Author and Speaker for Diversity & Inclusion
Stimulating cross-cultural collaborations. From home to the workplace.
Author, Speaker Diversity & Inclusion
Stimulating cross-cultural collaborations. From home to the workplace.
Unlocking Profitability: Seamlessly Integrate Your Foreign Workforce
Is your organization leaving money on the table?
A diverse and inclusive workforce isn’t just the right thing to do; it’s a proven path to increased profitability.
- Boost Productivity: When employees feel valued and respected, they’re more engaged and productive.
- Attract Top Talent: A welcoming environment draws the best and brightest from around the globe.
- Reduce Costs: High turnover rates are expensive. Foster a culture of inclusion to retain your valuable employees.
Dr. Izabelle Grenon and her team of experts provide customized solutions to:
- Create a Thriving Cross-Cultural Environment: Where local and foreign employees collaborate effectively and achieve peak performance.
- Equip Your Organization for Success: By attracting, recruiting, and onboarding the most talented international workers.
- Develop Equitable HR Policies: That ensure fairness, respect, and equal opportunities for all.
Dr. Grenon, a renowned scholar and engaging speaker, brings a unique blend of academic expertise and real-world experience. With a Ph.D. in Linguistics and a distinguished career at the University of Tokyo, she understands the nuances of cross-cultural communication.
Our Approach:
- Data-Driven Insights: We gather and analyze data to identify specific challenges and develop tailored solutions.
- Flexible Delivery: On-site or remote consultations, keynotes, and workshops to suit your needs.
- Multilingual Accessibility: Presentations in English with interpreter support or integrated translation tools in Zoom.
Don’t let cultural barriers hinder your organization’s growth.
Contact Dr. Grenon today for a free consultation and discover how to unlock the full potential of your diverse workforce.
Leading businesses to new levels of success with intercultural training and awareness.
Far Away Home in Japan: Japan Guide from Renting to Rice Cooking
Editorial review for the Japan Guide from Renting to Rice Cooking written by Izabelle Grenon.
“… a genuine tour de force. […] the most comprehensive, thorough, and eminently useful guide available […] the best introduction to the quotidian realities of life in Japan that a newcomer is likely to find. […] grounded in practical sensibilities, informed by lived experience, and animated by the wit, zest, and sparkling prose of a novelist. […] a visually rich tour of Japan’s housing and rental landscape alongside a personable guide who never fails to inform and delight with her well-grounded facts, perceptive insights, and charming asides.”
– ROGER ROBINS, Professor, Center for Global Communication Strategies, The University of Tokyo (retired)
Contact the author directly for a possible discounted paperback copy for shipping to Japan, Australia, China and other countries where the paperback copy is not available.
Why Far Away in Japan?
In a world of globalization, people relocate for different reasons, but always in the belief that it will improve their life or that of their family. They are often sadly ill-prepared with unrealistic expectations leading to severe culture-shock, mental distress and detachment.
The truth is that migrants (whether expats, immigrants or refugees) face unique challenges and are at a social disadvantage due to a lack of knowledge and information regarding cultural expectations, laws and regulations. Their challenges are further exacerbated by a lack of fluency in the local language, which-contrary to popular belief-is not acquired automatically by living in the new culture. Unfortunately, migrants are too often viewed and treated as “visitors” rather than capable residents with equal rights to make their own choices, to feel safe, respected and, crucially, to be imperfect.
I decided to write the series Far Away Home in Japan not only to provide foreign residents living in Japan with all the information they need to build a comfortable and satisfying life in the country, but also to deepen our awareness of the multi-faceted challenges encountered by migrants in general. I strongly believe that providing extensive and honest information delivered with an open-mind and respect towards other cultures can contribute to counter racial and ethnic inequalities. It is a crucial milestone for fostering positive cross-cultural relationships, which in turn can increase social stability, public safety and lead to happier societies.
If you believe in this approach and want to know more, please join my mailing list, watch my YouTube channel or find me on Facebook!
About the author
IZABELLE GRENON is an accomplished scholar originally from Canada, with several publications in academic journals and presentations at international conferences. She has obtained a PhD in linguistics from the University of Victoria in Canada and worked for a decade as an Associate Professor at The University of Tokyo—the top-ranked university in Japan—where she taught numerous courses, including one titled “Why and How People Migrate from a Current, Historical and Global Viewpoint.”
She is an engaging storyteller who captivates her audience with humorous and tragic tales of her extraordinary life living in 6 different countries and travelling to many more—from North America to Europe, the Middle East, Asia and Africa, including 14 years living and working in Japan. As a long-term migrant, she recognizes the value of living in another country while remaining sensitive to the unique challenges it entails and the necessity for positive cross-cultural relationships. Her own unconventional family is an inspiring illustration of cross-cultural unity that transcends ethnic, linguistic and religious differences.
Dedicated, passionate and knowledgeable, she is committed to use her voice in support of migrants and other groups in a position of social disadvantage through her writing, public speaking and participation in activities for the promotion of racial and gender equality.
Everyone is unique, within and across cultures
Dr. Izabelle Grenon on
Accent and Identity: Celebrating Linguistic Diversity
Interviewed by the delightful Maritza Perez of
MAINA Podcast • MAINA Media Group
Episode #59 of podcast “My accent is no accident” published on Nov. 13, 2024.