Success in Diversity: Training for Respectful Workplaces

In today’s global economy, where people are often the only sustainable source of competitive advantage, success depends on the ability to perform in diverse and multicultural environments. Companies and organizations are now recognizing that a key skill for many of their staff and within the workplace environment is the ability to work effectively with people from other cultures and backgrounds. Culture is not just about ethnic culture; it concerns any shared set of attitudes, values, meanings and behaviour. It can be regional, corporate, or relate to gender, age or religion, to name a few.

Organizations are always at risk of facing complaints of harassment, bullying and discrimination.  An interculturally competent workplace is the “how to” for avoiding such risks whilst creating an accommodating environment. Moreover, companies are realising that intercultural competence is also a key to leveraging business. It is not just a question of avoiding and preventing mistakes and complaints but of making sure that interactions work as well as they possibly can and, thus, creating a competitive advantage from diversity.

Interculturally competent employees possess a curiosity about different cultures, a willingness to learn, an ability to cope with complexity and ambiguity, and a fundamental ability to observe without making value judgements.  Interculturally competent employees thrive within and help to create a respectful team environment. Employees belong to a stronger team when they have intercultural competence. They respect people’s differences, which results in strong camaraderie and trust.

Building Common Understandings: Intercultural Competency Training

The John Humphrey Centre for Peace and Human Rights offers workshops and consultancy services for intercultural proficiency by providing tools that:

• Examine the self and one’s own cultures or backgrounds to understand how those impact the perception and interaction of those who are different
• Understand the guiding principles of cultural competence
• Understand the breadth and depth of culture, including the effects of other areas such as gender, etc.
• Develop behaviours and practices and tools for cultural proficiency: What does it look like?
• Overcome barriers to cultural proficiency