What Is Cultural Awareness?

We all have a cultural heritage developed over time through family experiences, stories, and choices. This culture that shapes us is greatly affected by the country and community we live in, and influences our current beliefs, attitudes, judgments, and behaviours.

In life, in our social circles and at work, we meet people from different cultures with a wide array of experiences and stories that shape them and their perspectives. Without adequate exposure to a variety of cultures so that you learn to easily identify cultural differences and similarities, it can be difficult to connect and build strong relationships.

That's exactly what we mean when we're talking about cultural awareness: the ability to observe, appreciate, and accept similarities and differences between cultures. When you have cultural awareness, you don't feel uncomfortable or fearful amongst different cultures. Instead, you can build a more diverse ethnic and sociocultural network at work and in life.

The Iceberg Model of Culture

The Iceberg theory by Edward T. Hall suggests that, like an iceberg, only some aspects of culture are visible. These can include language, food, greetings, music, dress rituals, and other facets that are easy to identify. However, the majority of culture lies under the surface and its important to look deeper so we can create more meaningful relationships with others in the workplace.

Here are some recommendations for creating increasing your cultural awareness:

Understand cultural differences

The Iceberg model illustrates that cultural differences extend beyond surface-level behaviours to deeper values, beliefs, and norms. By considering all the things you learn about a person while interacting with them first hand that are not obvious on the surface, you'll increase your cultural awareness and in turn your ability to navigate intercultural interactions more effectively.

Promoting Empathy and Respect

Awareness that there are hidden aspects beneath the surface can help you approach cultural differences with empathy and respect. This is especially important in navigating situations that may seem conflicting because you may be unaware of the underlying values.

Minimize Conflict

Recognizing the hidden cultural aspects can help prevent misunderstandings and conflicts in the workplace. You can become more aware of how your own cultural biases and assumptions may influence your interactions with colleagues from diverse backgrounds.

Facilitate Effective Communication

Understanding that cultural differences greatly affect the use of language, body expressions and expected behaviors, will enable you to adjust your expectations and communicate more effectively in a multicultural workplace. You learn to consider cultural nuances in communication, decision-making processes, and conflict resolution.

Support Cultural Diversity and Inclusion Initiatives

Embracing the Iceberg model encourages organizations to prioritize initiatives that increase cultural awareness. By acknowledging and valuing employees diverse cultural backgrounds and perspectives, they can create a more inclusive and productive work environment.

Developing Cultural Awareness in the Modern Workplace

The modern workplace has become more culturally diverse due to the increased mobility of labor and talent. Understanding why cultural awareness is important is essential for businesses to succeed in global markets, as it enables them to navigate cultural differences effectively and build trust with clients and partners.

Managing cultural diversity can be a powerful tool in creating a healthy and productive work environment. Here are some actionable strategies you can implement:

1. Invest in Corporate Team Training

One of the most effective ways to promote cultural awareness and its benefits in your workplace is through development workshops. Cultural awareness training could cover topics like cross-cultural communication, regional etiquette, and becoming a better ally. These learning opportunities give your employees the skills needed to succeed in an increasingly diverse global economy and society.

2. Promote Culturally Inclusive Communication Skills

Effective cultural communication is an essential part of working in a diverse workplace. How you communicate with your colleagues can determine how much you achieve together. While it's ideal that your colleagues speak the same language, effective communication can still take place when that's not the case.

For instance, if you have employees who don't speak English fluently, you could create a communication framework that gets straight to the point. Avoid slang or colloquialisms that may be difficult to understand. Such measures can help reduce misunderstandings and mistakes and ensure everyone is on the same

page.

3. Establish a Code of Conduct

A clear code of conduct can help build cultural awareness and navigate the nuances of a diverse work environment. Its important to treat others the way they wish to be treated, to be polite and respectful in their eyes in order to build trust and form strong relationships with colleagues from different cultural backgrounds.

For example, we have developed COBA (Code of a Black Ally) to help professionals be better allies to the Black and brown folks in their workplace. Weve also created the CultureQ Code for organizations who have remote or global teams that need help being more cohesive and productive across borders. Having diverse teams who believe in and are committed to the same code of values can and will transform company culture.

Turning Cultural Differences Into Opportunities

Ample data shows that diverse thinking and perspectives result in more innovation and better solutions. When your employees are more culturally aware, they begin to view differences as advantages and strengths instead of barriers or sources of conflict. For instance, colleagues from different backgrounds may approach problems from various angles, which increases the likelihood of finding effective outcomes and building stronger partnerships for the long term.

Take the First Step Today

Download our free and exclusive CQ Code now! Learn the nuances of cultural competence and navigate intercultural interactions with ease. Build a culturally aware work environment that promotes understanding and respect while addressing unconscious bias and ignorance we all fall victim to, because were human.

Get your copy today and unlock the power of cultural awareness.