right. A lack of education is also associated with poor people. In this regard, a person from a poor background is assumed not to be educated. The stereotype is also not well-founded as there are individuals from deprived backgrounds who have excellent education opportunities and are well trained. Poor people are also expected to acquire certain types of jobs in certain kinds of workplaces. Poor people, for example, are not likely to work in offices and hold administrative positions. Promiscuity and early parenthood is also a stereotype associated with poor people. Even though both aspects are common, not everyone from a poor background fits into the bracket.
Ways of Effectively Working with the Population
Acceptance, equal opportunities, and inclusiveness is one way of dealing with the cultural challenge (Leonard, 2019). In this regard involving poor people in decision making is essential as it eliminates the ‘us vs. them’ mentality. Inclusion also makes job execution easier as it promotes teamwork, which is necessary for the realization of any goal. Tolerance and respect are also essential in dealing with the challenge. Tolerance and respect mean that there is an understanding of why the individual does what he/she does. Respecting diverse cultures is vital in maintaining a healthy work relationship.
Conclusion
Changing stereotypes requires an understanding of diverse cultures (Fiske, 2017). Understanding their origin translates to understanding why the diversities exist. Stereotyping is handed down to generations; hence a change would take time as it would require a shift from the home front to society level. Society, in this case, refers to schools, churches, workplaces, to name a few. If change is not realized at a family level, change at a societal level is challenging to achieve.