Rude Comments, Real Insights: The Value of Anthropology in the Workplace
Aug 14, 2024By Kristine Gentry, PhD
A few months ago, I was at a wonderful lunch event when I overheard two men next to me grumble, “f***ing anthropology!” I turned to confirm what I heard, and they explained that an employee wanted to pursue an anthropology degree, which they didn’t support.
I have a PhD in anthropology, so I shared that not only is it a fascinating field, but it has been incredibly valuable in my career.
A few weeks later, a head recruiter suggested I remove “anthropology” from my LinkedIn profile and resume. I was too stunned to ask why and agreed momentarily. But when I sat down to edit, I wondered why I would downplay a discipline that shapes my worldview for the better. I ignored his advice.
This reminded me of a career advisor who once asked if I could replace “anthropology” with “psychology” on my resume, concerned that people wouldn’t understand what anthropology is. I politely declined, emphasizing that they are distinct disciplines.
Another time, I began a new consulting engagement, and upon meeting the client team, they eagerly said, “We wondered what an anthropologist would look like!”
These examples highlight a common misconception about anthropology. People often don’t realize that anthropologists bring valuable insights into a wide variety of professional settings. Unfortunately, many people don’t understand anthropology and even find it off-putting. This isn't due to the field's controversies but rather a lack of understanding and possibly poor marketing of the discipline itself.
This reaction underscores the need to demystify anthropology and demonstrate its practical applications, especially in areas like understanding consumer behavior, enhancing workplace culture, and fostering diversity and inclusion.
So, What is Anthropology?
Anthropology is the study of humanity, derived from the Greek words “anthropos” (human) and “logy” (study of). It is a vast field of study, which is probably part of where the misconception about anthropology comes from.
I can’t tell you how many people upon hearing that I was an anthropologist asked me about studying bones or going on digs. To be fair, they are not completely wrong. Archaeology, which has to do with “digs” and studying ancient artifacts, is a sub-field of anthropology. The other subfields are cultural, biological (or physical), and linguistic anthropology. I won’t go into detail here about what each of the sub-disciplines covers as that is too much information for a single blog post and can be found in a quick Google search. Suffice it to say, that anthropology is an all-encompassing discipline focused on understanding the full experience of humanity including understanding our past, present, and future.
Applied anthropology uses these subfields to solve real-world problems. As an applied cultural anthropologist in business, I use my skills to help companies create cultures where their employees and businesses thrive.
How is Anthropology Useful in Business?
Part of my frustration with the negative reaction to anthropology in business is that anthropological approaches and methods can be applied to many business situations with remarkable results.
Anthropology offers valuable insights and methods applicable to various business contexts:
- Consumer Behavior and Market Research: Anthropologists study human behavior to uncover deep insights into consumer habits, informing effective product development and marketing strategies.
- User Experience (UX) Design: By observing how people interact with technology, anthropologists help improve usability and satisfaction.
- Workplace Culture: Understanding company culture and culture change can highlight strengths and areas for improvement, fostering a positive environment that boosts engagement and productivity.
- Diversity and Inclusion: Insights into cultural diversity help develop inclusive practices, enhancing team cohesion and innovation.
- Change Management: Anthropologists focus on understanding systems and systemic change, which allows them to excel at change management moving beyond the basics of the traditional change management approaches used in organizations today.
- Branding and Communication: Crafting authentic brand messages that resonate with diverse markets ensures effective communication strategies.
- Global Business Strategy: Insights into local customs and practices help tailor strategies to different cultural contexts.
- Product Development: Understanding human behavior and the use of products guides innovative development to meet consumer needs.
- Ethical Practices: Promoting ethical business practices by understanding the impacts on local communities builds trust and loyalty.
- Conflict Resolution: Bridging cultural gaps in multicultural workplaces promotes harmony and cooperation.
All of these areas offer opportunities to utilize the skills, training, knowledge, and research methods of anthropologists.
Conclusion
Anthropology is not just a fun college course; its methods and worldview can significantly benefit many aspects of business across all industries. Understanding humans and the way we operate is crucial for understanding the world we live in and thriving in the business world. Next time you meet an anthropologist, consider asking them what aspect of anthropology they focus on and how they use it in their life. Embrace the diverse insights anthropology brings, and consider how it can enhance your business strategies. You may benefit from adding an anthropologist to your team.
Wondering if you have a strong culture? Get our free guide, "6 Questions for Assessing Your Culture" now.
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