Why culturally sensitive behaviour is important

It goes beyond race and gender, encompassing abilities, age, religion, sexual orientation, ethnicity, veteran status and diversity of thought, perspectives, communication styles, among other traits. Unconscious or implicit bias occurs when individuals make judgments, favorable or unfavorable, about people based on stereotypes or preconceived opinions.

While everyone has unconscious biases, it can create problems when they surface in the workplace and lead to unfair decisions. Training helps individuals understand why bias occurs, how to recognize common workplace biases, and what they can do to manage their own biases and minimize their influence on workplace decisions and interactions. Cultural sensitivity training raises awareness of the nuances of cross-culture communication, and the importance of words, actions, gestures and body language in cultivating relationships with different people and groups.

Speaking up, asking questions, raising concerns and reporting incidents of discrimination, harassment, bias, microaggressions and other misconduct is key to moving from awareness to action. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission EEOC and other workplace experts considerbystander intervention training one of the most effective ways to empower employees to take an active role in stopping harassment,preventing future incidents and fostering a safe, supportive, respectful workplace culture.

Incorrect body language often leads to misunderstandings. For example, in Greece and Albania, nodding your head in an agreement can lead to misunderstandings.

In an office setting, we are most likely to come across different individuals who possess diverse backgrounds that may sometimes clash with the values of a business. Embracing cultural sensitivity and awareness helps us understand how cultural differences may affect and influence individuals when forming their unique personalities, perceptions, and their interactions with others.

A leader who leads with empathy and understanding helps create a homogeneous environment that fosters creativity, and innovation while boosting productivity and profitability. Cross-cultural communication is one of the ways that lead to misunderstanding, on both sides.

We can all do a better job at communicating when we consider culture when working alongside and interacting with others. As all individuals form stereotypes, whether based on specific experiences or their own set of beliefs, uncovering those stereotypes and acknowledging any unconscious or explicit bias is the key to becoming a stronger, and more effective communicator and employee. Becoming culturally aware enhances our interpersonal skills, we become sensitive to people's emotions, making communication more effective.

Finding common ground and getting to know our colleagues on a personal level is important. We naturally see the world through a distorting screen created by our subconscious and deeply held values and beliefs.

This leads to insensitivity and potential unintentional blindness to the values that are important to members of other cultures. This is why we need to expose ourselves, observe and get into contact with the cultures around us. One of the most authentic ways of learning about new cultures is attending cultural festivals and events. Here, you get to see how different people express themselves through music, food, and art.

Finally, the fact that people from other cultures work differently does not mean they are wrong--they still may accomplish the desired results. In good intercultural communication, understanding depends on the ability to perceive, react and accept differences and similarities. The developmental model of intercultural sensitivity by Milton J. Bennett explains this in six stages--three of them ethnocentric, and three of them ethnorelative.

Developmental model of intercultural sensitivity by Milton J. The first stage defines ethnocentrism as the attitude or point of view by which the world is analyzed according to the parameters of our own culture. It often involves the belief that one's own ethnic group is the most important, or that some or all aspects of our culture are superior to those of other cultures.

The stages of ethnocentrism are:. The second stage is ethnorelativism , a learned skill, where a person consciously recognizes values and behaviors as a cultural matter rather than a universal one. The stages of ethno-relativism are:. The concept of developing intercultural sensitivity reflects that our perception is flexible, and we all have the ability to reformulate our sensitivity according to new experiences. Let's Stay Connected.

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In addition to writing for The Volunteer Traveler, she has directed international programming for various travel organizations. Yes, well said! This article could persuade people to travel more and visit places very different from their own background. Thank you for reading Natalia! Your email address will not be published. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

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