Navigating Cultural Diversity in the Workplace of the College of Hospitality and Tourism Management, University of the Cordilleras

Cultural diversity within higher education workplaces creates both opportunity and strain, a tension that is sharpened within institutions situated in strong indigenous cultural regions. This qualitative case study examined cross-cultural orientation and workplace diversity among the faculty and staff of the College of Hospitality and Tourism Management (CHTM) at the University of the Cordilleras in the Philippines. Thirteen participants, spanning the college dean, administrative staff, an OJT coordinator, and faculty of varied regional backgrounds, took part through a fast-write interview method, chosen deliberately over full oral interviews to elicit candid responses across a power-differentiated sample and limit social-desirability pressure; responses were analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis (Braun & Clarke, 2022). Five themes emerged, treated as co-occurring patterns rather than a validated sequence: a diverse yet unevenly embraced organizational culture; language as a central barrier to integration; empathy as a primary coping strategy; informal cross-cultural learning as an underused resource; and existing goodwill as a foundation for collaboration. The study also proposes evidence-based recommendations, including a cultural dialogue forum and a formal DEI policy for OJT placement, while noting the exploratory, single-institution scope of these findings.