It’s incredibly important that you make your overall workforce feel seen and appreciated. To do this, here’s how to create cultural awareness in the workplace.
Many of us are aware of the fact that the workforce is ever-changing and evolving—it no longer looks as homogenous as it did 50 years ago. With so much wonderful change taking place, we must stay cognizant of the reality that certain organizational practices might be out of date. When our leadership and awareness don’t evolve, we fail our teams, which can cause them to feel un-seen, un-heard, and un-appreciated. Multiculturalism is wonderful, and we should acknowledge it. Here’s how to cultivate awareness of different cultures in the workplace.
Celebrate Differences
One of the best ways to incorporate inclusivity in the workplace is by celebrating the various cultures that make up the overall workforce. When you do this, you help employees feel seen and appreciated, making the company a progressive workplace. Rather than disregarding their differences and adopting the idea that everyone is the same, you can highlight them. There are many ways to do this—you can host a company lunch catered by a local restaurant or send out an email with a couple of lines talking about various cultures.
Educate Others
As we go about our personal lives, we may or may not encounter many people who are different from us. However, a job guarantees that you will lead and acquire team members who come from cultures different from yours. Consider installing cultural awareness training to help educate the workforce on how to have respectable behavior, promote harmony, and be proficient in cross-cultural communication. The biggest culprit of misunderstanding is a lack of education and exposure to differences.
Increase Communication
In celebrating our differences, we must also acknowledge that our communication norms may differ, which is why, as a business leader, you must help bridge that gap. Enhancing the workforce’s education in cross-cultural communication helps bring awareness to the different talking styles and body languages. A misunderstanding in communication due to different cultural norms may lead to schisms and disagreements backed by nothing.
With a few simple adjustments and the intention to make everyone feel valued, you can quickly transform and enhance your workplace.
