Developing Cultural Competence in the workplace
Cultural competence is the ability to understand and interact effectively with people from other cultures. Culturally competent organizations can shift cultural perspectives and appropriately adapt behavior to cultural differences and strategic commonalities. According to IDI, LLC, “intercultural competence has been identified as a critical capability in several studies focusing on overseas effectiveness of international sojourners, international business adaptation and job performance, international student adjustment, international transfer of technology and information, international study abroad and inter-ethnic relations within nations.”
Cultural competence is important because, without it, our opportunity to build effective workplace relationships is impossible. Instead, we’ll co-exist with people we don’t understand, thereby creating a higher risk for misunderstandings, low productivity, and implicit bias—things that can all be avoided. Culture competency training is not about being politically correct, demonizing white people, or the United States. Cultural competence requires that organizations have a defined set of values and principles. Organizations must demonstrate behaviors, attitudes, policies, and structures that enable them to work effectively across differences (race, gender, nationality, age, sexual orientation, ability identity, etc.). The cultural competency training Glen and his associates offer is about helping your organization develop the workplace systems and process that will enable your team members to engage with each other across cultural differences deepening learning, efficiency, and communication. All this leads to a harmonious workplace built on mutual understanding and core community values.
As the workforce becomes more diverse, leaders and human resource professionals must create a workplace where everyone feels a sense of belonging. One challenge in creating that workplace culture is...
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What is cultural competence? "Cultural competence" brings together the concepts of diversity, equity, and inclusion — and adds operational effectiveness. A culturally competent organization has the capacity to bring into...
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Culturally competent business practices can give you an advantage in a tight job market. Organizations committed to DEI can thrive while others panic. Don't lose skilled workers. You don't have...
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How do you know if your workplace DEI training is making a difference? The most successful workplace training programs are rooted in solid instructional design and metrics to track participants’...
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Key Terms Definition of intercultural - occurring between or involving two or more cultures Definition of culture - (the...
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Get Ready for a Culture Shift in the Workplace Culture is the way we do things around here, wherever here happens to be. For many of us practicing physical distancing,...
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We all have forms of bias, and we express bias positively and negatively. If a wild Tasmanian devil attacks us in Australia, we might form a healthy bias against interacting...
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My consulting conversations normally begin in this manner: Client: “Glen, we want you to come in and do workplace diversity and inclusion training.” Me: “What are your diversity and inclusion...
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Politics seem to be creeping into every aspect of our world. The workplace is no different. Not only do we have to navigate external politics leading up to the presidential...
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Hello, I’m a Generation X executive, and I supervise employees and volunteers from ages 70 to 17. That is one of the reasons I call myself your “Cultural Navigator.” It...
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