Cultural Awareness and Sensitivity in the Workplace

Cultural awareness is knowing that there are various cultures ⸺ based on religion, ethnicity, nationality and other factors ⸺ all possessing different attitudes and outlooks. Cultural sensitivity involves accepting those differences without insisting one’s own culture is better, or that everyone should do it your way. Cultural sensitivity skills are sometimes referred to as cultural competence, or the ability to work alongside people with different cultural attitudes and behaviors and to do so effectively (Frost, 2016).

Understanding how people think and behave is essential for being an effective communicator. We must have an understanding of the host’s culture and norms (Jandt, 2013). As the workplace becomes more diverse, we will encounter many different cultures on any given day, making cultural sensitivity more important than ever. In order to be successful in the workplace, we must demonstrate the ability to communicate effectively. One way to shut down communication is a culturally insensitive remark. An insensitive remark about a coworker's culture, for example, could forever damage the trust and respect that could be necessary to perform your job effectively. Not only that, it could single-handedly cripple the company’s policies on cultural diversity by making the organization’s policies appear hypocritical (Frost, 2016).

As a representative of your company, it is your responsibility to be culturally aware and culturally sensitive, and to be able to work with anyone from any background. A global workplace is a diverse workplace.

Diversity in the Workplace

Employers know that it is better for the bottom line to have a diverse workplace. People from different backgrounds and experiences bring different skill sets and problem-solving skills to the job. This is invaluable. If you can first realize the benefits of having a diverse workplace, then you can learn to best communicate within that workplace. Embracing diversity is more than just being considerate (Frost, 2016). It is recognizing, reflecting upon, and doing everything you can to effectively communicate with each individual that you encounter.  If you feel like you need to make improvements as far as embracing diversity, check to see if your company provides training. There may be information you can easily access in the employee handbook, for example. Perhaps your company has an online training portal. Research any training programs or modules related to diversity and make those training programs a part of your ongoing employee professional development. You might also ask your employer to initiate some team-building activities for your team. Learning how to work together as a team can break down any barriers that might result from a lack of understanding of the common ground we share with others. Purdue University Global provides further reading on the value of diversity in the workplace: Does Workplace Diversity Actually Impact a Business?

As you become more invested in embracing diversity in the workplace, there are resources that can help increase your knowledge and understanding.

Glassdoor: 12 Companies Ramping Up Diversity and Inclusion Efforts

White House Executive Order on Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility in the Federal Workforce

Below is a list of five reasons we should value diversity in the workplace (O’Boyle, 2020):

1. Experiencing diversity helps foster acceptance and diminish discrimination

2. Experiencing diversity promotes global citizenship

3. Experiencing diversity widens your perspective and increases empathy

4. Experiencing diversity enhances life experience

5. Experiencing diversity in the workplace leads to greater productivity. Various backgrounds, viewpoints, and insights allows for better problem-solving and vision-building.

The bottom line is that if diversity in the workplace is important to government agencies and organizations, it should be important to you. If it is important to you, you will take steps to grow in your efforts to embrace and find the value of diversity in the global workplace, as well as the value of each individual you encounter. 

Look for Value

As you work on your cultural awareness and sensitivity, there is one simple key: Look for the value in the differences between you and your coworkers. Coworkers who are different from you make you better at your job, and can make you a better person. As previously noted, a company is more successful when it is diverse. As an employee, you share in the benefits reaped from your company's success. 

Assume Well-Meaning Intentions

Giving the benefit of the doubt is key in navigating through the global workplace. When there is “choppy water” (i.e. troublesome, difficult, or challenging times), it is best to assume that the other person is well-meaning. Be open to the idea there might be an opportunity to clarify miscommunication. Assume that you and your coworkers have some kind of common ground to be found. In order to find that common ground, those similarities, engage in an active listener. 

As discussed in Chapter 3, being an active listener involves concentrating on what is being said, rather than just passively hearing the words another is speaking. Recall that active listening involves:

Listening wholly. Being an active listener means to genuinely listen, not just listen to respond. When we are busy forming a response, it is easy to miss the message entirely.

Being open to receiving messages. Communication barriers are created when we assume to know how a conversation is going. It is important to remain open to hearing what the other party has to say. 

Asking questions to clarify. When there is a possible miscommunication, do not be afraid to ask questions to clarify. You might start with, “What I think you are saying is ___. Am I understanding that correctly?” If more than one party is involved, be sure to seek clarification from all parties to ensure everyone is on the same page. For example, do not ask Coworker A to clarify what you were both told by Coworker B; ask Coworker B to clarify directly. 

Sharing in the conversation rather than dominating. There is a balance in a conversation. It is important to be participatory while not attempting to take over the conversation. One tip in achieving this balance is to ask sincere questions. Ask others for their perspectives. For example, if there is a silent partner in your conversation, you might ask, “What are your thoughts on the matter?”

Considering the listener. Consider the knowledge, education, and background of the listeners involved. Some people refer to this as “reading the room.” Look for common ground and communicate in a way that will be well-received by the receiver.

We can further improve our cultural sensitivity and intercultural communication skills by employing the following strategies:

Avoid jargon and slang.  When communicators do not share the same industry language, jargon should absolutely be left out of the conversation.  Business jargon is a specialized language used in a specific professional setting. The use of jargon can confuse listeners, and there is a high probability they will tune the speaker out. Likewise, slang is not universally common. Slang is a type of language that is informal and usually restricted to a specific group. Therefore, the use of slang increases the likelihood for misunderstanding. Slang is a short-cut in communication; and in a business environment shortcuts can hinder effective communication.

Work through problems by working toward solutions. Communication in organizations is never without its challenges; but it is important not to let a problem be the end of the discussion. Do whatever it takes to work through problems, by being solutions oriented. As you improve your communication skills, you will become better and better at this important life skill. 

Perception Checking in the Workplace

A perception-check is a three-part verbal response used to verify the accuracy of how you are interpreting the people and events around you (Adler et al., 2015). A complete perception check includes the following three steps:

Step 1 - Describe the behavior that you noticed

Step 2 - Provide at least two plausible interpretations of that behavior.

Step 3 - Ask for clarification about how you should interpret the behavior.

By going through these steps you are communicating that you are genuinely trying to understand the other person. You are also communicating that you are not qualified to read their mind, and that you need help. When delivering a perception-check, It is of utmost importance that your tone and your body language reflect openness and a willingness to understand the other person (Adler et al., 2015).

Emotional intelligence is the ability to identify and manage one’s emotions, as well as the emotions of others. In order to check your emotional intelligence, you can ask yourself (Gair, 2017):

• Are you able to empathize with others?

• Are you able to solve problems where emotions are involved?

• Are you socially responsible? Do you contribute to the welfare of your social group and others’? 

As you can imagine, individuals with higher levels of emotional intelligence will be able to navigate communication in a global workplace more effectively. If this is a skill you would like to develop, there are some tools that you can use.

Role play

The art of role play is a useful skill for practicing communication skills. Locate a mentor or trusted colleagues with solid emotional intelligence and role play a few scenarios.

1. Identify the situation that needs practice.

2. Use details to make it very clear what problem you are trying to solve.

3. Assign roles to the people helping you. Make sure they put themselves in the mindset of the character they are playing. For example, maybe you have someone playing an angry coworker who feels you insulted them.

4. Act out the scenario, perhaps in multiple ways to explore all possibilities.

5. Discuss what you have learned.

Participating in a role play can help identify how a certain situation may have gone better. A role play can also be useful in helping to prepare for an important, upcoming interaction.

Honing Your Interpersonal Skills in the Global Workplace

Honing your interpersonal skills in a global workplace will make you invaluable to an organization and employer. Having an insightful understanding of where you fit into your workplace, along with a deep understanding of the value of your coworkers and employers, will lead you toward higher job satisfaction and success. Communicating between and among diverse cultures can be complicated. Being proactive with your approach will serve you well. Evaluate your skills, and establish norms for yourself and your team. Seek out training to help identify weaknesses and identify biases so you can  move past them. The responsibility of developing cultural sensitivity, emotional intelligence, and effective intercultural communication skills rests with you.